Case Study: Indian Forests

Mangroves:

• Are well adapted to both salty and swampy habitat by having breathing roots. The Gangetic Sunderbans is the largest mangrove area in India.

Dry forests:

• Are mainly found in Central India. They deal with long dry seasons, i.e., without rainfall, which last for several months.

Scrublands:

• Are the areas which are covered mainly by grass or thorn scrubs. These lie mainly in the Deccan Plateau, extending across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Scrublands, commonly known as alpine tundra, are found lining the Himalayan region.

Open Forests:

• Are where the forest cover is not very dense and the area is more open. They are mainly found in the Himalayan region and the North-Eastern part of India.

Dense Forests:

• Are where the vegetation is very thick and the canopy cover is dense. The two main areas are the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas which are tropical forests.