Vegetation Fundamentals
Climate Matrix · Relief Influence · Major Zones
MICRO-REALM 01
Natural Vegetation
- GROWS NATURALLY WITHOUT HUMAN AID
- LEFT UNDISTURBED OVER LONG PERIODS
- ALSO CALLED VIRGIN VEGETATION
MICRO-REALM 02
Climate Connection
- TEMPERATURE DETERMINES FOREST CHARACTER
- HUMIDITY & PRECIPITATION DRIVE DENSITY
- MAIN DIFFERENTIATOR OF MAJOR ZONES
MICRO-REALM 03
Soil Nexus
- DIFFERENT SOILS SUPPORT DIFFERENT BIOMES
- SANDY SOILS = CACTUS/THORNY BUSHES
- WET MARSHY SOILS = MANGROVES
MICRO-REALM 04
Relief & Altitude
- TEMPERATURE DROPS WITH HEIGHT
- CHANGES TROPICAL TO SUBTROPICAL TO ALPINE
- ALTITUDE MIMICS LATITUDINAL CHANGES
MICRO-REALM 05
Photoperiod
- DURATION OF SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE
- VARIES BY LATITUDE, SEASON, DURATION
- LONGER DAYS = FASTER TREE GROWTH IN SUMMER
MICRO-REALM 06
Precipitation Control
- HEAVY RAINFALL = DENSE CANOPY FORESTS
- SCANTY RAINFALL = SPARSE SCRUB/THORN
- ADVANCING SW MONSOON DICTATES MAP
MICRO-REALM 07
Tropical Evergreen
- RAINFALL > 200 CM ANNUALLY
- WARM AND WET YEAR-ROUND
- MULTI-LAYERED, NO DEFINITE LEAF-SHEDDING TIME
MICRO-REALM 08
Tropical Deciduous
- MONSOON FORESTS (70 CM TO 200 CM)
- SHED LEAVES FOR 6-8 WEEKS IN DRY SPRING
- MOST WIDESPREAD FOREST IN INDIA
MICRO-REALM 09
Thorn Forests & Scrubs
- RAINFALL < 70 CM ANNUALLY
- DEEP ROOTS TO REACH GROUNDWATER
- THICK STEMS/THORNS TO REDUCE TRANSPIRATION
MICRO-REALM 10
Montane Forests
- MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS (HIMALAYAS)
- WET TEMPERATE TO CONIFEROUS TO ALPINE
- SUCCESSION DICTATED ENTIRELY BY ALTITUDE
MICRO-REALM 11
Mangrove Forests
- COASTAL DELTAS INFLUENCED BY TIDES
- MUD & SILT ACCUMULATION
- STILT ROOTS ADAPTED TO WATERLOGGING
MICRO-REALM 12
Endemism
- SPECIES EXCLUSIVE TO A SPECIFIC REGION
- PURELY INDIAN SPECIES = ENDEMIC/INDIGENOUS
- IMPORTED SPECIES = EXOTIC/ALIEN