1. Hardwood trees like sal, teak, neem and shisham (useful for making furniture, transport and constructional material) are found in which type of forests?
A. Mediterranean Vegetation
B. Coniferous Forests
C. Temperate Deciduous Forests
D. Tropical Deciduous Forests
Solution
The correct answer is Tropical Deciduous Forests.
Key Points
- Tropical Deciduous Forests:
- They are also called the monsoon forests, these are the most widespread forests in India.
- The term ‘Deciduous’ relates to the ability of some plants to lose their leaves annually.
- They are spread over regions which receive rainfall between 70 and 200 cm.
- Important Species: The common trees are Sal, Teak, Sandalwood, neem, Ajun, Ebony, Shisham, Hurra, Mahua, Amla, Semul, Mulberry and Kusum.
- It is found on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, eastern coastal plains, eastern plateaus, Himalayan foothills and in some parts of the Satluj-Ganga plains, Eastern Rajasthan, Kathiawar, rain-shadow areas of the Deccan plateau, central India and Punjab.
2. The tropical evergreen forests are found in the regions where the annual rainfall is more than ______________.
A. 50cm
B. 150cm
C. 200cm
D. 250cm
Solution
The correct answer is option 3, i.e, 200cm.
The tropical evergreen forests are found in the regions where the annual rainfall is more than 200cm.
- It having a monthly mean temperature of 18 degrees Celcius or higher in the coldest months.
- Tropical Evergreen forests are dense, multi-layered and harbour many types of plants and animals.
- Some important trees of the tropical evergreen forest are Ebony, Mahogany. Rosewood, Rubber, and Cinchona.
- Bamboos, Sal, Shisham, Sandalwood, Khair, Kusum, Mulberry are commercially important species.
- These are found on the Eastern and Western slopes of the Western Ghats.
- Due to the dense growth of trees, the tropical evergreen forests the sunlight cannot reach the ground.
3. Tropical rainforest can be found in the Silent Valley of ________.
A. Kerala
B. Rajasthan
C. Delhi
D. Meghalaya
Solution
The correct answer is Kerala.
- The tropical rainforest can be found in the Silent Valley of Kerala.
Key Points
- Tropical Rain Forests:
- These forests are evergreen.
- These are found in the equatorial and the tropical regions with more than 200 cms annual rainfall.
- The leaves of trees in such forests are very wide.
- Examples: Redwood, palm, etc.
- As Kerala is located near the equator and always becomes a part of Western Ghats, the tropical rainforest can be found here.
- Silent Valley National Park is located in Kerala.
Additional Information
- Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests are found in Rajasthan.
- Tropical Thorn Forest is found in Delhi.
- Deciduous and Evergreen Tropical Forests are found in Meghalaya.
4. Which forests are also referred to as ‘Monsoon Forests’?
A. Montane Forests
B. Tropical Deciduous Forests
C. Tropical Evergreen Forests
D. Mangrove Forests
Solution
The correct answer is Tropical Deciduous Forests”.
Key Points
- Tropical Deciduous Forest is also referred to as a ” Monsoon Forest”.
- Tropical Deciduous forests are found in the belt along the equator between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn as well as in the humid subtropics
- Tropical Deciduous Forests are home to trees with broad leaves which shed in one season of the year.
- The range of the rainfall in this forest is 70 – 200cms.
- There are two types of deciduous forest namely –
- Moist Deciduous Forest
- Dry Deciduous Forest.
Important Points
- Some of the major states in which these types of forests are found are –
- Madhya Pradesh
- Uttar Pradesh
- Chattisgarh
- Odisha
- Some parts of Maharashtra
5. Mosses, Lichens and small shrubs are found in which type of vegetation?
A. Tundra
B. Coral Reefs
C. Mangroves
D. Tropical Evergreen Forest
Solution
The correct answer is Tundra.
Key Points
- Tundra vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs, sedges and grasses, mosses, and lichens.
- About Tundra Climate-
- The Tundra climate has the mean temperature of the warmest month above 0°C but below 10°C.
- This type of climate is experienced in the areas located near the Arctic and Antarctic Circle.
- Tundra lands are covered with snow for much of the year.
Additional Information
- Tropical evergreen forests-
- The tropical evergreen forest also known as tropical rain forests.
- It usually found in areas receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall and having a monthly mean temperature of 18°C or higher in the coldest months.
- They occupy about seven percent of the Earth’s land surface and harbor more than half of the planet’s terrestrial plants and animals.
- Tropical evergreen forests are dense, multi-layered, and harbour many types of plants and animals.
- Coral Reefs:
- The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia, is the largest living thing on Earth, and even visible from outer space.
- The 2,300km-long ecosystem comprises thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands made of over 600 types of hard and soft coral.
- Mangrove:
- World’s largest deltaic mangrove forests are found in Sundarbans Reserve Forest.
- It is situated in Bangladesh.
- It lies in the delta of Meghna, Brahmaputra, and Ganges rivers.
6. One horned rhinoceros is found in the following states _______ .
A. Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura
B. West Bengal and Assam
C. Arunachal Pradesh and Assam
D. West Bengal and Tripura
Solution
The correct answer is West Bengal and Assam.
Key Points
- One horned Rhinoceros:
- They are found in the Indian subcontinent.
- The one-horned rhinoceros (Indian rhinoceros) are the largest of the rhino species.
- They are mainly found in Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh.
- There are 2,640 rhinoceros in four protected areas in Assam.
- Pabitora Wildlife Reserve
- Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park
- Kaziranga National Park
- Manas National Park.
- 90% are found in Kaziranga National Park.
- It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
- The National Rhino Conservation Strategy was launched in the year 2019 for the conservation of big-horned rhinos.
- Indian Rhino Vision 2020 was launched in 2005, it is an ambitious effort to attain a wild population of at least 3,000 greater one-horned rhinos spread over seven protected areas in the Indian state of Assam by the year 2020.
Additional Information
| States | National Parks |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Namdapha National ParkMouling National Park |
| West Bengal | Sunderban National ParkBuxa National ParkGorumara National ParkNeora Valley National ParkSingalila National ParkJaldapara National Park |
| Tripura | Clouded Leopard National ParkRajbari National Park |
7. Which one of the following states possesses the largest forest area?
A. Arunachal Pradesh
B. Chhattisgarh
C. Maharashtra
D. Madhya Pradesh
Solution
The correct answer is Madhya Pradesh.
Key Points
Based on the reports of India state of forest report 2021 forest and tree cover of the country is 80.9 million hectares which is 24.62 per cent of the geographical area of the country.
- Madhya Pradesh possesses the largest forest area.
- The forest cover in Madhya Pradesh is 77482.49 sq km.
- Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.
- In terms of forest cover as a percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are
- Mizoram (84.53%),
- Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%),
- Meghalaya (76.00%),
- Manipur (74.34%)
- Nagaland (73.90%).
- An increase in forest cover has been observed in the open forest followed by a very dense forest. The top three states showing an increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km) followed by Telangana (632 sq km) and Odisha (537 sq km).
- Madhya Pradesh is also known as the tiger state of India.
- Bhopal is the capital of Madhya Pradesh.
- Indian Institute of forest management is located in Bhopal.
- India’s biggest diamond mine Panna is in Madhya Pradesh.
- The important National Parks in Madhya Pradesh are:
- Kanha National Park.
- Satpura National Park.
- Sanjay National Park.
- Madhav National Park.
- Van Vihar National Park.
- Panna National Park.
- Pench National Park.
- Chhattisgarh is the state known as the rice bowl of central India.
- Maharashtra is the most industrialized state in India.
8. Which of these is an example of coniferous trees?
A. Khair
B. Chir
C. Babool
D. Cactus
Solution
The correct answer is Chir.
Key Points
- Chir
- Pinus roxburghii, commonly known as chir pine or longleaf Indian pine, is a species of pine, native to the Himalayas.
- It helps manage diabetes by increasing insulin secretion due to its anti-diabetic property.
- As per Ayurveda, Chir is beneficial in respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma.
- It helps to remove sputum from respiratory passages due to its Vata and Kapha balancing properties.
- Coniferous Tree
- Trees that produce cones and needles are called Coniferous-evergreen trees.
- Example – cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews.
Additional Information
- Khair is a thorny tree which grows up to 15 m in height that grows throughout India from the Himalayas to the South of India.
- Babool is a flowering tree in the family Fabaceae which is native to Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent.
- A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae and is meant to thrive in semi-arid and arid areas.
9. Which of the following districts in Rajasthan have the lowest forest cover in Rajasthan?
A. Churu
B. Udaipur
C. Banswara
D. Barmer
Solution
The correct answer is Churu.
Key Points
Forest area of Rajasthan:
- Churu in Rajasthan has the lowest forest cover in Rajasthan.
- It has only 82 sq km of the area into forest region.
- The total forest area of Rajasthan is 32,863 sq km according to Rajasthan State of Forest Report 2020-2021.
- It is equivalent to 9.60% of Rajasthan’s geographic area.
Additional Information
| Forest Cover | Area |
| Churu | 82 sq km |
| Udaipur | 2757 sq km |
| Banswara | 268.42 sq km |
| Barmer | 289.79 sq km |
10. Which of the following states is home to the Great Indian Bustard?
A. Bihar
B. Sikkim
C. Uttar Pradesh
D. Rajasthan
Solution
The correct answer is Rajasthan.
Key Points
- Great Indian Bustard:-
- A big member of the bustard family (Otididae), the great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is one of the heaviest-flying birds in the world.
- On the Indian subcontinent, the great Indian bustard lives in dry grasslands and scrublands.
- The Indian state of Rajasthan has the highest concentrations of these birds.
- The tallest Great Indian Bustards can reach heights of 1.2 metres (4 feet), and they have long legs and a long neck.
Additional Information
- The largest individuals weigh 15 kg, with the sexes being nearly the same size (33 pounds).
- The colour of the feathers helps to distinguish between men and females.
- Great Indian bustards are opportunistic omnivores who consume anything that looks appetising in their immediate environment.
- They eat several kinds of arthropods, worms, tiny animals, and tiny reptiles.
- The majority of their diet consists of insects like locusts, crickets, and beetles during the summer monsoon when rainfall in India reaches its highest point and the bird’s nesting season is largely through.
