Page 37 - SST Class 04

2. Deciduous Forests : A deciduous tree sheds all its leaves at one time in a year and
becomes bare. Such trees grow in areas having a modest rainfall. Such a forest is also
known as monsoon forest. Its important varieties include sal, teak, sandalwood,
bamboo, mahua, sheesham and sakhu. We can find these forests in Assam, Odisha,
West Bengal, Eastern Ghats and foothills of the Himalayas.

3. Coniferous Forests : Coniferous forests
grow on mountains, so they are also
called mountain forests. These trees are
tall and have pointed needle-shaped
leaves. So, snow cannot settle on them.
The types of coniferous trees vary

according to the altitude of the
mountains. We can find coniferous trees Pine tree Cactus
in the high altitude of the Himalayas, such as cedar, chir, fir, pine and deodar. The
wood of these trees is soft and is useful for making pulp. Pulp is used for making
newspaper and packaging materials.

4. Thorny Forests : In desert areas, water and rainfall are deficient. A thorny tree or
shrub has long roots, so it takes water from deep ground. It also has a thick bark, small
leaves and sharp thorns, so that water is not lost. Its leaves do not allow water to
evaporate. We can find thorny forests in Rajasthan. The important varieties of thorny
trees include keekar, babool, cactus, date-palm and prickly pear. There are some other
thorny shrubs and bushes also.

5. Tidal Forests : A river forms a delta
where it enters the sea. Here seawater
comes into the river and causes tides. The
forests that grow here are called tidal
forests. In India, we can find these forests

in the Sundarbans in West Bengal where
the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers have
formed a large delta. An important Tidal forest Chipko Movement
variety found in these forests is sundri tree. The Sundarbans has been named after the
tree sundri.

Significance of Forests

Forests are very important and useful to us in many ways. They give us many
products like timber, fuel, herbs, gum, honey, rubber among other things. They
prevent soil erosion and make the soil fertile. They check strong winds and flow of
water, thus they help to check storms and floods. Trees play a vital role in causing
rainfall. Trees have the most important role in making oxygen without which we

India : Forests and Wildlife 37