Thursday 17 March 2011

Natural Vegetation ...its Flower and Fauna

Vegetation
Himalayan vegetation varies according to both altitude and climatic conditions. They range from the tropical deciduous forests in the foothills, to temperate forests in the middle altitudes.


Himalayan Rainforest



Types of Himalayan Forests
The great Himalayas can be divided into three mountainous regions of Eastern, Central and Western Himalayas. The forests in these three regions are classified according to various factors such as composition of trees, elevation and rainfall.
The different types of Himalayan forests are Alpine Forests, Sub-tropical Rainforests, Deciduous Forests and Coniferous Forests

Himalayan Coniferous Forests





Coniferous Forests (Needleleaf Forests)Coniferous Forests are found between the elevations of 3000 m and 4,500 along total Himalayas and containing variety of wood species like Blue Pine, Deodar, Spruce and Silver Fir.

These forests can adapt severe freezing temperature of Himalayas with heavy snowfalls on winter days as they are having cone shape with needle like leaves.

Mostly these forests are lying just below the timber line of Himalayas.Timber line of the Himalayan forests usually lies at an altitude of 4000 m in Eastern Himalayas and the same lies at an altitude of 3500 m in Western ranges. However most parts of the Himalayas above 5,500 m are completely free from any vegetation

Alpine Forests
These are the ones lying between foot hills and timber line ( a line above which trees do not grow) of total Himalayas where we can find different wood species that we can find along Deciduous and Coniferous forests. In this region temperature is decreasing with increasing elevation.



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PineTrees in Himalayas


The vegetation also varies from the unexplored tropical rainforests of the Eastern Himalayas, to the dense subtropical and alpine forests of the Central and Western Himalayas to the sparse desert vegetation of the cold desert areas of the Transhimalaya.


However, the floral wealth of the Himalayas have also been affected by man. Over the centuries, man has always been dependent on his forests for a number of his needs. But earlier, these needs were few, the forests were able to replenish the resources, and the delicate natural balance was maintained. But over the years, the human population increased dramatically, and with it the number of industries that depended on forests.

Extraordinary demands were made on the forests. Forests were cut down for firewood and to feed the growing number of forest-based industries. They were also cleared to accommodate the growing population. As a result, many species of trees that were very common even 50 years ago, are now rare or have completely disappeared from certain areas

Birch trees Himalayas

Birch Trees in Western Himalayas
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The vegetation also varies from the unexplored tropical rainforests of the Eastern Himalayas, to the dense subtropical and alpine forests of the Central and Western Himalayas to the sparse desert vegetation of the cold desert areas of the Transhimalaya.


However, the floral wealth of the Himalayas have also been affected by man. Over the centuries, man has always been dependent on his forests for a number of his needs. But earlier, these needs were few, the forests were able to replenish the resources, and the delicate natural balance was maintained. But over the years, the human population increased dramatically, and with it the number of industries that depended on forests.

Extraordinary demands were made on the forests. Forests were cut down for firewood and to feed the growing number of forest-based industries. They were also cleared to accommodate the growing population. As a result, many species of trees that were very common even 50 years ago, are now rare or have completely disappeared from certain areas


Deciduous Forest
 Deciduous Forests (Broadleaf Forests)This type of forests are broadleaf forests existing between the
elevations of 600 m and 3000 m all along total Himalayas (Western, Central and Eastern Himalayas).

 This type of forests consist of wood species that grow in sub-tropical rainforests. 

Though the deciduous forests of Eastern Himalayas are enriched with variety of wood species, the lack of distribution of rainfall along sub-ranges of Western Himalayas affects rich growth of trees.

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