Natural Vegetation and Wildlife — Practice Questions
UPSC Prelims-pattern practice questions on India's natural vegetation with explanations — deciduous trees, thorn forests, hotspots, mangroves.
Questions
These are original UPSC-pattern practice questions. Attempt each one before revealing the answer.
Which of the following trees are characteristic of the tropical moist deciduous forests of India?
- Teak
- Sal
- Sandalwood
- Khejri
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Solution
Teak, sal and sandalwood are typical moist deciduous trees (NCERT also lists shisham, hurra, mahua, amla, semul and kusum). Khejri belongs to the tropical thorn forests of the dry north-west, especially Rajasthan.
Answer: C
According to NCERT, tropical thorn forests occur in areas that receive annual rainfall of
Solution
NCERT’s Class XI text places tropical thorn forests where rainfall is less than 50 cm — south-west Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Dry deciduous forests grow at 70–100 cm, moist deciduous at 100–200 cm and evergreen forests above 200 cm. (NCERT’s Class IX text uses “less than 70 cm” for thorny vegetation; either way, the thorn belt is the driest.)
Answer: A
Parts of how many of the following global biodiversity hotspots lie in India?
- Himalaya
- Indo-Burma
- Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
- Sundaland
Solution
All four. North-east India lies in Indo-Burma; the Himalaya and the Western Ghats are obvious; and India shares Sundaland through the Nicobar Islands — the usual trap.
Answer: D
The National Forest Policy, 1988 set a national goal of bringing what proportion of India’s geographical area under forest or tree cover?
Solution
One-third (33%) for the country as a whole, and two-thirds in the hills and mountains to prevent erosion and land degradation. Two-thirds is the hill target — the trap.
Answer: B
Consider the following statements about mangroves:
- Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants that grow in the intertidal zone.
- Pneumatophores, or breathing roots, are a feature of many mangrove species.
- The Sundarbans mangroves lie in the delta of the Godavari.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Solution
Statements 1 and 2 are correct — mangroves are halophytes of the intertidal zone, and many have pneumatophores to breathe in oxygen-poor mud. Statement 3 is wrong — the Sundarbans lie in the Ganga–Brahmaputra delta; the Godavari delta has its own smaller mangroves (such as Coringa).
Answer: C
Mains
Discuss the ecological and economic significance of mangroves along the Indian coast and the threats they face.
Solution
Introduction: Mangroves are salt-tolerant forests of the intertidal zone, found in India mainly in the Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika, the Godavari–Krishna deltas, Pichavaram, the Gujarat coast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Body — significance:
- Coastal protection: dissipate wave energy and storm surges during cyclones on the east coast.
- Fisheries: nurseries for fish, prawns and crabs that support coastal livelihoods.
- Carbon: store large amounts of “blue carbon” in soil and biomass.
- Biodiversity: habitat of the Royal Bengal tiger (Sundarbans) and saltwater crocodile (Bhitarkanika).
- Land building: trap sediment and stabilise shorelines.
Body — threats:
- Conversion for aquaculture, ports, salt pans and urban expansion.
- Reduced freshwater and sediment flow from upstream dams, raising salinity.
- Sea-level rise and coastal erosion; pollution and oil spills.
Way forward: strict enforcement of Coastal Regulation Zone norms; community-led restoration; schemes such as MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes, announced in the Union Budget 2023-24); ensuring environmental flows in deltas.
Conclusion: Mangroves are cheaper and more durable coastal defences than concrete walls; protecting them is both climate adaptation and livelihood security.