On this page, you will find NCERT Class 9 Geography Chapter 5 Notes Pdf free download. CBSE Class 9 Social Science Notes Geography Chapter 5 SST Natural Vegetation and Wildlife will seemingly, help them to revise the important concepts in less time.
Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Class 9 Notes Social Science Geography Chapter 5
CBSE Class 9 Geography Chapter 5 Notes Understanding the Lesson
1. India has a wonderful plant diversity. It is blessed with about 47,000 plant species. There are about 15,000 flowering plants in our country which account for 6 per cent in the world’s total number of flowering plants.
2. India also has approximately 90,000 species of animals as well as a rich variety of fish in its marine waters.
3. Natural vegetation grows naturally without human aid. Cultivated crops and fruits, orchards form part of vegetation but not natural vegetation.
4. The huge diversity in flora and fauna kingdom is due to the factors, such as—relief (land and soil), climate (temperature, sunlight and precipitation) and ecosystem.
5. All the plants and animals in an area are interdependent and inter-related to each other in their physical environment.
6. Human beings are also integral part of the ecosystem. They utilise vegetation and wildlife. But their greed leads to over-utilisation of these resources.
7. There are five types of vegetation-tropical evergreen, tropical deciduous, tropical thorn forests and scrubs, montane and mangrove forests.
8. Tropical evergreen forests are found in the heavy rainfall areas. They are at their best in areas having more than 200 cm of rainfall with a short dry season. The trees reach great heights up to 60 metres or even above. Trees like ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona and animals like elephants, monkeys, lemur and deer are found in these forests.
9. Tropical deciduous forests are also called the monsoon forests and spread over the region receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm. On the basis of the availability of water, these forests are divided into moist and dry deciduous. Trees like teak, sal, peepal and neem and animals such as lion, pig, deer and elephants are found in these forests.
10. The thorn forests and scrubs are found in regions with less than 70 cm of rainfall. Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the main plant species. Animals such as rats, mice, rabbits tigers, etc. are found in these forests.
11. Montane forests are found in mountainous areas. Trees like oaks and chestnuts are found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres. Between 1500 and 3000 metres, temperate forests containing coniferous trees like pine, deodar, silver fir, etc. are found. The common animals found in these forests are Kashmir stag, spotted deer, wild sheep, jackrabbit, Tibetan antelope, etc.
12. The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides. Trees such as Sundari, palm, coconut, keora, etc. are found in these forests. Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal in these forests.
13. Wildlife: India is equally rich in its fauna. It has approximately 90,000 of animal species. Its shares between 5 and 8 per cent of the world’s amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
14. The elephants are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka and Kerala. One-horn rhinoceroses live in swampy and marshy lands of Assam and West Bengal.
15. India is the only country in the world that has both tigers and lions. The natural habitat of the Indian lion in the Gir forest in Gujarat. Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes are home to yak, the shaggy homed wild ox, etc.
16. In the rivers, lakes and coastal areas, turtles, crocodiles and gharials are found. Birdlife in India is colourful. Peacocks, pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes and pigeons are found in the forests and wetlands of the country.
17. Due to excessive exploitation of the plants and animal resources by human beings, the ecosystem has been disturbed. About 1,300 plant species are endangered and 20 species are extinct.
18. Fourteen biosphere reserves have been set up in the country to protect flora and fauna. Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other eco-developmental projects have been introduced by the government. National Parks, Wildlife sanctuaries and zoological gardens have been set up to protect natural heritage.
Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Class 9 CBSE Notes Important Terms
Vegetation: Plants considered collectively, especially those found in a particular area or habitat.
Flora: Plants a particular region or period.
Fauna: Species of animals.
Brome: A very large ecosystem on land having distinct types of vegetation and animal life.
Wildlife: Wild animals collectively, the native fauna and sometimes flora of a region.
Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.