The flora and fauna of India are exceptionally rich and highly diversified. Within its boundaries, Palearctic, Ethiopian, Indochinese, Malaysian and endemic flora and fauna intermingle.
In this way, they give rise to characteristic distribution patterns that exhibit a complex composition.
The ecology of almost all of India is dominated by the monsoon rain climate. That of the upper Himalayas, above the forest line, is mainly determined by its temperature.
For this reason, the flora and fauna of India is predominantly tropical, but there are also plants and animals typical of temperate zones.
The flora and fauna of India are distributed in its forests, grasslands and thickets.
The wooded areas represent only a fifth of the total territory, as human action has been responsible for the destruction of natural habitats in that region.
In India there are tropical rainforests, tropical deciduous forests, desert vegetation, mangrove forests and alpine forests.
The flora of India
India's wide range of climatic conditions allows for great variety in its vegetation.
Taking into account the distribution of the flora, this territory can be classified into Western Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Indo-Gangetic Plain, Deccan, Malabar and the Andaman Islands.
As a result, the eastern tropical forests are in contrast to the coniferous and pine forest of the western Himalayas.
Some of the eastern Himalayan species are dwarf willows, alders, maples, oaks, laurels, rhododendrons, and birch trees.
From the western Himalayas, mention may be made of chir pine, Himalayan cedar, blue pine, fir, silver fir and juniper.
Himalayan tea plantations, bamboos, rice fields and mulberry trees are available in Assam.
On the other hand, the Indo-Gangetic plain is a growing area for wheat, rice, cotton, sorghum, sugar cane, corn and others.
Shrublands and mixed deciduous forests are common in the Deccan region, while evergreen forests and mangroves predominate in the Andaman Islands.
Finally, the Malabar region is distinguished by its commercial crops, such as coconut, betel, pepper, coffee and tea.
The fauna of India
According to the estimated figures, in India there are more than 500 species of mammals, more than 200 species of birds and the species of insects, reptiles and fish number around 30,000.
Some mammals that inhabit this region are elephants, white lions, common lions, bengal tigers, bison, mountain goats, deer, monkeys, antelopes, sloths, striped hyenas, foxes, jackals, wild pigs, wolves and buffalo.
Among the birds are the peacock (which is the national bird), the parrot, the pigeons, the cranes, the parakeets, the geese, the pheasants, the owls, the hornbills, the Shiite short-toed eagles, the herons, the pelicans, storks and ibis.
Indian sanctuaries are home to lizards (varanus), freshwater turtles, bungars (poisonous snake), king cobras, crocodiles, and pythons.
Likewise, in India there are idiopoid spiders, locusts, silkworms, praying mantises, scorpions and bees.
References
- Mani, MS (editor). (2002). Ecology and Biogeography in India. New York: Springer Science & Business Media.
- Jain, RK (2004). Geography. Delhi: Ratna Sagar.
- Indian flora and fauna. (s / f). In Indian Mirror. Retrieved on October 31, 2017, from indianmirror.com
- India: Flora & Fauna.. (s / f). In IND travel. Retrieved on October 31, 2017, from indtravel.com
- Flora and fauna. (s / f). In Indian Scriptures. Retrieved on October 31, 2017, from indianscriptures.com