Multiple Choice Questions
Q1.
Ans: (b) one-third
Forests currently occupy about one-third of the Earth's total land area, serving as critical habitats for wildlife and crucial for maintaining ecological balance.
Q2.
Ans: (a) forests, grasslands, and deserts
The main categories of natural vegetation, which depend on climate and geographical conditions, include forests, grasslands, and deserts.
Q3.
Ans: (a) selvas
Tropical rainforests, also known as selvas, are dense forests found in the equatorial regions, characterized by high biodiversity and abundant rainfall.
Q4.
Ans: (b) tropical deciduous forests
These types of trees are commonly found in tropical deciduous forests, which are characterized by a wet and a dry season.
Q5.
Ans: (a) monsoon forests
Also known as monsoon forests, tropical deciduous forests experience a significant amount of rainfall during the monsoon season and shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve water.
Q6.
Ans: (b) Sundarbans
The Sundarbans, located in the delta region of the Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins, is the largest mangrove forest in the world.
Q7.
Ans: (a) sundari
Sundari trees are a distinctive feature of mangrove forests, particularly prominent in the Sundarbans, adapted to the saline coastal waters.
Q8.
Ans: (b) temperate deciduous forests
Chipmunks are commonly found in temperate deciduous forests, where they have adapted to a life with distinct seasonal changes.
Q9.
Ans: (b) prairie
The grasslands in North America are referred to as prairies, characterized by wide open spaces and grassy landscapes.
Q10.
Ans: (c) downs
In Australia, the temperate grasslands are known as downs, which are areas of rolling grassy hills.
Answer the following in one sentence.
Q1.
Ans: Natural vegetation refers to the plants that grow without human intervention in a particular area, influenced by the climate, soil, and environmental conditions.
Q2.
Ans: The type of vegetation in an area is determined by factors such as sunlight availability, temperature, rainfall, and soil conditions.
Q3.
Ans: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms and their physical environment, interacting as a system through nutrient cycles and energy flows.
Q4.
Ans: Tropical deciduous forests are characterized by a distinct wet and dry season, with trees that shed their leaves during the dry season to conserve water.
Q5.
Ans: Elephant grass is a tall, coarse grass found in tropical grasslands, growing over 2 meters high and known for its ability to survive dry periods due to its deep roots.
Answer the following questions in brief.
Q1.
Ans: Trees in the Mediterranean region survive the summer drought by having deep root systems to access underground water, small, waxy leaves to reduce water loss, and thick barks to protect against heat.
Q2.
Ans: Mixed forests consist of both deciduous and coniferous trees. They are found in regions like Western and Central Europe, Western Canada, and Northwest USA.
Q3.
Ans: The vegetation in the taiga, consisting mainly of coniferous trees, has adapted with needle-like leaves to reduce water loss, deep horizontal roots to cope with thin soils, and branches that shed snow to prevent damage.
Q4.
Ans: Tropical grasslands support diverse wildlife, including large herbivores like elephants and zebras, predators such as lions and hyenas, and numerous bird species, adapted to the climate by migrating or congregating near water sources during the dry season.
Q5.
Ans: Trees in tropical grasslands survive the winter drought by having long taproots to access deep water sources, water-storing structures like thick trunks, and small leaves to minimize water loss.
Answer the following questions in detail
Q1.
Ans: Tropical evergreen forests have dense, multi-layered canopies and remain green throughout the year due to constant rainfall, featuring trees like mahogany and ebony. Tropical deciduous forests have trees that shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve moisture, with less dense canopies and species like teak and sal.
Q2.
Ans: Temperate deciduous forests have trees with broad leaves that shed annually, like oak and elm, creating a rich undergrowth of shrubs and plants. The wildlife includes diverse mammals such as deer and foxes, numerous birds, and insects, benefiting from the seasonal abundance of food.
Q3.
Ans: Wildlife in the tundra adapts to the cold by having thick fat layers and fur for insulation, with behaviors such as migration to escape the harshest weather and food storage to survive the winter.
Q4.
Ans: Tropical evergreen forests are dark and damp due to their thick canopies which block most of the sunlight, combined with consistent high humidity and rainfall that does not allow the forest floor to dry out.
Q5.
Ans: Vegetation in drought regions adapts with features like deep roots, water-storing tissues, small or no leaves, and waxy surfaces to minimize water loss and maximize water storage.
Q6.
Ans: Evergreen trees, such as pines and firs, retain their leaves throughout the year and are primarily found in both tropical (e.g., rainforests) and temperate zones (e.g., taiga), adapting to diverse but consistent climatic conditions.
