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| Forests |
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| A biotic community dominated by trees and woody shrubs having closed canopy is called a forest. |
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| The science of development and management of the forest is called forestry. |
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| Importance of Forests |
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| Forests are the invaluable wealth of a country and a renewable natural resource. They are beneficial to man in several ways. |
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| a) Forests provide fuel wood, timber, paper, bamboo, rayon, cane etc. |
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| b) Forests also provide a large number of important products such as essential oils, tannins, resins, gums, drugs, spices, tannins, resins, gums, drugs, spices, insecticides, soap substitutes, dyes, cork and distillation products. |
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| c) Forests help maintain oxygen content of the atmosphere. |
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| d) Forests provide shelter and food to a variety of plants, animals and microorganisms. |
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| e) Dead fallen leaves of the trees decay and form humus that increases the porosity and fertility of the soil. |
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| f) Forests increase the atmospheric humidity by transpiration which affects rainfall and makes the air cool for the survival of plants and animals. |
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| g) Forests reduce atmospheric pollution by using carbon dioxide and by collecting suspended particulate matter on their leaves. |
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| h) The forests prevent soil erosion by |
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| i) the network of plant roots firmly binding the soil |
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| ii) the leaves reduce the force of the rain drops to keep soil intact |
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| iii) the trees decrease the velocity of the wind to prevent dislodging of soil particles. |
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| iv) the shade of the trees keeps the soil cool and moist in summer to offset the eroding effect of the wind. |
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| i) The layer of humus absorbs and holds rain water, preventing flash floods. |
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| j) Forests have aesthetic value. |
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| k) Many people are employed in the profession connected with forests. |
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| Forests in India |
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| India had abundant forest cover in ancient times. But increase in population, lack of foresight and indiscriminate felling of trees has greatly reduced the forest cover. Remote sensing surveys have shown that at present the forest cover is only 14%. |
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| 16 Forest types are recognised in India. The bulk of our forests is made up of |
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| Tropical dry deciduous - 38.7% |
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| Tropical moist deciduous - 30.9% |
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| Tropical thorn - 6.9% |
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| Sal and Teak plantation - 13% |
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