Forests Distribution MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Forests Distribution - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Tropical Deciduous Forests. 

Additional Information

• Tropical deciduous forests are distributed in states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Odisha and on the eastern slopes of Western Ghats.
• Characteristics of tropical deciduous forests;
  • They are also called Monsoon Forests.
  • Rainfall is in the range of 100-200 cms.
  • The trees shed their leaves during the spring season.
  • Teak is the most dominant species of this forest while Bamboos, Sal, Shisham, sandalwood, Kusum, Arjun, and mulberry are other commercially important species.
• Teak:
  • Teak is one of the most important timber trees of India and Southeast Asia.
  • The most important teak forests in India are in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh.

The correct answer is Western Ghats.

Key Points

• The Shola forests are tropical montane forests found in the valleys of the Western Ghats, a mountain range running parallel to the western coast of India.
• These forests are typically located in the higher altitudes of the Western Ghats, primarily in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• The Shola forests are interspersed with grasslands and are known for their rich biodiversity, including several endemic flora and fauna species.
• They play a crucial role in maintaining the water cycle in the region by acting as a natural water reservoir and supporting major river systems.
• Shola forests are part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which is a UNESCO-designated area for the conservation of biodiversity.

Additional Information

• Western Ghats
  • The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri Hills, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity in the world.
  • They stretch from Gujarat to Kerala, covering a distance of about 1,600 km.
  • The region is home to a variety of ecosystems, including rainforests, deciduous forests, and montane forests like Sholas.
  • The Western Ghats significantly influence the monsoon weather pattern in peninsular India.
• Endemic Flora and Fauna
  • Shola forests host a variety of endemic species like the Nilgiri Tahr, Lion-tailed Macaque, and the Malabar Civet.
  • Plant species such as the Nilgiri Rhododendron and Strobilanthes kunthiana (Neelakurinji) are also unique to this region.
  • The biodiversity of Shola forests is under threat due to deforestation, habitat loss, and climate change.
• Conservation Efforts
  • The Western Ghats are protected under various national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserve forests.
  • Efforts like afforestation, watershed management, and eco-tourism are being promoted to preserve the Shola-grassland ecosystem.
  • Research and monitoring programs are being conducted to study the impact of human activities and climate change on this fragile ecosystem.
• Importance of Shola Forests
  • These forests are critical for water conservation as they feed into several rivers like the Kaveri, Periyar, and Bharathapuzha.
  • They act as a natural carbon sink, helping mitigate climate change.
  • The Shola-grassland ecosystem also supports local communities by providing resources like medicinal plants and grazing land.

The correct answer is Temperate forests.

• The subtropical forest is replaced by temperate vegetation as we move northwards and altitude and latitude increase.
• Zaskar range, great Himalayas, and Pir Panjal Range are occupied by temperate forests at a height between 1500-3000 meter.

Key Points

• Deodar, fine, elm, alder are some of the dominant trees in the region.
• Deodar trees are being found to a great extent in the northern slopes of the Pir Panjal Range.
• Spruce, deodar, fir dominates the Jhelum forest division.
• For charcoal, house construction, and fuel-wood, temperate forests are utilized.

The correct answer is Littoral or Tidal forest

Key PointsSunderbans

• The Sundarbans is a vast forested area covering parts of Bangladesh and India, specifically the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta.
• It is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.
• The Sundarbans is known for its rich biodiversity and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The region is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, one of the most iconic and endangered species on the planet.
• Sunderbands are characterized by the presence of dense mangrove trees adapted to survive in the brackish waters of the region.
• The tidal nature of the region, influenced by the ebb and flow of the tides, has shaped the ecosystem and the unique adaptations of the flora and fauna.
• The Sundarbans also serve as a natural barrier against storms and cyclones, protecting the coastal areas from their devastating impacts.
• The Sunderbands face various threats, including climate change, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflicts, which put the delicate ecosystem at risk. Conservation efforts are underway to protect this valuable natural treasure.

The correct answer is Tropical Deciduous Forests".

Key Points

• Tropical Deciduous Forest is also referred to as a " Monsoon Forest".
• Tropical Deciduous forests are found in the belt along the equator between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn as well as in the humid subtropics
• Tropical Deciduous Forests are home to trees with broad leaves which shed in one season of the year. 
• The range of the rainfall in this forest is 70 - 200cms.
• There are two types of deciduous forest namely -

1. Moist Deciduous Forest
2. Dry Deciduous Forest.

Important Points

• Some of the major states in which these types of forests are found are -

1. Madhya Pradesh
2. Uttar Pradesh
3. Chattisgarh
4. Odisha
5. Some parts of Maharashtra

The correct answer is Tropical Deciduous Forests".

Key Points

• Tropical Deciduous Forest is also referred to as a " Monsoon Forest".
• Tropical Deciduous forests are found in the belt along the equator between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn as well as in the humid subtropics
• Tropical Deciduous Forests are home to trees with broad leaves which shed in one season of the year. 
• The range of the rainfall in this forest is 70 - 200cms.
• There are two types of deciduous forest namely -

1. Moist Deciduous Forest
2. Dry Deciduous Forest.

Important Points

• Some of the major states in which these types of forests are found are -

1. Madhya Pradesh
2. Uttar Pradesh
3. Chattisgarh
4. Odisha
5. Some parts of Maharashtra

The correct answer is Andhra Pradesh.

Key Points

• Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has released the ‘India State of Forest Report 2021’ prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) which has been mandated to assess the forest and tree resources of the country.

Key findings of ISFR 2021:

• According to the report, India's total forest and tree cover is now spread across 80.9 million hectares, which is 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.
• The total tree-and-forest cover in the country includes an increase of 1,540 square kilometres of forest cover and 721 sq km of tree cover compared to the 2019 report.
• The top five states in terms of increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq km), and Jharkhand (110 sq km). Hence option 2 is the correct answer.
• The gain in forest cover or improvement in forest canopy density may be attributed to better conservation measures, protection, afforestation activities, tree plantation drives, and agroforestry
• Area-wise, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.
• The report also added that the northeast did not show positive results as the current assessment showed a decrease of forest cover to the extent of 1,020 sq km in the region.
• Arunachal Pradesh lost the maximum forest cover of 257 sq km, followed by Manipur which lost 249 sq km, Nagaland 235 sq km, Mizoram 186 sq km, and Meghalaya 73 sq km.
• The Kanha to Navegaon-Nagzira-Tadoba-Indravati corridor has the highest area under ‘Very Dense Forest’ comprising 857.65 sq km.
• Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
• Mangroves have shown an increase of 17 sq km. India’s total mangrove cover is now 4,992 sq km.
• 35.46% of the forest cover is prone to forest fires. Out of this, 2.81% is extremely prone, 7.85% is very highly prone and 11.51% is highly prone.
• Bamboo forests have grown from 13,882 million culms (stems) in 2019 to 53,336 million culms in 2021.

The correct answer is Mangrove Forests

Key PointsMangrove Forests

• Found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides. Mud and silt get accumulated on such coasts.
• Dense mangroves are the common varieties with roots of the plants submerged underwater.
• The deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishana, the Godavari, and the Kaveri are covered by such vegetation.
• In the Ganga Brahmaputra delta, Sundari trees are found, which provide durable hard timber.
• Palm, coconut, keora, agar, also grow in some parts of the delta.
• Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal in these forests. Turtles, crocodiles, gharials, and snakes are also found in these forests.

Additional InformationTropical Evergreen Forests:

• These forests are restricted to heavy rainfall areas of the Western Ghats and the island groups of Lakshadweep, Andaman, and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam, and Tamil Nadu coast.
• 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 meters or even above.
• Since the region is warm and wet throughout the year, it has luxuriant vegetation of all kinds.
• The trees, shrubs, and creepers give it a multilayered structure.
• There is no definite time for trees to shed their leaves.
• As such, these forests appear green all the year-round

Tropical Deciduous Forests

• ​These are the most widespread forests of India.
• They are also called the monsoon forests and spread over the region receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm.
• Trees of this forest type shed their leaves for about six to eight weeks in dry summer.
• On the basis of the availability of water, these forests are further divided into moist and dry deciduous.

Natural vegetation refers to a plant community, which has grown naturally without human aid and has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time. The following major types of vegetation may be identified in our country

1. Tropical Evergreen Forests
2. Tropical Deciduous Forests
3. Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs
4. Montane Forests
5. Mangrove Forests

• Natural vegetation refers to a plant community, which has grown naturally without human aid and has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time. 
• The following major types of vegetation may be identified in our country:
  • Tropical Evergreen Forests
  • Tropical Deciduous Forests
  • Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs
  • Montane Forests
  • Mangrove Forests

Tropical evergreen forests:

• Tropical evergreen forests have trees that always have leaves and have a shade look.
• They always receive heavy rainfall i.e greater than 200 cm.
• The temperature that is maintained is between 20-27o C.
• The trees reach great heights up to 60 metres or even above.
• These are generally found in the Western Ghats, Andaman, and Nicobar, North East Area.
• Examples of tropical evergreen are Rubber, Beetle Nut, Jamun, Mango, Roseberry, and Bamboo.
• These forests have a multilayered structure with trees, shrubs and creepers.
• There is no definite time for trees to shed their leaves.
• As such, these forests appear green all year round.

​Semi-evergreen forests:

• Semi-evergreen forests are found in the Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Eastern Himalayas.
• Such forests have a mixture of wet evergreen trees and moist deciduous trees.
• The forest is dense and is filled with a large variety of trees of both types.

Thus, tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests are located in the Northern Eastern States.

Type of Forest	Rainfall
Tropical Evergreen	above 200 cm
Tropical Deciduous	between 100-200 cm
Dry Deciduous	between 70 -100 cm
Tropical Thorn	less than 50 cm
Moist Deciduous	between 100-200 cm

The correct answer is Tropical deciduous forests.

• Sandalwood grows in Tropical deciduous forests.

Key Points

• The Sandalwood is a dry deciduous forest species native to China, India, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines.
  • This small tropical tree grows to 20m high with redwood and a variety of dark colors of bark (dark brown, reddish and dark grey).
  • Sandalwood occurs extensively mostly in the Eastern Ghats ranging from the Vellore district in the Northeast of Tamil Nadu to the Nilgiris in the west in the dry deciduous forests of the region.
  • In Tamilnadu, only dead and drying sandal trees are brought to depots for rough cleaning and final cleaning.
  • The final cleaned sandalwood is sold in a public auction in three sandalwood depots at Tiruppattur, Salem, and Sathyamangalam at regular intervals.

Additional Information 

The correct answer is ​Palash.

Key Points

• Flame of the Forest:
  • Palash is known as the flame of the forest.
  • Palash is also known as Tesu.
  • Butea monosperma is the scientific name.
  • This is majorly found in the Rajsamand district.
  • They are red and yellow in color and hence known as the flame of the Forest.

Additional Information

The correct answer is  Bhadohi.

• Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh has the least area under forest.
• Bhadohi has an area of 3 km² under forest.
• Bhadohi is home to the largest hand-knotted carpet weaving industry.
• Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh has the maximum area under forest.
• Sonbhadra has ann area of 2544 km² under forest.

4 district having the maximum area under Forest are:

1. Sonbhadra 
2. Khiri
3. Mirzapur
4. Pilibhit.

The Correct Answer is Madhya Pradesh.

• The total forest cover of MP is 77,414 sq km.
• In terms of area, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.

 Important Points

• In terms of forest cover as a percentage of their total geographical area, the top five states are
  • Mizoram (85.41 percent)
  • Arunachal Pradesh (79.63 percent)
  • Meghalaya (76.33 percent)
  • Manipur (75.46 percent)
  • Nagaland (75.31 percent).

The correct answer is Littoral or Tidal forest

Key PointsSunderbans

• The Sundarbans is a vast forested area covering parts of Bangladesh and India, specifically the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta.
• It is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.
• The Sundarbans is known for its rich biodiversity and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The region is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, one of the most iconic and endangered species on the planet.
• Sunderbands are characterized by the presence of dense mangrove trees adapted to survive in the brackish waters of the region.
• The tidal nature of the region, influenced by the ebb and flow of the tides, has shaped the ecosystem and the unique adaptations of the flora and fauna.
• The Sundarbans also serve as a natural barrier against storms and cyclones, protecting the coastal areas from their devastating impacts.
• The Sunderbands face various threats, including climate change, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflicts, which put the delicate ecosystem at risk. Conservation efforts are underway to protect this valuable natural treasure.

The correct answer is Tropical Deciduous Forests.

Key Points

• Tropical Deciduous Forests
  • These are the most widespread forests in India.
  • They are also called the monsoon forests because the trees in these forests shed their leaves during the dry season and re-grow during the monsoon.
  • They spread over regions that receive rainfall between 70-200 cm. 
  • The average temperature of Tropical Deciduous forests is 30oC. 
  • The humidity in these forests lies in the range of 80-90 per cent.
  • The prime feature of these forests as trees shed their leaves in the dry season and grow back leaf in rainy seasons.
  • Major states where tropical deciduous forests are found:
    • Madhya Pradesh
    • Uttar Pradesh
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Odisha
    • Maharashtra 
    • Some parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
  • On the basis of the availability of water, these forests are further divided into
    • Moist Deciduous
    • Dry Deciduous
• Moist Deciduous forests
  • They spread over regions that receive rainfall between 100-200 cm.
  • These forests are found in the northeastern states along the foothills of the Himalayas, eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, and Odisha.
  • Teak, Sal, Shisham, Hurra, Mahua, Amla, Semul, Kusum, and Sandalwood, etc. are the main species of these forests. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.​
• Dry Deciduous forests
  • They spread over regions that receive rainfall between 70-100 cm.
  • These forests are found in the rainy areas of Peninsular India, Plains of Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
  • In the higher rainfall regions of the Peninsular plateau and the northern Indian plain, these forests have a parkland landscape with open stretches in which teak and other trees interspersed with patches of grass are common.
  • As the dry season begins, the trees shed their leaves completely and the forest appears like a vast grassland with naked trees all around.
  • Tendu, Palas, Amaltas, Bel, Khair, Axlewood, etc. are the common trees of these forests.