Tropical Desert Forests
Indian Natural Vegetation
Tropical Desert Forests
They are also known as Tropical Thorn Forests.
(a) Climatic Conditions: These forests are found in the areas which receive rainfall less than 50 cm, the mean annual temperature ranges between 25 degree celcius to 27 degree celcius and has humidity below 47 percent.
(b) Distribution: These forests are chiefly distributed in south-western Punjab Harayana, Uttar Pradesh, central and eastern Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
(c) Characteristic Features:
i> These forests have Xerophytic vegetation. Due to paucity of rainfall, the trees are stunted with large patches of coarse grasses.
ii> These forests have trees which have adapted themselves to survive in drought like conditions and are called xerophytes. For example, the acacia or babool trees have developed long tap roots that can reach deep, ground water resources and therefore, can survive drought like conditions. Further, the acacia trees have long thorns and a symbiotic relationship with stinging ants. These ants live in the thorns, feed on the nectare produced by the trees and when an animal takes a bite of leaves, the insects attract the animals.
iii> In these forests, plants remain leafless for most part of the year and look like scrub vegetation.
The important found here include babool or acacia, date palm, ber, khair, neem, khejri, kanju, cactii, kokko, etc.
(d) Economical Value: Ber fruit is eaten raw or made into pickle or beverages. Its timber is hard, strong, tough and durable. It is used to make legs for bedsteads, boat ribs, agricultural implements, charcoal, etc. Babool bark and gum have medicinal value. Date Plam is eaten raw and also used as an astringent, as a decoction, syrup or paste for some throat, cold, fever, etc. Neem bark and roots have medicinal properties. Neem oil, leaves and neem extracts are used to manufacture health and beauty products. It is also used as an insecticide.
(c) Characteristic Features:
i> These forests have Xerophytic vegetation. Due to paucity of rainfall, the trees are stunted with large patches of coarse grasses.
ii> These forests have trees which have adapted themselves to survive in drought like conditions and are called xerophytes. For example, the acacia or babool trees have developed long tap roots that can reach deep, ground water resources and therefore, can survive drought like conditions. Further, the acacia trees have long thorns and a symbiotic relationship with stinging ants. These ants live in the thorns, feed on the nectare produced by the trees and when an animal takes a bite of leaves, the insects attract the animals.
iii> In these forests, plants remain leafless for most part of the year and look like scrub vegetation.
The important found here include babool or acacia, date palm, ber, khair, neem, khejri, kanju, cactii, kokko, etc.
(d) Economical Value: Ber fruit is eaten raw or made into pickle or beverages. Its timber is hard, strong, tough and durable. It is used to make legs for bedsteads, boat ribs, agricultural implements, charcoal, etc. Babool bark and gum have medicinal value. Date Plam is eaten raw and also used as an astringent, as a decoction, syrup or paste for some throat, cold, fever, etc. Neem bark and roots have medicinal properties. Neem oil, leaves and neem extracts are used to manufacture health and beauty products. It is also used as an insecticide.
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