Forest Ecosystem
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of this Lecture, students will be able to
• Explain forest ecosystem
• Explain the types of forest ecosystem
• Discuss the characteristic features of forest ecosystem
• Discuss the structure and functional of the forest ecosystem
Forest Ecosystem
• Forests are formed by a community of plants which is predominantly structurally defined by its trees, shrubs, climbers and ground cover
• Their distinctive appearance is a fascinating aspect of nature
• Each forest type forms a habitat for a specific community of animals that are adapted to live in it
• Forest ecosystem has two parts:
Non-living or abiotic aspects of the forest
Living or the biotic aspects of the forest
Forest types in India
• Type of forest depends upon the abiotic factors such as climate and soil characteristics of a region
• Forests in India can be broadly divided into Coniferous forests and Broadleaved forests
• They can also be classified according to the nature of their tree species
– Evergreen, deciduous, xerophytic or thorn trees, mangroves, etc
• They can also be classified according to the most abundant species of trees such as Sal or Teak forests
• In many cases a forest is named after the first 3 or 4 most abundant tree species
• Coniferous forests grow in the Himalayan mountain region, where the temperatures are low
• These forests have tall stately trees with needle like leaves and downward sloping branches so that the snow can slip off the branches
• They have cones instead of seeds and are called gymnosperms
• Broadleaved forests have several types, such as evergreen forests, deciduous forests, thorn forests and mangrove forests
• Broadleaved forests have large leaves of various shapes
• Evergreen forests grow in the high rainfall areas of the Western Ghats,
• These forests grow in areas where the monsoon lasts for several months
• There is no dry leafless phase as in a deciduous forest
• An evergreen forest thus looks green throughout the year
• The trees overlap with each other to form a continuous canopy, thus very little light penetrates down to the forest floor
• The forest abounds in animal life and is most rich in insect life
• Deciduous forests are found in regions with a moderate amount of seasonal rainfall that lasts for only a few months
• Deciduous trees shed their leaves during the winter and hot summer months
• The forest frequently has a thick undergrowth as light can penetrate easily onto the forest floor
• Thorn forests are found in the semi- arid regions of India
• The trees, which are sparsely distributed, are surrounded by open grassy areas
• Thorny plants are called xerophytic species and are able to conserve water
• These plants have waxy leaves to reduce water losses during transpiration
• Mangrove forests grow along the coast especially in the river deltas
• These plants are able to grow in a mix of saline and fresh water
• The mangrove trees have breathing roots that emerge from the mudbanks
Forest utilisation
• Natural forests provide local people with a variety of products
• Natural forest ecosystems play an important role in controlling local climate and water regimes
• It is well-known that under the canopy of a natural forest, it is cooler than outside the forest
• During the monsoon, the forest retains moisture and slowly releases it through perennial streams during the rest of the year
• Wood from different species of trees have special uses. For instance a soft wood is used for the yok of a bullock cart while a very hard wood is used for its axil
• Traditional types of agriculture needs forest material such as branches and leaves, which are burnt to form wood ash which acts as a fertiliser for crops such as rice
• Urban people use these forest resources indirectly as all their food and other goods come from agricultural areas that are dependent on the neighbouring forests
Direct uses of forest products
• Fruits – mango, jamun, amla
• Roots – Dioscoria
• Medicine – Gloriosa, Foxglove
• Fuel wood – many species of trees and shrubs
• Small timber for building huts and houses
• Wood for farm implements
• Bamboo and cane for baskets
• Grass for grazing and stall feeding livestock
Indirect uses of forest
• Building material for construction and furniture for the urban sector
• Medicinal products collected and processed into drugs
• Gums and resins processed into a variety of products
• Raw material for industrial products and chemicals
• Paper from bamboo and softwoods
What are the threats to the forest ecosystem?
• As forests grow very slowly, we cannot use more resources than they can produce during a growing season
• If timber is felled beyond a certain limit the forest cannot regenerate
• Over utilizing forest resources is an unsustainable way of misusing our limited forest resources
• Developmental activities such as rapid population growth together with, urbanisation, industrialisation and the increasing use of consumer goods, leads to over utilisation of forest produce
What if the forests disappear?
• When forests are cut down tribal people who depend directly on them for food and fuel wood and other products find it very difficult to survive
• Rain that falls on deforested land flows directly into nearby rivers, thus water is not retained under the ground
• Exposed soil is rapidly washed away during the rains once the protective forest cover is removed, thus agriculture is seriously affected.
How can forest ecosystems be conserved?
• We can conserve forests only if we use its resources carefully
• Need to grow more trees than are cut down from forests every year for timber
• The natural forests with all their diverse species must be protected as National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries where all the plants and animals can be preserved
Summary
• Forests are formed by a community of plants which is predominantly structurally defined by its trees, shrubs, climbers and ground cover
• Forests in India can be broadly divided into Coniferous forests and Broadleaved forests
• Natural forests provide local people with a variety of products
• Over utilizing forest resources leads to forest degradation and finally changes the ecosystem
• We can conserve forests only if we use its resources carefully
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