Maarg Manthan · Topic 10.5

Types of Forests in India

Environment & Ecology › Land, Forest and Soil Resources · Topic 10.5

India's forests are classified by climate, rainfall and altitude. The standard scheme is the Champion and Seth classification (1968), which recognises 16 type groups in six major groups: moist tropical, dry tropical, montane sub-tropical, montane temperate, sub-alpine and alpine forests. Among the common types are tropical wet evergreen forests (rainfall above about 250 cm, as in the Western Ghats, Assam and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands), tropical semi-evergreen, tropical moist deciduous forests (about 100 to 200 cm, with sal and teak), tropical dry deciduous forests (about 70 to 100 cm) and tropical thorn forests (below about 70 cm, with babul and acacia). Littoral and swamp forests include mangroves. In the hills, sub-tropical pine forests grow at middle altitudes, temperate forests of oak, deodar and rhododendron higher up, and alpine scrub and meadows near the snowline. Tropical dry deciduous forests are among the largest by area, while the north-east and Andamans hold most of the wet evergreen forests.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Land, Forest and Soil Resources

At a Glance

Classification Champion and Seth, 1968
Major groups Six
Type groups Sixteen
Evergreen rain Above about 250 cm
Deciduous species Sal, teak
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Land, Forest and Soil Resources

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the FSI findings and classifies forests by nature. It prepares the account of deforestation and its effects on wildlife in these forest types. Previous topic: FSI State of Forest Report Findings. Next topic: Causes and Consequences of Deforestation on Wildlife.

What Are the Main Forest Types by Rainfall and Region?

Type	Rainfall, region and species
Tropical wet evergreen	Above about 250 cm; Western Ghats, Assam, north-east, Andaman and Nicobar; rosewood, mahogany, ebony, dhup; dense, multi-layered, trees shed leaves at different times
Tropical semi-evergreen	About 200 to 250 cm; mix of evergreen and moist deciduous in the Western Ghats, Assam and Odisha
Tropical moist deciduous	About 100 to 200 cm; sal in the east and teak in central and south India; leaves are shed in the dry season
Tropical dry deciduous	About 70 to 100 cm; teak, sal, tendu, axlewood in the peninsula and plains; large area
Tropical thorn	Below about 70 cm; Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, parts of the Deccan; babul, acacia, euphorbia, cactus
Littoral and swamp	Along coasts and deltas; mangroves such as Rhizophora and Sundari
Montane and alpine	Sub-tropical pine (chir pine), temperate oak, deodar, spruce and fir, then rhododendron and alpine scrub

How Do Mountain Forests Change with Height?

Sub-tropical (about 1,000 to 1,800 m): chir pine and broadleaf trees in the Himalayan foothills
Wet temperate (about 1,800 to 3,000 m): oak, chestnut, maple, laurel and rhododendron
Himalayan moist temperate: deodar, blue pine, spruce, silver fir
Himalayan dry temperate: chilgoza pine, deodar and juniper in dry inner valleys of Lahaul, Kinnaur and Ladakh
Sub-alpine (about 2,900 to 3,500 m): fir, juniper, birch and rhododendron
Alpine scrub and meadows: above about 3,500 m, dwarf shrubs and grass
Shola forests: patches of montane evergreen in the Nilgiris, Anamalai and Palani hills
North-east: mix of tropical and montane types in a small area

What Else Should You Remember?

Champion and Seth: H G Champion and S K Seth published A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India in 1968
Sixteen type groups: tropical wet evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, littoral and swamp, dry deciduous, thorn, dry evergreen, sub-tropical broadleaved hill, sub-tropical pine, sub-tropical dry evergreen, montane wet temperate, Himalayan moist temperate, Himalayan dry temperate, sub-alpine, moist alpine scrub and dry alpine scrub
Evergreen: trees do not shed all leaves in one season
Deciduous: trees shed leaves in the dry season to save water
Sal: Shorea robusta, found in moist deciduous forests of the east and Himalayan foothills
Teak: Tectona grandis, found in central and south India in moist and dry deciduous forests
Largest type by area: tropical dry deciduous and tropical moist deciduous forests together make up most of India’s forest
Evergreen in Andaman: the Andaman and Nicobar forests are wet evergreen with many endemic species
Mangroves: form the littoral and swamp type
Tidal forest: another name for the mangrove forest type
Himalayan pine: chir pine is the main species of the lower Himalayan slopes
Deodar: a Himalayan cedar valued for timber
Rhododendron: a flowering shrub of high Himalayan forests
Bamboo: grows widely in moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests
Khair and sheesham: species along rivers in dry deciduous forests
Thorn forest: trees are short and spread out with deep roots and small leaves
Xerophytes: plants adapted to dry conditions with thick bark or waxy leaves
Epiphytes: plants growing on trees, abundant in wet evergreen forests
Biodiversity: wet evergreen forests are the richest in species
Economic use: timber, bamboo, fuelwood, tendu leaves, lac, resin and medicinal plants
Forest type and wildlife: moist deciduous forests hold tigers and elephants, thorn forests hold blackbuck and great Indian bustard
Link to previous: see FSI State of Forest Report Findings
Link to next: see Causes and Consequences of Deforestation on Wildlife
Link to ecosystems: see Terrestrial Ecosystems: Forest Ecosystem in India, Grasslands, Tundra, Deserts, Mountains
Caution: rainfall and altitude limits are approximate and vary with sources
Exam hint: learn each type with rainfall, region and species, and the trend from evergreen to thorn

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Classification: Champion and Seth
Largest types: Dry and moist deciduous
Wettest: Wet evergreen
Current affairs link: Forest loss in biodiversity hotspots
Common errors: mixing sal and teak regions or misplacing rainfall limits

As an analytical point, forest type follows water: more rain gives denser and richer forest, and less gives open and thorny forest. This is why climate change that shifts rainfall can reshape forest types and the animals that depend on them.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Basis Rain, height
Rich Wet evergreen
Common Deciduous

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the causes and consequences of deforestation on wildlife. Next topic: Causes and Consequences of Deforestation on Wildlife.

Key People and Terms

Evergreen Green all year
Deciduous Seasonal leaf fall
Sal Shorea robusta
Teak Tectona grandis
Sholas Montane forests of south
Xerophyte Dry-adapted plant

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Classification: Champion and Seth 1968.
16 type groups, 6 major.
Wet evergreen rain: above 250 cm.
Thorn forest: below 70 cm.
Sal is in moist deciduous forests.

Do Not Confuse With

Moist and dry deciduous 100 to 200 cm versus 70 to 100 cm
Sal and teak East and Himalayan foothills versus central and south
Wet evergreen and semi-evergreen Over 250 cm versus 200 to 250 cm

Memory Hook

Wet evergreen top, moist deciduous next, dry then thorn, hills climb to alpine.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for type, rainfall and species. These points help.

Basis Rain, altitude
Types Tropical, montane
Value Timber, wildlife

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Describe the types of forests in India with reference to their distribution and characteristic species.”

How to Answer

Basis Rain, height.
Tropical Types.
Montane Types.
Value Uses.

GS Relevance

Prelims: forest types, rainfall, species, regions. GS Paper 1 and 3: vegetation and forest resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are forests in India classified?

The most widely used classification is by Champion and Seth (1968), which divides India's forests into 16 type groups within six major groups: moist tropical, dry tropical, montane sub-tropical, montane temperate, sub-alpine and alpine forests. The types follow rainfall, temperature and altitude, from wet evergreen to thorn forest and from sub-tropical pine to alpine scrub.

Where are tropical wet evergreen forests found in India?

Tropical wet evergreen forests grow where annual rainfall is above about 250 centimetres, mainly in the Western Ghats, the north-eastern states, the foothills of the eastern Himalaya and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are dense with several layers of trees such as rosewood, mahogany and ebony, and have the highest species richness.

What is the difference between moist and dry deciduous forests?

Moist deciduous forests receive roughly 100 to 200 cm of rain and have sal in the east and teak in central and southern India. Dry deciduous forests get roughly 70 to 100 cm, have shorter trees, more open canopy and species such as teak, sal, tendu and axlewood. Both shed leaves in the dry season.

Which trees are found in thorn forests?

Tropical thorn forests occur in areas with rainfall below about 70 cm, in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and parts of the Deccan. They have short, scattered trees and shrubs with thorns, small leaves and deep roots, such as babul, acacia, ber, khejri and euphorbia.

How do forests change with altitude in the Himalayas?

In the Himalayas, forests change from sub-tropical broadleaved and chir pine forests at lower elevations to temperate forests of oak, deodar, spruce and fir higher up, then to sub-alpine forests of fir, birch and juniper, and finally to alpine scrub and meadows near the snowline.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Champion and Seth classified Indian forests in 1968.

True

Sixteen type groups.

2 Sal is mainly found in tropical thorn forests.

False

In moist deciduous forests.

3 Wet evergreen forests receive over 250 cm of rain.