Maarg Manthan · Topic 7.5

Vegetation Resources: Types of Forests and Their Economic, Ecological and Cultural Significance

Geography › Biogeography: Soils and Vegetation · Topic 7.5

Forests are the most important vegetation resource. They cover about 4.1 billion hectares, roughly 31 to 32 per cent of the world's land, with about 45 per cent of them in the tropics, 27 per cent in the boreal zone, 16 per cent in the temperate zone and 11 per cent in the subtropics. The main types are tropical evergreen rainforest, tropical deciduous (monsoon) forest, temperate evergreen and deciduous forest, coniferous (taiga) forest and Mediterranean forest. Forests provide timber and other products, protect soil and water, store carbon, shelter wildlife and hold cultural meaning.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Biogeography: Soils and Vegetation

At a Glance

Forest area About 4.1 billion hectares, 31 to 32 per cent of land
Largest share Tropical forests, about 45 per cent
Densest Tropical evergreen rainforest
Cold forest Taiga (boreal coniferous)
Values Economic, ecological, cultural
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Biogeography: Soils and Vegetation

Where Does It Fit?

This topic begins the part of the macro on vegetation, after the soils on which plants grow. It describes the forest types of the world, while the next topics take up the factors that decide vegetation, and the other plant communities. Previous topic: Soil Erosion and Conservation. Next topic: Factors Affecting Vegetation Development, Extent and Classification.

What Are the Main Types of Forests?

Forest type	Climate and region	Main features and trees
Tropical evergreen rainforest	Hot and wet all year; Amazon, Congo basin, South-East Asia; near the equator	Tall, dense, many layers, thousands of species; mahogany, ebony, rosewood, rubber, cinchona; highest biodiversity
Tropical deciduous (monsoon) forest	Hot, with a dry season; India, Myanmar, Thailand, northern Australia	Trees shed leaves in the dry season; teak, sal, sandalwood, bamboo; valuable timber
Tropical savanna woodland	Wet and dry seasons; Africa, Brazil, northern Australia	Scattered trees such as acacia and baobab among tall grass
Mediterranean forest and scrub	Hot dry summers, mild wet winters; Mediterranean, California, central Chile, south-west Australia	Evergreen with thick, waxy leaves; cork oak, olive, eucalyptus
Temperate deciduous forest	Moderate rain, four seasons; Europe, eastern North America, East Asia	Oak, beech, maple, elm; fertile soils, much cleared for farms
Temperate evergreen forest	Mild, wet; south-eastern USA, southern China, New Zealand	Mixed broadleaf and conifer trees
Coniferous (boreal, taiga) forest	Cold winters, short summers; Canada, Scandinavia, Siberia	Pine, spruce, fir, larch; softwood for paper and building; the largest continuous forest belt

Mountain forests in the Himalaya and mangroves on tropical coasts are special forests that depend on altitude and salt water. India’s forest types are in Categories of Forests in India and Extent of Forest Cover.

What Is the Economic Significance of Forests?

Timber and fuel: wood for building, furniture, paper and fuel, which is still the main household energy for a large share of the world’s poor.
Non-timber products: rubber, resins, gums, bamboo, cane, fruits, honey, medicinal plants, lac and tendu leaves.
Industry and jobs: pulp, paper, plywood, furniture and matches, and millions of jobs, especially in rural areas.
Tourism: national parks and forest reserves earn revenue from visitors.

The uses are described further in Economic Utilization of Vegetation Resources.

What Is the Ecological Significance of Forests?

Climate: forests absorb carbon dioxide and store it in wood and soil. Tropical forests release moisture to the air by transpiration, which influences local rainfall.
Water: they catch rain, reduce runoff, let water seep into the ground and protect catchments of rivers and dams.
Soil: roots bind the soil and canopy reduces the impact of rain, which controls erosion and landslides, as in Soil Erosion and Conservation.
Biodiversity: forests hold most of the land species of plants and animals; tropical rainforests cover about 6 per cent of the land but are home to over half of the species.
Protection: shelterbelts and mangroves reduce wind, dust and the force of storms.

What Is the Cultural Significance of Forests?

Forests are home to many indigenous and tribal communities, whose food, medicine, housing and culture depend on them. Millions of people worldwide rely on forests for part of their livelihood. Many societies keep sacred groves, patches of forest protected by religious belief, as in the Western Ghats, Meghalaya and Rajasthan. Forests feature in festivals, folklore and art, and in India in ancient writings that describe the forest as a source of learning, with movements such as Chipko showing local attachment to trees. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 recognises the rights of forest-dwelling communities in India. As an analytical point, forests are at once a resource, a regulator of climate and water, and a way of life, which is why conflicts over their use are common, as in Deforestation: Tropical and Temperate Forest Loss. The latest figures for forest area should be taken from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Forest Resources Assessment.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Types Forest types and trees are asked
Values Economic and ecological roles
Link Deforestation and climate

What Came Next?

The next topic explains the factors that affect vegetation development, its extent and classification. Next topic: Factors Affecting Vegetation Development, Extent and Classification.

Key People and Terms

Rainforest Dense tropical evergreen forest
Taiga Boreal coniferous forest
Deciduous Shedding leaves in a season
Sacred grove Forest patch protected by belief
Carbon sink Store that takes up carbon
NTFP Non-timber forest product

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Forests cover about 31 to 32 per cent of land.
Tropical rainforests hold over half of land species.
Taiga is the largest forest belt.
Teak and sal are monsoon forest trees.
Cork oak and olive are Mediterranean.

Do Not Confuse With

Evergreen and deciduous Leaves all year versus leaf fall in a season
Taiga and tundra Coniferous forest versus treeless plain
Reserved and protected forests Legal categories of forest in India

Memory Hook

Rain, monsoon, Mediterranean, temperate, taiga: five forest belts; wood, water, carbon and culture are what they give.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for the significance of forests and the differences between forest types. These points add depth.

Types Climate controls
Value Economic, ecological, cultural
Threat Clearing and degradation

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Describe the major types of forests of the world and discuss their economic, ecological and cultural significance.”

How to Answer

Types Tropical to boreal.
Economic Timber and products.
Ecological Carbon, water, biodiversity.
Cultural People and groves.

GS Relevance

Prelims: types of forests and their location and trees, significance of forests. GS Paper 1: vegetation; GS Paper 3: environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main types of forests in the world?

The main types are tropical evergreen rainforests, tropical deciduous or monsoon forests, tropical savanna woodland, Mediterranean forests, temperate deciduous and evergreen forests, and coniferous or boreal forests, called taiga. Their type depends mainly on temperature and rainfall, and each has characteristic trees.

What is the tropical evergreen rainforest?

It is a dense forest of tall trees found in hot, wet regions near the equator, such as the Amazon basin, the Congo basin and South-East Asia. It has rain all year, many layers of vegetation and thousands of species, including mahogany and rubber, and has the greatest biodiversity of any biome.

What is the taiga?

The taiga, or boreal forest, is the belt of coniferous forest in northern Canada, Scandinavia and Russia, where winters are long and cold. Pine, spruce, fir and larch dominate, with soft timber used for paper and building. It is the largest continuous forest biome and stores a lot of carbon.

Why are forests important ecologically?

Forests absorb carbon dioxide and so help to regulate climate, protect watersheds by slowing runoff and letting water seep into the ground, hold soil in place and prevent erosion, and shelter most of the world's land species of plants and animals. They also provide shelter against wind and storms.

What is the cultural importance of forests?

Forests are the home and source of livelihood for many indigenous and tribal communities and are woven into religion and folklore. Sacred groves protect patches of forest through belief. In India, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 recognises the rights of forest-dwelling communities over their traditional lands.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Taiga is a coniferous forest of cold regions.

True

It is found in Canada, Scandinavia and Russia.

2 Teak and sal are trees of the Mediterranean forests.

False

They are trees of tropical deciduous forests.

3 Tropical rainforests have the highest biodiversity.