Ecosystems of India
India, due to its vast size, varied relief, and diverse climatic conditions, harbors a wide variety of natural ecosystems. These ecosystems can broadly be divided into two categories:
Terrestrial Ecosystems
These are land-based ecosystems and include:
1) Indian Forest Types
- Tropical rain forests
- Tropical deciduous forests
- Temperate broad-leaf forests
- Temperate needle-leaf (coniferous) forests
- Alpine and tundra forests
- Other types: Tidal forests, Himalayan vegetation, rainforests of southern India, and desert vegetation
2) Grasslands
3) Deserts
- Thar Desert
- Rann of Kutch
4) Mountains: The Himalayas
5) Ghats: Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
Aquatic Ecosystems
These are water-based ecosystems and include:
- Freshwater ecosystems: Rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, wetlands
- Marine ecosystems: Coastal areas, seas, estuaries, mangroves
Terrestrial ecosystem in India
