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SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
(VIRTUAL CLASSES) – LESSON NOTES
Class - IX Geography
Chapter - 5 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife
(VIRTUAL CLASSES) - MODULE-2.4
Photoperiod (Sunlight)
The variation in duration of sunlight at different places is due to differences in latitude, altitude,
season and duration of the day. Due to longer duration of sunlight, trees grow faster in summer. In
India, almost the entire rainfall is brought in by the advancing southwest monsoon (June to
September) and retreating northeast monsoons. Areas of heavy rainfall have more dense vegetation
as compared to areas of less rainfall.
Forests are renewable resources and play a major role in enhancing the quality of
environment.
They modify local climate, control soil erosion, regulate stream flow, support a variety of
industries, provide livelihood for many communities and offer panoramic or scenic view for
recreation.
They control wind force and temperature and cause rains.
They provide humus to the soil and shelter to the wildlife.
India’s natural vegetation
It has undergone many changes due to several factors, such as the growing demand for
cultivated land, development of industries and mining, urbanisation and over-grazing of
pastures.
The vegetation cover of India in large parts is no more natural in the real sense.
Except in some inaccessible regions, like the Himalayas, the hilly region of central India and
the marusthali, the vegetation in most of the areas has been modified at some places, or
replaced or degraded by human occupancy.
According to India State of Forest Report 2011, the forest cover in India is 21.05 per cent.