The document discusses the ecological importance and habitat of Tecomella undulata, also known as Rohida or desert teak. It is a shrub or small tree native to India and Arabia that grows in arid regions, tolerating extreme temperatures and poor soil. It helps stabilize soils and provides shelter for wildlife and grazing animals. Locally, its wood is used for furniture and its flowers and medicinal properties are valued.

1. Ecological and Sustainable Development
Tecomella undulata
(Rohida)

2. Introduction
•Botanical Name-Tecomella undulata
•Local Name- Rohida
•Trade Name- Desert Teak or Marwar teak
•Tecomella is a large shrub or small tree.
•Height: 2.5m. - 5m.
•Leaves: Greyish- green leaves. 5 to 12.5cm in length and 1 to 3.2cm
in width, narrowly oblong, obtuse, and entire with undulating margins.
•Flowers are large, orange-red and odourless.
•Flower is considered as the State flower of Rajasthan.
•The tree blooms in the month of April-May.

3. Habitat
•The Plant is originated in India and Arabia.
•Distribution of Tecomella undulata is restricted to the drier parts of the
Arabia, southern Pakistan and northwestern India.
•The species is mainly found to occur in western parts of Rajasthan.
•Tecomella is widely adapted to the arid regions.
•The tree occurs on flat as well as undulating areas including gentle hill
slopes.
•Rohida can tolerate drained loamy to sandy loam soil.
•It can withstand extreme low temperature (0°C to −2°C) during
winter and high temperature (48°C to 50°C) in summers.
•The tree is a strong light demander. It is drought, frost, fire and wind
hardy.

4. Ecological importance
Tecomella undulata plays an important role in ecology. It acts as a soil-
binding tree by spreading a network of lateral roots on the top surface
of the soil. It acts as a windbreak and helps in stabilizing shifting sand
dunes. It is considered as the home of birds and provides shelter for
other desert wildlife. Shade of tree crown is shelter for the cattle, goats
and sheep during summer days.
Application
•It is an important medicinal tree .
•It is an excellent blood purifier .
•Wood obtained from the tree is known as ‘desert teak’. It is soft,
durable and takes a good polish it is therefore highly valued for
engraved furniture .

5. Ecological and Sustainable Development
Rhesus macaque

6. Habitat
Northern India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Afghanistan,
Vietnam, southern China, and some neighboring areas.
Rhesus macaques are noted for their tendency to move from rural to urban
areas, coming to rely on handouts or refuse from humans.

7. Physical Description
•The rhesus macaque is brown or grey in color and has a pink face.
•Length varies in this species, ranging between 45 and 64 cm.
• The tail adds an additional 19 to 32 cm to the total length.
•Males are somewhat heavier than females, weighing between 6.5 and 12
kg. Females weigh a mere 5.5 kg on average.
Rhesus macaques interact using a variety of facial expressive,
vocalizations and body postures, and gestures.
Communication

8. Reproduction
•Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)2.5 to 4 years.
•Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)4.5 to 7 years.
•Breeding interval - 1 year
•Average gestation period - 165 days
•Rhesus monkeys can live up to 30 years.

9. Use in science
medical breakthroughs facilitated by the use of the rhesus macaque include:
•development of the rabies, smallpox, and polio vaccines
•creation of drugs to manage HIV/AIDS
•understanding of the female reproductive cycle

10. Ecological and Sustainable Development
Red Velvet Mite

11. Name- Red Velvet Mites or Rain Bugs
Scientific name- Trombidiidae
Habitat- Generally, the red velvet mites are found in dry
environment such as deserts. But, they are also found in
soil litter as well as on plant leaves and logs of decaying
wood.
Adult size- 3mm to 17mm.
Identifying description- Red, hairy, tiny, spider-like.
Food- The several instars of larvae generally are
parasitic on insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and
aphids, but adults are free-living predators of small
arthropods and their eggs. Because of their feeding
habits, velvet mites have been considered as possible
biological control agents for invertebrate pest species.

12. Life cycle- The pattern of stages : egg, pre-larva, larva,
protonymph, deutonymph, tritonymph and adult (male or
female). They usually have only one breeding cycle per
year.
The oil from the red velvet mite is used in traditional
Indian medicine to treat paralysis. Extracts from red
velvet mites are used for the treatment of male infertility
in traditional eastern medicine.
Role in ecosystem:- In their larval stage, they infest
those insects, which are otherwise harmful pests for the
crops. Therefore, these mites help to a great extent in
controlling the population of the pests. They are also vital
to the rate of soil decomposition and greatly help
maintain balance in soil ecosystems.

13. Life cycle- The pattern of stages : egg, pre-larva, larva,
protonymph, deutonymph, tritonymph and adult (male or
female). They usually have only one breeding cycle per
year.
The oil from the red velvet mite is used in traditional
Indian medicine to treat paralysis. Extracts from red
velvet mites are used for the treatment of male infertility
in traditional eastern medicine.
Role in ecosystem:- In their larval stage, they infest
those insects, which are otherwise harmful pests for the
crops. Therefore, these mites help to a great extent in
controlling the population of the pests. They are also vital
to the rate of soil decomposition and greatly help
maintain balance in soil ecosystems.

14. Reproduction :-
The breeding season is between the months of March and
July. However, some species of the red velvet mites also lay eggs
during autumn.
Depending on the species, the number of eggs laid at a time
differs. Usually, 60 to 100,000 eggs are laid.