ecosystems, forests, desert, grasslands, aquatic ecosystem, types, importance, significance, environment, environmental studies, examples

1. ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
FORESTS, AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS, GRASSLANDS, DESERTS,

2. WHAT IS A FOREST ?
• THE FOREST IS A COMPLEX ECOSYSTEM CONSISTING
MAINLY OF TREES THAT BUFFER THE EARTH AND
SUPPORT A MYRIAD OF LIFE FORMS.

3. TYPES OF FOREST
• TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS
• TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS
• MANGROOVE FORESTS
• MONTANE FORESTS
• THORN FORESTS

4. TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS
• THESE FORESTS ARE RESTRICTED TO HEAVY RAINFALL AREAS OF
THE WESTERN GHATS AND THE ISLAND GROUPS OF
LAKSHWADEEP, ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR, UPPER PARTS OF
ASSAM AND TAMIL NADU COASTS.
• THEY ARE HAVING RAINFALL MORE THAN 200 CM WITH A SHORT
DRY SEASON.
• THE TREES REACH A HEIGHT UPTO 60 METRES OR EVEN ABOVE.
• IT HAS LUXURIANT VEGETATION OF ALL KINDS- TREES, SHRUBS
AND CREEPERS GIVING A MULTILAYERED STRUCTURE.
• SOME OF THE COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT TREES ARE- EBONY,
MAHOGANY, ROSEWOOD, RUBBER AND CINCHONA.

5. TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS

6. TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS
• TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS ARE THE MOST WIDESPREAD
FOREST OF INDIA.
• THEY ARE ALSO CALLED THE MONSOON FORESTS.
• TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS THRIVE WHERE THE RAINFALL
IS BETWEEN 70CM AND 200CM.
• TREES SHED THEIR LEAVES FOR ABOUT 6-8 WEEKS IN SUMMER.
• THE DECIDUOUS FORESTS ARE DIVIDED INTO:
• MOIST DECIDUOUS FORESTS (RAINFALL BETWEEN 100-200CM)
• DRY DECIDUOUS FORESTS (RAINFALL BETWEEN 70-100CM)
• BAMBOOS, SAL, SHISHAM, SANDALWOOD, KHAIR, MULBERRY
ARE SOME COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT SPECIES FOUND HERE.
• A VARIETY OF BIRDS, LIZARDS, SNAKES AND TORTOISES ARE
ALSO FOUND HERE.

7. TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS

8. MANGROOVE FORESTS
• MANGROVE FORESTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT VEGETATION
FOUND IN THE AREAS OF TIDE INFLUENCED COATS HAVING
ACCUMULATED MUD AND SILT.
• DENSE MANGROVE IS THE COMMON VARIETIES WITH ROOTS
OF THE PLANTS SUBMERGED UNDER WATER.
• ROYAL BENGAL TIGER IS THE FAMOUS ANIMAL IN THESE
FORESTS.
• IN THE GANGA-BRAHMAPUTRA DELTA SUNDEW TREES ARE
FOUND WHICH PROVIDE DURABLE LIGHT BUT HARD TIMBER.
• IN SOME PARTS OF DELTA, PALM, COCONUT, KEORA, AGAR,
SCREW, PINE, AMOR ARE FOUND.

9. MANGROOVE FORESTS

10. MONTANE FORESTS
MONTANE FORESTS CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO:
• WET TEMPERATE FORESTS:
• CHARACTERISED BY OAK TREES AND CHESTNUT TREES.
• THE MEAN ANNUAL RAINFALL HERE IS 150 TO 300CM.
• TEMPERATE FORESTS:
• COVER THE SOUTHERN SLOPES OF HIMALAYAS
• CHARACTERISED BY PINE, DEODAR, SILVER FIR, SPRUCE AND CEDAR
TREES.
• THE ANNUAL RAINFALL VARIES FROM 150 TO 250CM.
• ALPINE FORESTS:
• CHARACTERISED BY SILVER FIR, JUNIPERS, PINES AND BIRCHES TREES.
• THE SOUTH-WEST MONSOON HERE IS VERY FEEBLE.
• THE RAINFALL IS BELOW 100 CM, MOSTLY SNOW.

11. MONTANE FORESTS

12. THORN FORESTS
• THE THORN FORESTS ARE FOUND IN THE REGION WHERE THE
RAINFALL IS LESS THAN 70CM.
• THE VEGETATION IN THESE FORESTS ARE THORNY TREES AND
BUSHES.
• THE THORN FORESTS ARE FOUND IN SEMI ARID AREAS OF
GUJARAT, RAJASTHAN, MADHYA PRADESH, CHHATTISGARH,
UTTAR PRADESH AND HARYANA.
• ACACIAS, PALMS, EUPHORBIAS AND CACTI ARE THE MAIN
PLANTS FOUND IN THESE FORESTS.
• THE COMMON ANIMALS FOUND HERE ARE RATS, MICE,
RABBITS, FOX, WOLF, TIGER, LION, HORSES AND CAMELS.

13. THORN FORESTS

14. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
• AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM IS AN ECOSYSTEM THAT
EXISTS IN WATER. AN ECOSYSTEM IS DEFINED AS A
DISTINCT COMMUNITY OF ORGANISMS (INCLUDING
PLANTS, ANIMALS) THAT EXISTS IN A PARTICULAR
ENVIRONMENT.

15. WITH AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM, THE ENVIRONMENT IS A WATERY
ONE. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS FEATURE VARIOUS TYPES OF
ORGANISMS, INCLUDING:
• PLANT LIFE SUCH AS SEAWEEDS.
• FISH, WHALES AND OTHER AQUATIC VERTEBRATES.
• TINY BACTERIA AND OTHER VERY SMALL ORGANISMS.
• ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES SUCH AS SAND AND SILT.
• AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES CAN ALSO BE KEY PLAYERS IN AN
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM.

16. TYPES OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
• FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
• POND ECOSYSTEM
• RIVER ECOSYSTEM
• LAKE ECOSYSTEM
• MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

17. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
• POND ECOSYSTEM
• A POND ECOSYSTEM USUALLY FEATURES
FRESH, STAGNANT (I.E. NOT FLOWING)
WATER.
• HOWEVER, BRINE PONDS DO EXIST AND
THESE CAN FORM THEIR OWN ECOSYSTEMS.
• POND ECOSYSTEMS USUALLY INCLUDE
WATER WEEDS AND WATER PLANTS (SUCH AS
LILY PADS) AND ANIMALS SUCH AS FROGS
AND NEWTS.
• FISH AND WATER FLIES (SUCH AS DRAGON
FLIES) WILL ALSO OFTEN MAKE A HOME
HERE.

18. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM
RIVER ECOSYSTEM
• A RIVER CAN FORM A DISTINCT
ECOSYSTEM, AS MANY ANIMALS
AND PLANTS WILL LIKE TO
MAKE A RIVER THEIR HOME.
• FISH SUCH AS SALMON, WATER
WEEDS, CRUSTACEANS SUCH
AS SHRIMP AND MANY OTHER
FRESHWATER ORGANISMS CAN
EXIST IN THIS ECOSYSTEM.

19. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM
LAKE ECOSYSTEM
• IT CAN BE EITHER A
FRESHWATER OR A SALTWATER
LAKE.
• SOME LAKES ARE STAGNANT,
WHILE OTHERS ARE TIDAL, AND
THESE QUALITIES DETERMINE
THE PRECISE TYPES OF
ANIMALS, FISH, CRUSTACEANS
AND PLANTS THAT MAKE THE
LAKE THEIR HOME.

20. MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
• THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM IS THE NAME FOR THE COMMUNITY
OF ORGANISMS THAT LIVE IN THE SEA.
• AT THE VERY DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN FLOOR, THERE LIVE
COMMUNITIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS THAT NEVER SEE THE
LIGHT AND THAT DERIVE ENERGY FROM GEYSERS OF SULPHUR
SPRINGING FROM THE EARTH’S CORE.
• CLOSER TO THE SURFACE, WHERE SUNLIGHT PENETRATES,
CONSISTING OF WHALES, SEALS, FISH AND SEAWEEDS.
• ON THE SURFACE OF THE SEA ITSELF AND IN THE AIR AROUND
IT, WE CAN FIND MANY DIFFERENT SEA BIRDS (INCLUDING
GANNETS, ALBATROSSES AND SEAGULLS).

21. MARINE ECOSYSTEM

22. GRASSLANDS
• A GRASSLAND IS A TYPE OF HABITAT OR BIOME WHICH IS
DOMINATED BY GRASSES AND OTHER HERBACEOUS
FLOWERING PLANTS AND A VARIETY OF SCATTERED TREES
AND BUSHES.
• GRASSLAND OCCUR IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS NOT
ENOUGH REGULAR RAINFALL TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF
A FOREST, BUT NOT SO LITTLE AS TO FORM A DESERT.
• ABOUT ONE QUARTER EARTH’S LAND IS COVERED WITH
GRASSLANDS.
• GRASSLANDS MAY OCCUR NATURALLY OR AS THE RESULT
OF HUMAN ACTIVITY.
• GRASSLAND CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY HUMAN
ACTIVITY ARE CALLED ‘ANTHROPOGENIC GRASSLANDS’.

23. TYPES OF GRASSLANDS
• TROPICAL GRASSLANDS
• TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
• FLOODED GRASSLANDS
• MONTANE GRASSLANDS

24. TROPICAL GRASSLAND• TROPICAL GRASSLANDS ARE
LOCATED NEAR THE EQUATOR,
BETWEEN THE TROPIC OF
CANCER AND THE TROPIC OF
CAPRICORN.
• MOST OF THE TROPICAL
GRASSLANDS ARE FOUND IN
THE INTERIOR PART OF
CONTINENTS BETWEEN THE
TROPICAL RAINFOREST AND
TROPICAL DESERTS.
• TROPICAL GRASSLANDS ARE
ALSO KNOWN AS ‘SAVANNAHS’.
• TROPICAL GRASSLANDS HAVE A
TROPICAL CONTINENTAL
CLIMATE WHEREIN WET AND
DRY SEASONS COMES

25. TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
• LOCATED IN THE MID-LATITUDES, NORTH
OF THE TROPIC OF CANCER AND SOUTH
OF THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN.
• HAVE A TEMPERATURE CONTINENTAL
CLIMATE, WHICH IS COOLER THAN
SAVANNAHS.
• HAVE WARM, HUMID SUMMERS WITH AN
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 18 DEGREE
C AND COOL, DRY WINTERS WITH AN
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 10 DEGREE
C.
• THESE TYPICALLY RECEIVE BETWEEN
10-20 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION A

26. FLOODED GRASSLAND
• GENERALLY LOCATED AT
SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL
LATITUDES, WHICH ARE FLOODED
SEASONALLY OR YEAR-ROUND.
• EVERGLADES, PANTANAL, SAHELIAN
FLOODED SAVANNAHS, ZAMBEZIAN
FLOODED SAVANNAHS AND THE SUDD
ARE THE MAJOR REGIONS OF THE
WORLD.
• THESE AREAS SUPPORT NUMEROUS
PLANTS AND ANIMALS WHICH ARE
ADAPTED TO THE UNIQUE
HYDROLOGIC REGIMES AND SOIL

27. MONTANE GRASSLANDS
• MONTANE GRASSLANDS AND SHRUB
LANDS ARE A BIOME WHICH ARE
LOCATED ABOVE THE TREE LINE AND
ARE COMMONLY KNOWN AS ALPINE
TUNDRA, WHICH INCLUDES
MOUNTAIN REGIONS.
• IT INCLUDES HIGH ELEVATION
GRASSLANDS AND SCRUBLANDS, A
UNIQUE FEATURE OF MANY WET
TROPICAL MONTANE REGIONS IS THE
PRESENCE OF GIANT ROSETTE
PLANTS FROM A VARIETY OF PLANT
FAMILIES.

28. WHAT IS GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM?• A GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM IS A COMMUNITY OF CREATURES LIVING
TOGETHER WITHIN A GRASSY SPACE. THESE CREATURES CAN INCLUDE
VARIOUS TYPES OF GRASSES, INSECTS, AND ANIMALS, ETC.
• THE PRESENCE OF GRASS- IT ALMOST GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE COMPOSED LARGELY OF WIDE SWATHES OF
GRASS RATHER THAN TREES OR SHRUBS – OR, ON THE OTHER HAND,
RATHER THAN BARE DESERT SOIL.
• BIODIVERSITY- GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE EXTREMELY BIO-DIVERSE
AND ARE HOME TO THRIVING COMMUNITIES OF PLANTS, ANIMALS, INSECTS
AND MAMMALS.
• UBIQUITY- GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE PRESENT IN EVERY SINGLE
CONTINENT ON THIS PLANET WITH THE SOLE EXCEPTION OF ANTARCTICA,
WHICH IS TOO COLD TO SUSTAIN A GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM.
• FOUND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD- IN THE TROPICS, NEAR TO THE
EQUATOR, IN THE TEMPERATE ZONES OF THE EARTH, BETWEEN THE
EQUATOR AND THE POLAR REGIONS.

29. IMPORTANCE OF GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM
• GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT REASONS-
• HABITAT- GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS ARE KEY HABITATS FOR HUGE NUMBERS OF
DIFFERENT ANIMALS INCLUDING ZEBRAS, BISON, LIONS AND ELEPHANTS.
• SOIL QUALITY- THE DELICATE BALANCE OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN GRASSLAND
ECOSYSTEMS MAINTAINS A HIGH SOIL QUALITY. WHEN HUMANS INTERVENE IN
GRASSLANDS AND USE THEM FOR CROP BASED AGRICULTURE THEY ALTER THE
MINERAL COMPOSITION OF THE SOIL AND ITS QUALITY AND HENCE FERTILITY
DECLINES.
• BEAUTY- BECAUSE THEY ARE QUITE SIMPLY VERY BEAUTIFUL OPEN SPACES.
• LARGE AREA- AROUND A QUARTER OF THE EARTH’S TOTAL LANDMASS IS TAKEN UP
BY GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS. THAT MAKES IT LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT
TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
• USEFUL TO HUMANS- PARTICULARLY AS PASTURE FOR CATTLE. THE PRAIRIES OF
NORTH AMERICA HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN USED AS PASTURE GROUNDS FOR
MANY CENTURIES.

30. DESERT
• ‘A DESERT IS ANY PLACE THAT IS LARGELY DESERTED
BY PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE. USUALLY, DESERTS ARE
CHARACTERIZED BY AN ABUNDANCE OF SAND AND A
LACK OF WATER.’

31. FORMATION OF DESERTS• DESERTS ARE FORMED BY THE EFFECT OF WIND ON
MOUNTAINS.
• FIRSTLY, THE MOUNTAINS WILL ACT AS A BARRIER, PREVENTING
THE WIND FROM CARRYING RAIN OVER THE DESERT. THIS
MAKES DESERTS VERY DRY.
• SECONDLY, AS THE WIND HITS THE ROCKS OF MOUNTAINS,
THEY WILL CRUMBLE AND BECOME SAND. THIS MAKES
DESERTS SANDY.
• USUALLY, DESERTS ARE SITUATED FAR FROM WATER. DESERTS
CAN FORM AROUND WATER, HOWEVER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS
IT IS BECAUSE THE WIND BLOWS HOT AND DRY SAND FROM
ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER, TURNING THE SECOND LOCATION
INTO A DESERT.
• ALTITUDE IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT FACTORS, AMONG OTHERS

32. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
• DESERT CLIMATES TYPICALLY FEATURE LOW HUMIDITY, VERY
LITTLE RAIN AND SCORCHING HEAT DURING THE DAY.
• THE ARID CLIMATE IN DESERTS CANNOT SUSTAIN MANY
VEGETATION AND CAN ONLY GROW SCANTY SHRUBS.
• AT NIGHT, DESERTS CAN BECOME FREEZING COLD, HOWEVER.
• WINDS ARE ALSO NOT UNCOMMON IN DESERTS, AND THE
ACTIVITY OF DESERT WINDS CAN HELP DESERTS TO SPREAD
FAR AND WIDE BY PICKING UP THE SAND OF THE DESERT AND
CARRYING IT ELSEWHERE.

33. FLORA AND FAUNA
• FLORA- PLANTS THAT ADAPT TO
THE DRY CONDITIONS BY
ACCUMULATING MOISTURE IN
THEIR FLESHY PLANT TISSUES.
EXAMPLE: CACTUS, ROCK PLANTS,
AGAVE, ETC.
• FAUNA- ANIMALS MAY HAVE LONG
EYELASHES TO PROTECT THEM
FROM THE SUN, WHILST INSECTS
COLD BLOODED ANIMALS SUCH AS
REPTILES, WHICH LOVE TO BASK IN
THE SUN, ARE ALSO COMMON
INHABITANTS OF DESERTS. OTHER
EXAMPLES INCLUDES CAMEL,
LIZARDS, AND EAGLES.

34. WHAT IS A DESERT ECOSYSTEM?
• A DESERT ECOSYSTEM IS A COMMUNITY OF ORGANISMS THAT
LIVE TOGETHER IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SEEMS TO BE
DESERTED WASTELAND.
• DESERT ECOSYSTEMS CAN BE HOT (AS IN THE SANDY SAHARA)
OR COLD (AS ON THE PEAKS OF MOUNTAINS).
• BUT BOTH HOT AND COLD DESERTS HAVE IN COMMON THE
FACT THAT THEY ARE DIFFICULT FOR ORGANISMS TO INHABIT.
• THE PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE THAT LIVES THERE WILL HAVE
EVOLVED SO THAT THEY CAN COMBAT THE HARSH
CONDITIONS.

35. TYPES OF DESERT ECOSYSTEM
• HOT DESERTS
• HOT DESERTS CAN BE FOUND CLOSE TO
THE EQUATOR. THE SAHARA IS A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF A HOT DESERT.
• HOT DESERTS TEND TO FEATURE
SCORCHING HOT GROUND WHICH MANY
PLANTS MAY STRUGGLE TO GROW ON,
LITTLE SHADE, AND A SHORTAGE OF
WATER.
• CACTI HAVE GROWN A TOUGH OUTER
SKIN AND INTERIORS WHICH CAN STORE
UP ANY FLUID THAT THEY ABSORB SO
THAT THEY CAN STAY HYDRATED DURING
DROUGHTS.

36. TYPES OF DESERT ECOSYSTEM
• COLD DESERTS
• DESERTIFICATION CAN EXIST AT
HIGH ALTITUDES TOO, HOWEVER –
AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE
DESERT WILL BE COLD.
• A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE DESERTED
ROCKY PEAKS OF A MOUNTAIN.
• A COLD DESERT MAY BE SANDY OR
ROCKY, BUT IT WILL BE A HARSH
ENVIRONMENT WHERE ORGANISMS
HAVE ADAPTED IN WEIRD AND
WONDERFUL WAYS SO THAT THEY
CAN SURVIVE.

37. TYPES OF DESERT ECOSYSTEM
• ICE DESERTS
• HERE, INSTEAD OF A SANDY OR
ROCKY WASTELAND, WE HAVE A
SEEMINGLY UNINHABITED REGION
THAT IS COMPOSED OF ICE.
• ICE DESERTS CAN BE FOUND
TOWARDS THE NORTH AND SOUTH
POLES OF THE PLANET, ALSO BE
LOCATED HIGH UP ON MOUNTAIN
PEAKS.

38. THANK YOU