How is Indian Climate and Vegetation?
The climate of India is sub- tropical and hence the vegetation of India is all a result of the landmass being located in a sub- tropical region. The climate of a place is affected by the location of the region, altitude of the region, distance from the sea and relief features. Knowing the wide diversity of regions in India, the regional experience of the climate of India is diverse and this is clearly visible in the diversity of the vegetation of India, which clearly has an effect on the wildlife and culture of the people in those regions as well.
Thus, in India climate vegetation and wildlife information clearly shows an interconnected relationship between the three. Moving forward, a brief account of the climate of India, vegetation of India and wildlife of India is given in the article.
Difference Between Climate and Weather
Are you also one of them who have confusion in Indian climate and weather? Climate is simply defined as a sum total of all the weather variations and conditions over a long duration of time (this could be 30 or more years). In other words, the weather is a condition of the atmospheric state within a region at a specific point in time.
Both climate and weather are affected by diverse elements that are pressure, precipitation, velocity, wind direction, humidity, and temperature. Based on the atmospheric state and condition, there are varied seasons in India, including autumn, winter, summer, and rainy season. In India, the vegetation condition is more associated with the monsoon season. So, you got more curious to know about the ins and outs of the Indian climate! Vedantu has detailed these seasons in the next paragraphs. So keep scrolling to know more about the Indian climate.
Climate of India
The climate of any region is the average weather condition measure over a period of many years. Thus, over a wide area, the weather is the local changes and variations taking place in the state of the atmosphere over a particular region. And overall the climate is the weather in a given region over long periods of time. Hence, there cannot be different types of climate of a particular place but the climate differs over vast geographical distances.
The climate of India is described as the Monsoon type climate. The word monsoon has arabic roots and is derived from the word ‘mausim’. This is because most of the weather is controlled by the monsoon winds. Also, there are two types of monsoon in India, the south-west monsoon and north-east monsoon or the retreating monsoon spreading from the months of May to December. Hence, the climate of India is essentially a Monsoon climate. Another impact of the monsoon Monsoon climate is that agriculture which is the main economic activity of India in terms of number of people employed, is highly dependent on the Monsoon climate. Therefore there are different types of vegetation in India, not different types of climate in India. There are no different types of climate in India rather only one climate which is the Monsoon climate.
The vegetation of India is also affected by the four seasons: Cold Weather Season or Winter, Hot Weather Season or Summer, South West Monsoon Season or Rainy Season, Season of Retreating Monsoons or Autumn.
The Fours Seasons
Cold Weather Season/Winter
This is the time when the sun rays do not fall directly in the region causing low temperatures.
Hot Weather Season/Summer
This is the time when the sun rays fall directly in the region leading to higher temperatures.
South West Monsoon Season/Rainy Season:
This is the season when rains are caused all over the country and mostly in the Northern, Eastern and Western regions due to the monsoon winds of the south-west winds.
Retreating Monsoon Season/Autumn:
The north east monsoon winds bring the monsoon rain in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh during October to December.
From the given definition of climate and the concept of seasons in India, it is clear that the climate of India is Tropical Monsoon type and there are no different types of climate in India such as the temperate, desert/dry, polar, mediterranean, etc.
Prime Factors Affecting the Indian Climate Conditions
The factors that contribute to affecting the Indian climate are:
Latitude: The extent of latitude mainland India is somewhere between 8⁰4ꞌN to 37⁰6ꞌN. it is divided by two latitude halves by cancer tropic. In the south direction of Cancer tropic, the region has the experience of higher temperature due to tropic climate and being near to tropic regions, high precipitation is also received. On the other hand, the region situated on the northern side of the cancer tropic bears extreme climate conditions with annual and daily temperature ranges.
Altitude: We all are aware of the fact that temperature starts decreasing with the increase in height. This is why the place situated in the mountains are always cooler as compared to plain regions. So, altitude plays a key role in climatic conditions.
Distance from the sea: The climate in the coastal regions is measured in moderation. And, the regions located farther from Sea, experience extreme climate. For example, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Punjab.
Vegetation of India and Wildlife of India
The vegetation of India includes a very diverse plant life. There are season specific plants in India and there are also all season plants in India. The variety of plants include small plants called bushes, shrubs like cactus, and many types of flowering plants, etc. There are tall trees as well showing diversity such as the neem and the mango being trees with many branches and leaves while there are trees like the palm trees with few leaves. Indian climate has a huge effect on the natural vegetation of India.
The vegetation of India can be divided into five kinds. They are: Tropical evergreen forests, tropical deciduous forests, thorny bushes, mountain vegetation and mangrove forests. These different types of vegetation in India exhibit different ecosystems and in turn a varied wildlife of the country. As mentioned above India climate vegetation and wildlife are all interconnected. Considering the example of altitude effect. So out of curiosity when asked how does altitude affects vegetation and wildlife, the answer is that the altitude affects the climate and temperature, which in turn affects the vegetation and hence, wildlife of the region. At very high altitudes temperatures are low and also the relief features are close to the clouds, causing a high degree of rain and that too sometimes throughout the year. Hence, the region has evergreen vegetation causing a distinct wildlife. Another example of wildlife being influenced by the climate is the wildlife of the tropical monsoon region of India. This wildlife includes monkeys, parrots,, lemurs, ocelots, hummingbirds, etc.
Conclusion
From the given information about the climate in India and the vegetation in India, it is clear how diverse and interconnected the three of them are. One can appreciate the diversity which is also represented by the six different biogeographical zones in India, the most any country usually has in the world.
FAQs on Indian Climate and Vegetation
1. What are the major factors controlling the climate of India?
The climate of India is controlled by several key factors. These include:
- Latitude: The Tropic of Cancer divides the country into tropical and subtropical zones.
- Altitude: The Himalayas in the north and the high elevation of other areas significantly impact temperature and rainfall.
- Pressure and Wind Systems: The seasonal reversal of monsoon winds is a dominant feature, driven by the differential heating of land and sea.
- Distance from the Sea: Coastal areas experience a moderating maritime climate, while interior regions have an extreme continental climate.
- Ocean Currents: These influence the temperature of coastal regions.
- Relief Features: Mountain ranges like the Western Ghats influence rainfall distribution by acting as barriers to moisture-laden winds.
2. What is the general climate type of India and what are its main characteristics?
India has a Tropical Monsoon type of climate. The primary characteristic of this climate is the seasonal reversal of the wind system. This leads to distinct seasons, primarily the hot, dry summer, the rainy season due to the south-west monsoon, and the cool, dry winter. While the overall climate is of the monsoon type, there are significant regional variations in temperature and rainfall across the vast expanse of the country.
3. What are the five major types of natural vegetation found in India?
Based on climatic conditions, especially rainfall, the natural vegetation in India is broadly classified into five major types:
- Tropical Evergreen Forests: Found in areas with very heavy rainfall, like the Western Ghats and North-East India.
- Tropical Deciduous Forests: Also known as monsoon forests, these are the most widespread and are found in regions with seasonal rainfall.
- Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs: Located in semi-arid regions with low rainfall, such as parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and the Deccan Plateau.
- Montane Forests: Found in mountainous regions, their type changes with increasing altitude, from wet temperate to alpine vegetation.
- Mangrove Forests: Grow in coastal, saline, and marshy areas, particularly in river deltas like the Sundarbans.
4. How do the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean influence India's climate?
The Himalayas and the Indian Ocean play a crucial dual role in shaping India's climate. The Himalayas act as a formidable barrier, protecting the subcontinent from the cold, dry winds of Central Asia during winter. They also trap the monsoon winds, forcing them to shed their moisture as rainfall across India. The vast Indian Ocean, on the other hand, is the primary source of moisture for the summer monsoons and helps moderate temperatures in the coastal regions.
5. What is the difference between the South-West Monsoon and the North-East Monsoon?
The key difference lies in their direction, timing, and impact. The South-West Monsoon (or summer monsoon) blows from the sea to the land from June to September, bringing widespread, heavy rainfall to most of the country. In contrast, the North-East Monsoon (or winter monsoon) blows from land to sea from October to December. It is largely a dry wind system, but it picks up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and causes significant rainfall primarily in the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh.
6. Why does the rainfall amount generally decrease from east to west in the Northern Plains of India?
This pattern is a direct result of the movement of the Bay of Bengal branch of the South-West Monsoon. These moisture-laden winds first strike the north-eastern parts of the country and then move westwards along the Himalayan foothills. As the winds travel further inland towards the west, they progressively lose their moisture, leading to a gradual decrease in rainfall. Consequently, cities like Kolkata in the east receive much more rain than Delhi or Bikaner in the west.
7. What is the significance of the monsoon for India's economy and agriculture?
The monsoon is often called the real finance minister of India due to its profound economic significance. A majority of India's agriculture is rain-fed and depends heavily on the timeliness and adequacy of monsoon rains for the growth of Kharif crops like rice, cotton, and soybean. Good monsoons boost agricultural output, control inflation, and recharge reservoirs and groundwater, which are vital for drinking water supply and hydroelectric power generation. The entire economic rhythm of the country is closely tied to the monsoon cycle.
8. Why are mangrove forests ecologically important, and where are they primarily found in India?
Mangrove forests are ecologically vital because their dense, tangled root systems protect coastlines from erosion, storm surges, and tsunamis. They act as critical breeding and nursery grounds for a diverse range of marine life, including fish, crabs, and prawns, thus supporting coastal fisheries. They are also highly efficient at carbon sequestration. In India, the largest mangrove forest is the Sundarbans in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta. Other significant mangrove areas are found in the deltas of the Mahanadi, Godavari, and Krishna rivers, and in Gujarat and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
