India - Monsoon Rains & Natural Vegetation || Learners Hobby

                                                                   India - Monsoon Rains


ADVANCING MONSOON
    Generally the term 'monsoon' meaning season is applied to rain without reference to winds. Season of advancing monsoon is also known as the season of South-West monsoon or the rainy season. This season is marked by the onset and advance of monsoon. During this season,winds blow from both Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal towards the land. They carry moisture and as they strike the mountain barriers, they are forced to rise up. The vapour condenses and cause rainfall.
SOME REGULARITY
    The monsoon appears at different dates at different places. While kerala on West Coast is the first to receive rainfall (on 1st June), North-Western Rajasthan is the last to receive to receive rainfall (by around 15th July). The triangular shape of peninsular India and the Himalyan barriers deflect the winds from East to West. This position can best be understood with the help of the map. The North- East receives monsoon rains by around 5th June. The moisture-laden winds then go onwards and reach Delhi by around 15th June. Though there is some regularity, they are the most erratic type. When the winds fails to arrive or fail to shed moisture, drought is caused Indeed India is highly drought prone. However, most often excessive rainfall causes flood.
UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION
    The winds are greatly influenced by the relief and pressure conditions over land. The distribution of rainfall is highly uneven over the landmass. North-Eastern parts on south-facing slopes (Assam, Arunachal, Meghalaya and Sikkim), western parts of Western Ghats-including the Coastal Plains and the deltaic region of West Bengal-recieve heavy rainfall of more than 200 cm in a year.
RETREAT
    Retreat means 'withdrawal' but like forced withdrawal of army in a battlefield, known as retreat, the winds too are forced to withdraw from the Indian subcontinent. The retreat begins around September 24 when the winds retreat from Haryana and Punjab. The season lasts until end of November when winds withdraw from the whole sub-continent.
                  Causes: Changes in temperature and pressure conditions as well as over the interior of the continent and water bodies.
⦁    Retreating season from Oct-Nov is also marked by cyclones over Bay of Bengal.

                                                                                Natural Vegetation
FLORA
    The natural plants of a region includes a variety of species and is collectively known as flora. With variety of flora in our surrounding, India would have been well- placed in this respect. The population of India has risen several fold. As such there is heavy pressure on forest, the habitat of plant and animal life. The vegetation of India is generally categorised into Evergreen, Deciduous, Thorn, Tidal and Montane types.
EVERGREEN
    Tropical Rainforests have evergreen trees which don't have any particular season of shedding leaves. This region receives heavy rainfall of more than 200 cm in a year. The trees grow tall and have a layering arrangements.
DECIDUOUS
    Tropical Forests have trees which shed their leaves during a particular season. In order to conserve their moisture, trees shed leaves in dry season. Fresh leaves begin to grow in the onset of rainy season. These forests are also called Monsoon Foresrts. The rainfall is generally between 75 and 200 cms. Deciduous forests are the dominant vegetation type of Tropical Monsoon Climate. Dry Deciduous forests are found in regions of 50 and to 100 cm rainfall.

THORN
    Thorny forests are found in areas having annual rainfall of less than 50 cm. Short trees like Babool and Kikar are found in these forests. Thorns are a short of protection to preserve and to discourage grazing animals from eating them.
TIDAL
    Tidal Forests are also known as Mangrove Forests (or locally, as Sunderbans) in West Bengal. The Sunderbans are also called because, in the local dialect, it means 'beautiful forest' (Sundervan). Mangrove trees survive in both fresh and salt water. On high mountains like Himalayas, vegetation, changes with height. At ground level, Tropical Evergreen forest are found which change in the same manner as does the vegetation from equator to poleward.
MONTANE
    Montane forests refers to the type of vegetation found in the mountain vision. e.g., Himalayas vegetation. Temperature and rainfall decreases with altitude. The higher attitude has alpine and coniferous vegetation while the Shivalik region has deciduous vegetation.