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FOREST

What is a Forest?

Forest is a dense land or a complex ecosystem consisting of rich biodiversity and supports a variety of life forms. The trees maintain the environment of the surroundings which in turn affects the plants and animals living in the forest. They are an important component of the environment that purify the air, cool the air during the day and act as excellent sound absorbers. They can develop wherever the average temperature is more than 10°C in the warmest month with the average rainfall exceeding 200 mm annually.India shares a history of traditional conservation and management of forests. The annual festival of tree plantation called Vanmahotsava was started by the Indian Government and was first implemented in the state of Gujarat.

Structure of Forest

The evergreen forests have a specific structure. It is organized in layers which are maintained by the abiotic components such as sunlight, wind, humidity, etc. Let us have a detailed look at the structure of the forest and the different layers it is made up of:

Emergent Layer:

This layer is made up of very tall trees with a crown at the top. Their roots spread up to 20-30 ft. The leaves are small and pointed that are structured to withstand strong winds at the treetop. The trees receive constant sunlight. Hummingbirds and parrots commonly reside in this layer. Light animals such as sloth and spider monkeys reside here.

Canopy:

This layer hinders sunlight and water from reaching the underneath layers. The trees have broader leaves and the rainwater drips down quickly rather than staying on the leaves. Common animals found in this layer include squirrels, bats, monkeys, reptiles and a variety of birds. Due to thick leaves, visibility is low in this region.

Understory:

This layer has few trees and more shrubs and small trees growing up to a height of 12 feet. The area mostly contains roots of the tall trees and branches of climbers and ferns. Very little sunlight reaches here. The leaves and trunks are covered with fungi, mosses, mildew and algae. This layer has more humidity and is wet and dark. Excellent conditions for the breeding of mosquitoes and bugs. The animals found in this layer include frogs, insects, snakes, beetles, butterflies and termites.

Forest Floor:

This is referred to as the ground level of the forest. The soil is shallow with microorganisms feeding on the dead and decaying organic matter. The moist and dark conditions are ideal for the decay of organic matter and nutrient absorption by the trees. Most of the heavyweight carnivorous and herbivorous animals are found in this layer.

Deforestation

The forests are being destroyed continuously to make the land available for other uses. Forests are the natural source of resources. With the advent of industrialization, forests have been constantly depleted for raw materials. Also with the rising population, there is competition for food and space. This had led to the depletion of forests on a large scale. Deforestation has affected the climate and in turn our lives. There is a shortage of rainfall. The resources are also depleting rapidly and will not be available in future. The temperature is rising tremendously which has led to the melting of glaciers which has increased the water levels. The weather changes and earthquakes are a result of deforestation. The trees hold the earth firmly. Due to the forest depletion, the grip of the earth is loosened which causes frequent earthquakes. Thus we see how forests act as our lifeline. It is very important to preserve the forests. Forest is the natural resources which are being destroyed by the humans for their use. We should conserve this natural resource as it is one of the fundamental constituents for the sustainability of life on the earth.

Steps to conserve forest:

Knowing all these things we get to know how important forests are in our life. The depletion in the green cover of the earth’s surface needs to be controlled, deforestation needs to be reduced. Let us figure out some ways by which we can conserve the forests.
-> Regulated and planned deforestation
->Reforestation
->Control on forest fires
->Proper utilization of forest and forest products
->Forest management and sustainable growth.