Arrange the following tropical forest groups in the correct order of sequence based on area covered in India beginning from the largest covered area : 1. Moist deciduous 2. Dry deciduous 3. Wet evergreen 4. Semi-evergreen Select the correct answer using the code given below : Code :

In India, the distribution of tropical forest groups by area follows a specific hierarchy. According to the Champion and Seth classification, Tropical Moist Deciduous forests are the most widespread, covering approximately 37% of the total forest area [3]. These are followed by Tropical Dry Deciduous forests, which account for about 28.6% to 28.8% of the forest cover [3]. Tropical Wet Evergreen forests occupy a smaller portion, estimated at roughly 8% [1]. Tropical Semi-evergreen forests represent the smallest area among the four listed, covering approximately 4.1% [1]. While some recent statistical reports show variations in specific percentages due to forest degradation or different mapping methodologies, the historical and standard ecological sequence for these tropical groups remains Moist Deciduous followed by Dry Deciduous, Wet Evergreen, and Semi-evergreen [4]. Therefore, the correct sequence from largest to smallest area is 1-2-3-4.

Sources

1. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > India: Area under Forests > p. 80
2. [3] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > social relevance of forests > p. 21
3. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Source: Oxford School Atlas, 2011. > p. 20
4. [4] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Tropical Deciduous Forests > p. 44