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Q38 (IAS/2015) Geography › Indian Physical Geography › Indian forest types Official Key

Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have highly developed mangrove forests[1], and semi-evergreen forests are found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands[2]. Additionally, Andaman and Nicobar Islands is forest based with evergreen and deciduous forests[3]. This makes it the only region among the given options that has all three forest types - mangroves, evergreen, and deciduous forests in combination.

For comparison, Andhra Pradesh has mangroves in the Godavari Delta[4], but the coastal areas lack the combination of all three types. South-West Bengal (Sundarbans) has evergreen mangroves[5] and moist deciduous vegetation[5], making it a close contender, but the Andaman and Nicobar Islands represent a more complete and distinct combination of all three forest ecosystems.

Sources
  1. [1] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Littoral and Swamp Forests > p. 46
  2. [2] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > 10.1.2. Tropical Semi-evergreen forests > p. 161
  3. [3] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Strategy for Development > p. 94
  4. [4] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Mangroves in India-2019 > p. 52
  5. [5] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > 4. The Gangetic Plain > p. 5
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest? [A] North Coast…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 7.5/10 · 0/10

This is a classic 'Intersection Set' question. It doesn't ask for a single forest type but the overlap of three distinct biomes. It rewards students who study regions holistically (e.g., 'What does the Andaman ecosystem look like?') rather than just memorizing separate maps for Mangroves and Deciduous forests.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and deciduous forests?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Mangroves in India-2019 > p. 52
Presence: 5/5
“• S.No.: 1.; Mangrove: Kendrapara; State/UT: Odisha; Total Area (in km2): 201.49 • S.No.: 2.; Mangrove: Uttar Kannada; State/UT: Karnataka; Total Area (in km2): 8.50 • S.No.: 3.; Mangrove: Goa; State/UT: Goa; Total Area (in km2): 26 • S.No.: 4.; Mangrove: Godavari Delta; State/UT: Andhra Pradesh; Total Area (in km2): 188.06 • S.No.: 5.; Mangrove: Gulf of Kutch; State/UT: Gujarat; Total Area (in km2): 794.77 • S.No.: 6.; Mangrove: Krishna Delta; State/UT: Andhra Pradesh; Total Area (in km2): 137.08 • S.No.: 7.; Mangrove: Guntur; State/UT: Andhra Pradesh; Total Area (in km2): 68 • S.No.: 8.; Mangrove: Bhadrak; State/UT: Odisha; Total Area (in km2): 34.87 • S.No.: 9.; Mangrove: North Andaman; State/UT: Andman & Nicobar Islands; Total Area (in km2): 424.52 • S.No.: 10.; Mangrove: Thiruvarur*; State/UT: Tamil Nadu; Total Area (in km2): 12.85 • S.No.: 11.; Mangrove: Thanjavur; State/UT: Tamil Nadu; Total Area (in km2): 12.25 • S.No.: 12.; Mangrove: Udupi, N.”
Why this source?
  • Explicit list of major mangrove areas includes Godavari Delta and Krishna Delta in Andhra Pradesh, showing mangrove presence in AP's coastal region.
  • Provides measured areas for these deltas, indicating significant mangrove extent rather than incidental occurrence.
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > ro.r.7. Tropical Dry evergreen forest > p. 163
Presence: 4/5
“Dry evergreens are found along Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka coast. It is mainly hard-leaved evergreen trees with fragrant flowers, along with a few deciduous trees.”
Why this source?
  • States that dry evergreen forests occur along the Andhra Pradesh coast, directly supporting presence of evergreen type in the coastal region.
  • Specifies coastal distribution (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka), linking evergreen forest type to the seaboard.
Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > social relevance of forests > p. 21
Presence: 5/5
“• Col1: 1.; Types of Forest: Tropical Wet-evergreen Forests; States/Union Territories: Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Western Ghats; Species of vegetation: Betel-nut-palm, fern, hillock, jack-fruit, rubber, cincona, rose-wood, iron wood, orchids, etc. • Col1: 2.; Types of Forest: Tropical Semi-evergreen Forests; States/Union Territories: Andaman and Nicobar, Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats; Species of vegetation: Mixture of wet and dry evergreen trees • Col1: 3.; Types of Forest: Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests; States/Union Territories: Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, North Eastern Hills of India,; Species of vegetation: Tall trees, thick trunks, thick bark, long branches with butts, trees drop their leaves in dry season, teak, sal, shisum, bamboo, etc. • Col1: 4.; Types of Forest: Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest; States/Union Territories: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Northeast Hilly States; Species of vegetation: Acacia, bamboo, Mahuva, sal, teak, etc. • Col1: 5.; Types of Forest: Tropical Torn Forests; States/Union Territories: Black earth region, North-west and Peninsular India; Species of vegetation: Caper, cactus, spurge, stunted fat topped trees (less than ten meters in height) • Col1: 6.; Types of Forest: Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests; States/Union Territories: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana; Species of vegetation: Hard leaved evergreen trees with fragrant fowers mixed with a few decidu ous trees • Col1: 7.; Types of Forest: Subtropical Broad-leaved Forest; States/Union Territories: Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats, Silent Valley; Species of vegetation: Cinnamon, fragrant grasses, poonspar, rhodo dendron.”
Why this source?
  • Identifies Tropical Dry Deciduous forests as occurring in Andhra Pradesh, confirming deciduous forest presence in the state.
  • Also separately lists Tropical Dry Evergreen forests for Andhra Pradesh, corroborating multiple forest types within the state.
Statement 2
Does the South-West Bengal region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and deciduous forests?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > 4. The Gangetic Plain > p. 5
Presence: 5/5
“The flora of The Gangetic plain has been substantially transformed by human activities and cultivation of crops. The vegetation type, however, ranges between the semi-arid shrubs of the Aravalli region to evergreen mangroves of the Sundarban Delta. Sal and Arjun of the Tarai region of Bihar and West Bengal are the representative species of the primordial vegetation. The vegetation of Uttar Pradesh is mainly dry deciduous type which changes to moist deciduous type in Bihar and West Bengal. Sheesham, neem, mahuwa, jamun, acacia, ber, bel, peepal, bargad, etc., are the examples of this type of vegetation. In addition to these, there are numerous types of grasses found in The Gangetic Plain.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly mentions 'evergreen mangroves of the Sundarban Delta' linking evergreen-type vegetation to the Sundarbans (in SW Bengal).
  • States that vegetation in West Bengal includes moist deciduous types, supporting presence of deciduous forests in the region.
INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Littoral and Swamp Forests > p. 46
Presence: 5/5
“They consist of a number of salt-tolerant species of plants. Crisscrossed by creeks of stagnant water and tidal flows, these forests give shelter to a wide variety of birds. In India, the mangrove forests spread over 6,740 sq. km which is 7 per cent of the world's mangrove forests. They are highly developed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Sunderbans of West Bengal. Other areas of significance are the Mahanadi, the Godavari and the Krishna deltas. These forests too, are being encroached upon, and hence, need conservation.”
Why this source?
  • Specifically identifies the Sunderbans of West Bengal as a highly developed mangrove area.
  • Links mangrove formation to West Bengal coastal/deltaic region (Sundarbans).
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 4: Aquatic Ecosystem > 4,8,4. Mangrove profile in India > p. 49
Presence: 4/5
“• The mangroves of Sundarbans are the largest single block of tidal holophytic mangroves in the world. The major species of this dense mangrove forest include Heritiera fimbriata, Rhizophora spp., Bruguiera spp., Ceriops decandra, Sonneratia spp., and Avicennia spp. Nypa fruticans are found along the creeks. This mangrove forest is famous for the Royal Bengal Tiger and crocodiles. Mangrove areas are being cleared for agricultural use. • On the west coast of India, mangroves, mostly scrubby and degraded occur along the intertidal region of estuaries and creeks in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. • The mangrove vegetation in the coastal zone of Kerala is very sparse and thin. • In Gujarat (north-west coast), mangroves Avicennia marine, Avicennia officinalis and Rhizophora mucronata are found mainly in Gulf of Kachchh and the Kori creek.”
Why this source?
  • Describes the Sundarbans as the largest single block of tidal mangroves, giving species detail — reinforces strong mangrove presence in SW Bengal.
  • Provides ecological detail for Sundarbans that supports the mangrove component of the statement.
Statement 3
Does the Southern Saurashtra region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and deciduous forests?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > social relevance of forests > p. 21
Strength: 5/5
“• Col1: 1.; Types of Forest: Tropical Wet-evergreen Forests; States/Union Territories: Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Western Ghats; Species of vegetation: Betel-nut-palm, fern, hillock, jack-fruit, rubber, cincona, rose-wood, iron wood, orchids, etc. • Col1: 2.; Types of Forest: Tropical Semi-evergreen Forests; States/Union Territories: Andaman and Nicobar, Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats; Species of vegetation: Mixture of wet and dry evergreen trees • Col1: 3.; Types of Forest: Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests; States/Union Territories: Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, North Eastern Hills of India,; Species of vegetation: Tall trees, thick trunks, thick bark, long branches with butts, trees drop their leaves in dry season, teak, sal, shisum, bamboo, etc. • Col1: 4.; Types of Forest: Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest; States/Union Territories: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Northeast Hilly States; Species of vegetation: Acacia, bamboo, Mahuva, sal, teak, etc. • Col1: 5.; Types of Forest: Tropical Torn Forests; States/Union Territories: Black earth region, North-west and Peninsular India; Species of vegetation: Caper, cactus, spurge, stunted fat topped trees (less than ten meters in height) • Col1: 6.; Types of Forest: Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests; States/Union Territories: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana; Species of vegetation: Hard leaved evergreen trees with fragrant fowers mixed with a few decidu ous trees • Col1: 7.; Types of Forest: Subtropical Broad-leaved Forest; States/Union Territories: Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats, Silent Valley; Species of vegetation: Cinnamon, fragrant grasses, poonspar, rhodo dendron.”
Why relevant

Lists Gujarat among states with Tropical Dry Deciduous forests — shows deciduous forest types occur in the state that contains Saurashtra.

How to extend

A student could locate Southern Saurashtra within Gujarat on a map and infer deciduous presence there is plausible given state-level distribution.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > 10.1.3. Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests > p. 161
Strength: 4/5
“Moist deciduous forests are found throughout India except in the western and the north-western regions. The trees are tall, have broad trunks, branching trunks and roots to hold them firmly to the ground. Some of the tailer trees shed their leaves in the dry season. There is a layer of shorter trees and evergreen shrubs in the undergrowth. These forests are dominated by sal and teak, along with mango, bamboo, and rosewood.”
Why relevant

States that moist deciduous forests are found throughout India except western and north‑western regions — defines a geographic exclusion relevant to western peninsular zones like Saurashtra.

How to extend

Use the exclusion rule plus Saurashtra's western location to judge whether moist (vs dry) deciduous is likely in Southern Saurashtra.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > 7. The Malabar Region > p. 5
Strength: 4/5
“This region stretches all along the western coast from the Gulf of Khambat (Cambay) to Cape Camorin (Kanniyakumari). Here, the vegetation type ranges from moist tropical evergreen to broad leafed mixed and monsoon deciduous type. The Nilgiri Hills show temperate forests at higher altitudes. The region also contains several species of plants of the Malay origin.”
Why relevant

Describes the western coast vegetation (from Gulf of Khambat to Cape Comorin) as ranging from moist tropical evergreen to mixed and monsoon deciduous — ties coastal belt near Gulf of Khambhat (adjacent to Saurashtra) to evergreen/deciduous types.

How to extend

A student could map Southern Saurashtra's proximity to the Gulf of Khambhat/coast and infer possible coastal evergreen/deciduous influence there.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Biogeographic zones of India > p. 25
Strength: 3/5
“It consists of the (i) Konkan Plain, and (ii) Malabar Coastal Plain. Tese plains have been brought under cultivation. Te main remnants of natural vegetation include tropical deciduous and evergreen forests and the monsoon deciduous forests.• 9. Indian Islands Floristic Region: Te foristic species of Andaman and Nicobar belong to the equatorial rain-forest type. Tese islands have mainly tropical evergreen type with diferent varieties of palms, ferns, canes and hardwood trees. Te trees have thick and continuous canopy, characterised with vines, lianas, epiphytes and palm.”
Why relevant

States Konkan and Malabar coastal plains retain tropical deciduous and evergreen forests — gives an example of coastal zones in western India supporting both evergreen and deciduous types.

How to extend

By analogy, a student can consider whether a coastal subregion of Saurashtra might similarly support evergreen or deciduous remnants depending on local rainfall and coastal conditions.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Himalayas and east and south east Asia > p. 8
Strength: 4/5
“Te eastern Himalayas have greater variety of oaks, rhododendron because of higher rainfall and relatively warmer conditions than that of the Western Himalayas. Surrounding more than two million square km of tropical Asia, the Eastern Himalayan Hotspot is still revealing biological treasures. A wide diversity of ecosystems is found in this hotspot including mixed wet evergreen, dry-evergreen, deciduous and montane forests. Tere are also tracts of shrub-lands and woodlands on limestone outcrops and in some coastal areas, scattered heath forests. It is also characterised by swamps, mangroves and seasonally inundated”
Why relevant

Mentions that coastal areas include swamps and mangroves among ecosystem types in biodiverse hotspots — identifies coastal mangroves as a coastal vegetation class to look for.

How to extend

A student could check Southern Saurashtra's coastal morphology and tidal/estuarine features on a map to assess whether local conditions could support mangroves.

Statement 4
Do the Andaman and Nicobar Islands region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and deciduous forests?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Strategy for Development > p. 94
Presence: 5/5
“Andaman and Nicobar Islands is forest based. In order to enhance the resilient characteristics of the evergreen and deciduous forests, there is a need to bring more areas under national parks and biosphere reserves. • 2. The creeks and inland waters of the island territories are characterised with mangrove, swamps, and wetlands. These ecosystems should be conserved and judiciously utilised.• 3. Many of the island territories are made of coral formations; special efforts are to be made to conserve the corals ecosystems.• 4. In the hot and humid climate of the islands, the role of soil erosion is significantly high.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly refers to the islands as 'forest based' and names both evergreen and deciduous forests.
  • Separately states that creeks and inland waters are characterised by mangrove, swamps and wetlands.
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > 10.1.2. Tropical Semi-evergreen forests > p. 161
Presence: 4/5
“Serni-evergreen forests are found in the Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar Isiands, and the Eastern Himalayas. Such forests have a mixture of the wet evergreen trees and the moist deciduous trees. The forest is dense and is filled with a large variety of trees of both rypes.”
Why this source?
  • Identifies tropical semi-evergreen forests in Andaman & Nicobar.
  • Explains semi-evergreen as a mixture of wet evergreen and moist deciduous trees, implying presence of both types.
INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Littoral and Swamp Forests > p. 46
Presence: 5/5
“They consist of a number of salt-tolerant species of plants. Crisscrossed by creeks of stagnant water and tidal flows, these forests give shelter to a wide variety of birds. In India, the mangrove forests spread over 6,740 sq. km which is 7 per cent of the world's mangrove forests. They are highly developed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Sunderbans of West Bengal. Other areas of significance are the Mahanadi, the Godavari and the Krishna deltas. These forests too, are being encroached upon, and hence, need conservation.”
Why this source?
  • States mangrove forests are highly developed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • Places mangroves among principal littoral/swamp forest areas in India, highlighting their presence on these islands.
Pattern takeaway: UPSC loves 'Eco-tone' or 'Transition Zone' questions. They rarely ask for a single feature anymore. They look for regions where multiple climatic conditions overlap (e.g., high rainfall for Evergreen + coastal creeks for Mangroves + seasonal dryness for Deciduous).
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Directly solvable from NCERT Class XI (India Physical Environment), Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Biogeographic Zones of India & Regional Vegetation Profiles.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Map the 'Vegetation Cocktails' of key regions: 1. Western Ghats (West): Wet Evergreen + Semi-Evergreen. 2. Western Ghats (East/Rainshadow): Moist/Dry Deciduous + Scrub. 3. North East Hills: Wet Evergreen + Subtropical Pine + Montane Wet Temperate. 4. Coromandel Coast: Tropical Dry Evergreen + Mangroves. 5. Lakshadweep: Coconut groves (No significant natural forest types like A&N).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Instead of memorizing lists of states for each forest type, reverse the process: Pick a region (e.g., A&N, Saurashtra) and describe its full ecological profile. The exam tests the 'Region -> Multi-feature' link, not just 'Feature -> Region'.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Coastal forest types in Andhra Pradesh
💡 The insight

Evidence explicitly names mangrove and dry evergreen forests along the Andhra coast, tying forest types to the coastal zone.

High-yield for geography and environment questions linking vegetation types to physiographic zones; helps answer questions on coastal ecology and resource management. Learn by mapping forest types onto coastal features (deltas, estuaries) and memorising key state-wise examples (e.g., Godavari, Krishna).

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > ro.r.7. Tropical Dry evergreen forest > p. 163
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Mangroves in India-2019 > p. 52
🔗 Anchor: "Does the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh region of India contain mangrove, evergree..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Tropical Dry Deciduous vs Tropical Dry Evergreen
💡 The insight

References distinguish dry deciduous and dry evergreen forest occurrence in Andhra Pradesh and other peninsular states.

Useful for questions on vegetation classification and distribution; enables quick elimination in MCQs and structured answers contrasting moisture regimes, species and regional spread. Study by comparing climatic/rainfall thresholds and typical states/examples.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > 10.1.5. Tropical Dry deciduous forest > p. 161
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > social relevance of forests > p. 21
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Tropical Deciduous Forests > p. 44
🔗 Anchor: "Does the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh region of India contain mangrove, evergree..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Major mangrove centres (deltas) in peninsular India
💡 The insight

Godavari and Krishna deltas are cited as significant mangrove areas in Andhra Pradesh.

Mangrove-centre knowledge is frequently tested in environment and GS papers (coastal ecology, conservation). Linking specific deltas to states aids map-based questions and case studies; revise lists of major mangrove blocks and associated biodiversity/issues.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Major Mangroves of India > p. 52
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Mangroves in India-2019 > p. 52
🔗 Anchor: "Does the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh region of India contain mangrove, evergree..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Sundarbans as the principal mangrove region
💡 The insight

Multiple references identify the Sundarbans (in West Bengal) as a major, well-developed mangrove block, directly relevant to the 'mangrove' part of the statement.

Sundarbans is a frequently tested example of coastal/mangrove ecosystems in Indian geography and environment. Mastering its location, ecological significance, and species helps answer questions on coastlines, deltas, biodiversity hotspots and conservation. Learn through map-location practice and key species/ecosystem features.

📚 Reading List :
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Littoral and Swamp Forests > p. 46
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 4: Aquatic Ecosystem > 4,8,4. Mangrove profile in India > p. 49
🔗 Anchor: "Does the South-West Bengal region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and deci..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Moist deciduous forests in the Gangetic plain / West Bengal
💡 The insight

Evidence notes that vegetation in West Bengal includes moist deciduous types, linking the region to deciduous forest classification.

Understanding distribution of moist vs dry deciduous forests is high-yield for UPSC geography questions on vegetation belts, rainfall correlations and land-use patterns. Connects to monsoon patterns and regional agro-ecology; revise through classification charts and state-wise examples.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > 4. The Gangetic Plain > p. 5
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Tropical Deciduous Forests > p. 44
🔗 Anchor: "Does the South-West Bengal region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and deci..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Evergreen vs. mangrove evergreen distinction
💡 The insight

Reference language refers to 'evergreen mangroves' (Sundarban Delta), highlighting that some mangroves are functionally evergreen — important when classifying forest types in coastal regions.

Distinguishing forest sub-types (e.g., wet-evergreen, semi-evergreen, evergreen mangroves) is useful for precise answers in environment and geography papers. It helps in questions that probe fine-grained classification or conservation priorities; prepare by comparing defining features and regional examples.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > 4. The Gangetic Plain > p. 5
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > social relevance of forests > p. 21
🔗 Anchor: "Does the South-West Bengal region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and deci..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Types and distribution of tropical forests in India
💡 The insight

The references enumerate tropical forest types (tropical evergreen, moist and dry deciduous, semi-evergreen) which are the categories referenced in the statement (evergreen, deciduous).

High-yield for UPSC geography: questions often ask to identify forest types by rainfall, region, and dominant species. Mastering this helps link climatic zones to vegetation and eliminates options in regional vegetation questions. Prepare by memorising forest types, their climatic/rainfall ranges, and example regions/species.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 10: Indian Forest > 10.1.3. Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests > p. 161
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Tropical Deciduous Forests > p. 44
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > social relevance of forests > p. 21
🔗 Anchor: "Does the Southern Saurashtra region of India contain mangrove, evergreen, and de..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Tropical Dry Evergreen' Trap: While A&N has 'Wet Evergreen', the Coromandel Coast (Tamil Nadu/Andhra) is the unique home of 'Tropical Dry Evergreen' forests (due to retreating monsoon). A future question will likely target this specific anomaly.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Apply the 'Rainfall Threshold' Logic: 'Evergreen' forests generally require >200cm rainfall.
- Saurashtra is semi-arid (Eliminate).
- North Coastal AP is largely semi-arid/dry sub-humid (Eliminate).
- South-West Bengal has high rain but a distinct dry winter (Deciduous dominant).
- A&N has an equatorial climate (rain all year) + island coastlines. It is the only candidate geographically suited for all three.

🔗 Mains Connection

Disaster Management (Mains GS3): The combination of Mangroves (coastal shield) and Evergreen forests (soil binder) in A&N is cited as a critical 'Bio-shield' against Tsunamis (post-2004 analysis). This vegetation mix is a strategic asset, not just botany.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

CAPF · 2019 · Q71 Relevance score: 3.28

Which one of the following states of India has the largest area under dense evergreen forest cover?

CDS-I · 2006 · Q28 Relevance score: 3.17

Which one of the following types of forests is most widespread in India ?

NDA-II · 2008 · Q5 Relevance score: 1.97

Which one of the following types of forest covers the maximum area in India?

CAPF · 2019 · Q95 Relevance score: 1.75

Which one the following does not fall in the areas of tropical deciduous forest biomes?

CAPF · 2009 · Q87 Relevance score: 1.69

Which one of the following types of forests cover the largest area in India ?