Section outline

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      Important Terms:

      1. Crown is the branchy part of a tree above the stem.

      2. Canopy is the uppermost layer of the forest formed by the crowns of tall trees which look like a roof over the other plants.

      3. Understory is the layer beneath the canopy, consisting of smaller trees, shrubs & young plants.

      4. Forest Floor is the bottom layer which consists of decomposers like herbs, fungi & bacteria.

      5. Decomposers are micro-organisms like fungi & bacteria that convert dead plants & animals to humus.

      6. Humus is a dark coloured substance obtained when dead plants & animals tissues are decomposed by decomposers.

       

       

       

    • 1. Layers of forests:

      2. Uses of Forests:

       

    • Quick Revision Notes
      1. Plants & Animals:
      • The forests has many plants like sal, teak, semal, sheesham, neem, palash, fig, khair, amla, bamboo, etc.
      • It also has many shrubs, herbs, grasses, creepers & climbers.

      • Animals like boar, bison, jackals, porcupine, elephants live in the deeper areas of the forest.

      2. Things from material obtained from forests:
      • Plywood, fuel wood, boxes, paper, matchsticks & furniture.
      • Gum & oils.
      • Spices, fodder for animals and medicinal plants.
      3. Food Chain:
      • At the base of the food chain are green plants (autotrophs) that prepare their own food.
      • Herbivores eat plants.
      • Herbivores & other small organisms often serve as food to other organisms (carnivores & omnivores).
      • This forms a food chain where one organism is dependent on other for food.
      • The forests are the most important part of the food chain without which other organisms cannot survive.

      4. Layers of the forest:

      Canopy:

      • Crown of tall trees forms a look like roof over the other plants and form the canopy.
      • This is the topmost layer of the forest & consists of giant trees.
      • It protects the other layers from direct sunlight.
      • It also protects the forest floor from receiving direct heavy raindrops.

      Understoreys: 

      • It is the layer below the canopy formed by crowns of different types & sizes.
      • It consists of shrubs, tall grasses & young plants.

      Forest Floor:

      • It is dark coloured spongy carpet.
      • It is covered with a layer of dead & decaying leaves, fruits, seeds, twigs & small herbs.
      • The decomposers (micro organisms like fungi & bacteria) convert dead & decaying matter into humus which makes it moist & warm. 
      • The forest floor has a layer of humus, a dark colour substance which provides nutrients to living plants.  
      5. Benefits of forests:
      • It povides habitat & shelter for many variety of animals, birds & plants.
      • People & different tribes live in forests.
      • It is a source of medicinal plants, timber and many other useful products.
      • It is a natural absorber of rainwater & maintains water table. 
      • It absorbs the noise pollution. 
      • It provides oxygen & abosrbs harmful pollutants keeping the air clean & fresh.
      • It prevents soil erosion.
      • Green lungs as they maintain the balance of oxygen & carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
      6. Interdependence: 
      • More variety of plants in the forest provides more food to herbivores.
      • More herbivores more carnivores.
      • Wide variety of animals helps the forest to regenerate and grow.
      • Dead plants & animals are decomposed forming humus which give nutrients to living plants.
      • Hence forest is a dynamic living enity & nothing is waste.