Natural Vegetation In India – Old Year Questions
1. The birch tree is found in –
(a) Aravallis
(b) Himalayas
(b) Nilgiris
(d) Vindhyas
[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2006]
Ans. (b) Himalayas
- The Birch tree grows in the Himalayan mountains and can reach heights of up to 4,500 meters.
- Its bark is like white paper and was used in the past to write scriptures and other texts.
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2. Which of the following woods is used for manufacturing Katha?
(a) Saal
(b) Khair
(c) Babool
(d) Saaja
[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1990]
Ans. (b) Khair
- Katha is a white substance that comes from the wood of the Khair tree.
- It is found in many places across India, especially in dry areas, from the Himalayas down to the south.
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3. In India, which type of forest among the following occupies the largest area?
(a) Montane Wet Temperate Forest
(b) Sub-tropical Dry Evergreen Forest
(c) Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest
(d) Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2010]
Ans. (c) Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest
- The Tropical (Dry) deciduous forest is the most common forest type in India, followed by the Tropical moist deciduous forest.
- Teak and Sal are important products of it, making option (c) the most likely correct choice.
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4. Teak and Sal are the products of –
(a) Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests
(b) Tropical Evergreen Forests
(c) Tropical Thorn Forests
(d) Alpine Forests
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2007]
Ans. (a) Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests
- The largest forest area in India is the Tropical (Dry) Deciduous, and the second largest is the Tropical Moist Deciduous.
- Teak and Sal are important things that come from this forest.
- Option (c) is the best answer.
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5. Which one of the following trees is abundant in the temperate zone of the Western Himalayas?
(a) Pine
(b) Deodar
(c) Silver fur
(d) Blue pine
[Uttarakhand U.D.A./L.D.A (Pre) 2003]
Ans. (b) Deodar
- The western Himalayan region is located at a high altitude of between 1500 and 2500 meters.
- Its temperate climate is full of forests of Deodar, Chir, Pine, other conifer trees and broad-leaved temperate trees.
- The Deodar tree is the most abundant tree in this region.
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6. In which one of the following states Cinchona trees do not grow?
(a) Assam
(b) Kerala
(c) Chhattisgarh
(d) West Bengal
[U.P.P.S.C. (GIC) 2010]
Ans. (c) Chhattisgarh
- The Cinchona is a type of tree that grows in areas with tropical climates.
- In India, these types of forests are located in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Chhattisgarh doesn’t have the right kind of climate for the Cinchona tree to grow, but it is found in Assam, Kerala and West Bengal.
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7. Which one of the following is called ‘flame of the forest’?
(a) Bauhinia variegata
(b) Jacaranda mimosa folia
(c) Butea monosperma
(d) Tectona grandis
[R.A.S./R.T.S.(Pre) 2010]
Ans. (c) Butea monosperma
- Butea monosperma is a type of tree which is nicknamed the “flame of the forest” and is also referred to as Dhak or Palash.
- It has been designated as the official State Flower of Uttar Pradesh.
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8. Teak forest is found in which of the following states of India?
(a) Madhya Pradesh
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Jharkhand
(d) Karnataka
[U.P.P.C.S.(Pre) 2012]
Ans. (*)
- The Indian Forest Status Report of 2019 says that the teak forests can be found in all three states, apart from Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
- The most teak forests are located in Madhya Pradesh.
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9. Which of the following plants have no flowers?
(a) Jackfruit
(b) Fig
(c) Orchid
(d) Fern
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1991]
Ans. (d) Fern
- The fern is a type of plant that has no seeds or flowers and reproduces through spores.
- Since it does not have any seeds, option (d) is the right answer.
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10. The alpine vegetation in the western Himalayas is found only up to a height of 3000 meters while in the Eastern Himalayas, it is found up to a height of 4000 meters. The reason for this variation in the same mountain range is that :
(a) Eastern Himalayas are higher than the western Himalayas
(b) Eastern Himalayas are nearer to the equator and sea coast than the western Himalayas
(c) Eastern Himalayas get more monsoon rainfall than the western Himalayas
(d) Eastern Himalayan rocks are more fertile than the Western Himalayan rocks
[I.A.S. (Pre) 1995]
Ans. (b) Eastern Himalayas are nearer to the equator and sea coast than the western Himalayas
- The eastern Himalayas, which are closer to the equator and the ocean, have a snowline higher up than the western Himalayas.
- This causes the height of the plants and other vegetation to be different in the two parts of the Himalayas.
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11. What is the difference between the antelope’s Oryx and Chiru?
(a) Oryx is adapted to live in hot and arid areas whereas Chiru is adapted to live in Steppes and semi-desert areas of cold high mountains
(b) Oryx is poached for its antlers whereas Chiru is poached for its musk
(c) Oryx exists in western India only whereas Chiru exists in North-East India only
(d) None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2012]
Ans. (a) Oryx is adapted to live in hot and arid areas whereas Chiru is adapted to live in Steppes and semi-desert areas of cold high mountains
- Oryx live in hot, dry places like Saudi Arabia, while Chiru live in cold, mountainous areas that are partly desert.
- This is the main difference between the two.
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12. Match the following –
| (A) Teak |
1. Himalayan Terai Region |
| (B) Deodar |
2. Central India |
| (C) Sundari |
3. Sunderban |
| (D) Cinchona |
4. High Altitude regions of Himalayas |
Code :
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1
(b) 3 2 1 4
(c) 4 1 3 2
(d) 2 3 4 1
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1992]
Ans. (a) 2 4 3 1
| Teak |
Central India |
| Deodar |
High Altitude regions of Himalayas |
| Sundari |
Sunderban |
| Cinchona |
Himalayan Terai Region |
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13. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
(a) Teak: Jammu and Kashmir
(b) Deodar: Madhya Pradesh
(c) Sandalwood: Kerala
(d) Sundari: West Bengal
[I.A.S. (Pre) 1997]
Ans. (d) Sundari : West Bengal
- Sundari is the most common type of mangrove tree found in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal.
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14. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below:
| List I (Forest) |
List II (Region) |
| A. Tropical moist deciduous |
1.Arunachal Pradesh |
| B. Tropical dry deciduous |
2.Sahyadris |
| C. Alpine |
3.Middle Ganga Plain |
| D. Tropical evergreen |
4.Tarai |
Code :
A B C D
(a) 4 3 1 2
(b) 4 2 1 3
(c) 1 3 2 4
(d) 3 1 4 2
[U.P.P.C.S.(Pre) 2001]
Ans. (a) 4 3 1 2
| List I (Forest) |
List II (Region) |
| Tropical moist deciduous |
Tarai |
| Tropical dry deciduous |
Middle Ganga Plain |
| Alpine |
Arunachal Pradesh |
| Tropical evergreen |
Sahyadris |
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15. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below:
| List-I |
List-II |
| A. Tropical forest |
1. Sunderbans |
| B. Conifer forest |
2. Himachal Pradesh |
| C. Mangroves |
3. Rajasthan |
| D. Deciduous forest |
4. Silent Valley |
Code :
A B C D
(a) 1 2 4 3
(b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 1 4 2 3
(d) 4 2 1 3
[U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (d) 4 2 1 3
- The correct match of list-I and List-II is as follows :
| List – I |
List-II |
| Tropical forest |
Silent Valley |
| Conifer forest |
Himachal Pradesh |
| Mangroves |
Sundarbans |
| Deciduous forest |
Rajasthan |
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16. In India, the State with the largest area under dense deciduous forest cover is :
(a) Odisha
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Madhya Pradesh
(d) Chhattisgarh
[65th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2019]
Ans. (c) Madhya Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh has the most amount of trees with thick leaves.
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17. Which one of the following States has the highest percentage of area under forests?
(a) Himachal Pradesh
(b) Assam
(c) Andhra Pradesh
(d) Arunachal Pradesh
(e) None of the above / More than one of the above
[63rd B.P.C.S. (Pre) 2017]
Ans. (e) None of the above / More than one of the above
- The India State of Forest Report, 2021 states that Mizoram has the highest amount of land covered by forests, which is 84.53%.
- Lakshadweep (overall) – 90.33%
- Arunachal Pradesh – 79.33%
- Himachal Pradesh – 27.73%
- Assam – 36.09%
- Andhra Pradesh – 18.28%
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18. Open stunted forests with bushes and small trees having long roots and sharp thorns repeated spines are commonly found in:
(a) Eastern Odisha
(b) North-Eastern Tamil Nadu
(c) Siwaliks and Terai region
(d) Western Andhra Pradesh
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2002]
Ans. (d) Western Andhra Pradesh
- Tropical thorn forests are found in areas with low yearly rainfall (less than 70 cm), low humidity (less than 50%) and high temperatures (25°-30°C).
- Western Andhra Pradesh is one such region, as well as parts of Rajasthan, south western Punjab, western Haryana, Kutch and Saurashtra.
- Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
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19. Which among the following trees is found at the highest elevation from the sea level?
(a) Deodar
(b) Pine
(c) Sal
(d) Teak
[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2002]
Ans. (a) Deodar
- Deodar trees grow in the western Himalayas at elevations of 1500-2500 meters above sea level.
- Detail of other plants is as follows:
- Chir is a plant that comes from the Himalayan Mountains and grows at heights of 900 to 1000 meters.
- Sal It is usually located in the lower parts of the Himalayas, the eastern part of Central India, and the state of Tamil Nadu.
- Teak trees can be found in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat,
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20. Which of the following state’s forests are classified as “Subtropical” forests?
(a) Kerala
(b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Karnataka
[R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2003]
Ans. (b) Madhya Pradesh
- In most areas of Madhya Pradesh, you can find Subtropical forests that lose their leaves in dry climates.
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21. Which one of the following is not essentially a species of the Himalayan vegetation?
(a) Juniper
(b) Mahogany
(c) Silver fir
(d) Spruce
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2008]
Ans. (b) Mahogany
- Mahogany trees are originally from areas of North and South America that are tropical.
- These trees can be found in the West Indies, Central America, and South America.
- Other Mahogany trees come from the Himalayas.
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22. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
| List-I (Grassland/Hill Station) |
List-II (Location/ State) |
| A. Banni Grassland |
1. Uttarakhand |
| B. Bugyal Grassland |
2. Jammu & Kashmir |
| C. Khajjiar |
3. Gujarat |
| D. Pahalgam |
4. Himachal Pradesh |
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 3 2 4
(b) 3 1 4 2
(c) 3 1 2 4
(d) 4 2 1 3
[U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2017]
Ans. (b) 3 1 4 2
| List-I (Grassland/Hill Station) |
List-II (Location/ State / UT) |
| Banni Grassland |
Gujarat |
| Bugyal Grassland |
Uttarakhand |
| Khajjiar |
Himachal Pradesh |
| Pahalgam |
Jammu and Kashmir |
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23. An example of a multipurpose tree used in social forestry is –
(a) Sheesham
(b) Dhak
(c) Eucalyptus
(d) Khejri
[U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2002]
Ans. (d) Khejri
- Khejri is a great example of a multipurpose tree used in social forestry.
- It is known as the ‘king of the desert’ and is a great source of fuel, charcoal, firewood, fodder, green manure, and goat-proof thorny fences.
- It is very resistant to frost, drought, and extreme temperatures and needs very little rainfall to survive, which is why it is so popular for social forestry programs.
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24. Lisa is obtained from the tree of :
(a) Pine
(b) Devdar
(c) Burans
(d) Sheesham
[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Mains) 2002]
Ans. (a) Pine
- Lisa is a special type of wood that comes from pine trees in Uttarakhand.
- It is also processed to get resin, which can be distilled to make turpentine oil and erosion.
- These products are used in many industries, such as paper, soap, cosmetics, paint, varnish, rubber and polish.
- Lisa provides jobs for people in Uttarakhand and is an important part of the local economy.
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25. Match List-I (Mangrove) with List-II (State) and select the correct answer from the codes given below the lists:
| List-I (Mangroves) |
List-II (State) |
| A. Achra Ratnagiri |
1. Karnataka |
| B. Kondapur |
2. Kerala |
| C. Pichavaram |
3. Andhra Pradesh |
| D. Vembanad |
4. Maharashtra |
Code :
A B C D
(a) 2 1 5 4
(b) 4 5 3 2
(c) 2 5 3 4
(d) 4 1 5 2
[I.A.S. (Pre) 2002]
Ans. (d) 4 1 5 2
| List-I (Mangroves) |
List-II (State) |
| Achra Ratnagiri |
Maharashtra |
| Kondapur |
Karnataka |
| Pichavaram |
Tamil Nadu |
| Vembanad |
Kerala |
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26. Which of the following is not correctly matched?
(a) Sundarbans – West Bengal
(b) Bhitarkanika – Odisha
(c) Pichavaram – Tamil Nadu
(d) Vembanad – Karnataka
[Uttarakhand P.C.S. U.D.A. (Pre) 2003, U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]
Ans. (d) Vembanad – Karnataka
- Kerala has two areas with mangrove vegetation:
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