Ecosystem Types in India
Prepared by: ChatGPT
Date: August 11, 2025
Introduction
India hosts a rich variety of ecosystems due to its vast latitudinal range, varied topography and
climatic zones. This document provides an overview of the major ecosystem types found in
India, their importance, common examples, threats and short notes on conservation.
Photographs included here are illustrative placeholders — you may replace them with real
photographs before final submission.
Major ecosystem types covered: Forests, Grasslands, Wetlands & Freshwater, Coastal & Marine,
Deserts, and Alpine/Cold regions.
Terrestrial Ecosystems
1. Forests
Description: Forests in India range from tropical wet evergreen in the Western Ghats and
Northeast to dry deciduous and thorn forests in central and western India.
Key features: High species richness, complex vertical structure (canopy, understory), crucial for
carbon sequestration, watershed protection and livelihoods.
Examples: Western Ghats forests, Northeastern rainforests, Sundarbans mangrove fringe
(mangroves are also a coastal ecosystem), Central Indian dry deciduous forests.
Major threats: Deforestation, fragmentation, illegal logging, shifting cultivation, invasive species,
and climate change.
Conservation notes: Protected areas (national parks, wildlife sanctuaries), community forest
management, afforestation, and restoration projects.
Figure: Forests — replace with a real photograph if needed.
2. Grasslands & Savannas
Description: Grasslands (including savannas) occur in rain-shadow regions, open plains, and
high-altitude plateaus.
Key features: Dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, important for grazing livestock and
many ground-nesting birds.
Examples: Deccan plateau grasslands, Trans-Himalayan cold deserts with alpine meadows, and
tall grasslands in north-eastern India.
Threats & conservation: Conversion to agriculture, overgrazing, invasive species; conservation
through grazing management, protected grassland reserves.
Figure: Grasslands — placeholder image.
3. Deserts
Description: Arid ecosystems dominated by sparse vegetation, adapted to low and erratic
rainfall.
Examples: Thar Desert (Rajasthan) and cold arid regions in Ladakh.
Ecological importance: Support specialized flora and fauna, culturally important pastoral
systems.
Threats: Desertification, unsustainable groundwater extraction, climate extremes.
Aquatic Ecosystems
4. Wetlands & Freshwater (Rivers, Lakes)
Description: Includes rivers, lakes, marshes, and other inland water bodies. These ecosystems
are hotspots for waterfowl, fish diversity and provide crucial ecosystem services like water
purification and flood regulation.
Examples: Ganga-Brahmaputra floodplains, Chilika Lake (Odisha), Loktak Lake (Manipur).
Threats: Pollution, dam construction, unsustainable water extraction, invasive aquatic plants
(e.g., water hyacinth).
Conservation: Ramsar site protection, pollution control measures, sustainable water
management.
Figure: Wetlands — placeholder photograph.
5. Coastal & Marine Ecosystems (including Mangroves)
Description: India's long coastline supports sandy beaches, rocky shores, estuaries, coral reefs
and mangroves.
Key features: Mangroves provide coastal protection and nursery grounds; coral reefs host
diverse marine life.
Examples: Sundarbans mangroves (West Bengal), Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar coral regions
(Tamil Nadu), Gulf of Kutch.
Threats: Overfishing, coastal development, pollution, coral bleaching and sea-level rise.
Conservation: Marine protected areas, community-led fishery management, mangrove
restoration.
Figure: Coastal & Marine — placeholder image.
Alpine & Cold-region Ecosystems
Description: High-elevation ecosystems found in the Himalaya and Trans-Himalayan zones,
including alpine meadows, tundra-like habitats and cold deserts.
Importance: Source of glacial meltwaters (major freshwater source), unique endemic species
adapted to cold.
Threats: Glacial retreat, habitat loss from tourism development, unsustainable grazing.
Conservation: High-altitude protected areas, sustainable tourism guidelines, transboundary
conservation cooperation in Himalayan regions.
Illustrative Graphs
The following two graphs are illustrative visualisations to give a sense of relative area coverage
and an indicative biodiversity index across ecosystem types. Values are illustrative and should be
replaced with precise data if required for academic submission.
Figure: Approximate distribution of major ecosystem types (illustrative).
Figure: Illustrative biodiversity index by ecosystem type (arbitrary scale).
Summary
India's ecosystems are diverse and provide vital services — from food and water security to
cultural and economic benefits. Protecting these ecosystems requires integrated conservation,
sustainable resource use, pollution control, and community participation.
References & Further Reading (suggested)
1. Government reports and biodiversity assessments (e.g., Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change)
2. Ramsar Convention materials for wetlands
3. IUCN and WWF regional reports
Note: Replace placeholder images with photographs from reliable sources (with permissions) for
final submission.
