Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) North Coastal Andhra Pradesh
(b) South-West Bengal
(c) Southern Saurashtra
(d) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
- The forests in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have different characteristics depending on their location.
- South Andaman forests have epiphytic vegetation, mostly ferns and orchids, while the Middle Andamans have moist deciduous forests.
- The wet evergreen type is found in North Andamans, with numerous woody climbers.
- The North Nicobar Islands, including Car Nicobar and Battimalv, lack evergreen forests, while these forests dominate the central and southern islands of the Nicobar group.
- Grasslands are only present in the Nicobars, while deciduous forests are common in the Andamans.
- The forest coverage currently stands at 86.2% of the total land area.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
