Grassland type Environment

Sehima- Black Soil Dry sub humid

Dichanthium zone
Dichanthium- Sandly loam soil Semi-Arid zone
Cenchrus
Phragmites- Marshy areas Moist sub-humid
Saccharum zone
Bothriochloa High rainfall and low
lying areas
Cymbopogon Low hills
Arundinella High mountains
Deyeuxia- Mixed temperate
Arundinella climate
Deschampsia- Temperate alpine Himalayas >
Deyeuxia climate 2500 m

The tropical grasslands of India may be classified into the

Indian Thar Desert: plants types – two groups:
a. Depending directly on rain:
i. Ephemerals: free from xerophytic adaptations – slender
stems and root systems – large flowers. Appear immediately
after rain and die as soon as soil dries up
ii. Rain perennials: visible above ground only during rain –
perennial underground stem.
b. Depending upon presence of subterranean water
following types:
(i) Xerophilous grasslands: These are found in dry regions of
North-West India under semi-desert condition.
(ii) Mesophilous grasslands: They are also called Savannahs.
They are extensive grassy flats or grassy plains typically
occurring in moist deciduous forests of U.P.
(iii) Hygrophilous grasslands: These are called wet savannahs
adapted to very wet soil. All these types being biotically
controlled are inferior to temperate grasslands and suffer
considerably from monsoon nature of climate and lack of
proper legume mixture.
Desert plants characteristics: slender woody tap root ox
extraordinary length, reduced leaves, wax coatings, thick
cuticle, thick hairy growth, protected stomata
 Factors that influence soil formation in Indian Conditions

Ancient crystalline and
metamorphic rocks
 They are the Oldest rocks
[(pre-Cambrian era)(formed
due to solidification of
molten magma about 4
billion years ago)].
 They form the ‘Basement
Complex’ of peninsular
India.
 They are basically granites,
gniesses and schists.
 Rich in ferromagnetic
materials and give rise
to red soils on weathering.
 Red colour is due to the
presence of iron oxide.
Cuddapah and Vindhyan Gondwana rocks Deccan basalts Tertiary and Mesozoic
rocks sedimentary rocks
 They are ancient  These rocks are  Volcanic outburst =  Rocks of extra peninsular
sedimentary rocks also sedimentary Basaltic lava spread (plains and Himalayas) India
(4000 m thick). in nature and they over vast area = have given rise to soils
 On weathering they are much younger. Deccan Traps. with high porosity.
give calcareous [contai  On weathering  Basalts are rich  These soils are generally
ning calcium they give rise to in titanium, magnetite, immature recent and sub
carbonate; chalky] comparatively less Al and Mg. recent rocks, result in alluvial
and argillaceous [consi mature soils.  Consequently the soils on weathering.
sting of or containing  The soil is more or weathering of these  Alluvial fertile soils consist of
clay] soils. less of uniform rocks has given rise to fine silts and clay. These soils
 The soil is mostly character but soils of darker colour. have little relation with the
devoid of metalliferous of low fertility.  The is fertile with high original rocks.
minerals. moisture holding  On the other hand, the soils
capacity and is of peninsular plateau are
popularly known generally coarse-grained and
as ‘regur’ or black are closely related to the
cotton soil. parent rocks. The peninsular
soils are generally less fertile.

Climate  The crystalline granites produce laterite soil in relatively moist parts of the monsoonal region and non-laterite soil in drier areas.
 Hot summer and low rainfall develops black soil as is found in some parts of Tamil Nadu irrespective of the parent rock.
 In Rajasthan, both granite and sandstone give birth to sandy soil under arid climate.
 In arid and semi-arid regions, evaporation always exceeds precipitation. There is little vegetation and the soils badly lack humus content.
Hence the soils are invariably of light colour.
 In Rajasthan and the adjoining arid and semi-arid regions, excess of evaporation makes soils lime accumulating. Hence the soil is pedocal
in nature [Pedocal is a subdivision of the zonal soil order. It is a class of soil which forms in semiarid and arid regions. It is rich in calcium
carbonate and has low soil organic matter].
 In cold climates of the Himalayan region, the process of vegetation decay is very slow and the soils are acidic in nature.
Natural  The decayed leaf material adds much needed humus to soil thereby increasing its fertility.
Vegetation  The densely forested areas contain some of the best soils in India. There is a close relationship between the vegetation types and soil
types in India.