Interrupted only by a 30km break, palghat gap in northern kerala. Western ghats receives an average of 3000 mm rainfall per annum and is a treasure house of exotic varieties of plants, a god given blessing to humanity. Anamudi, on the right, is the highest peak of the western ghats at 2,695 m 8,842 ft meesapulimala kerala. Anamudi, on the right, is the highest peak of the western ghats at 2,695 m 8,842 ft meesapulimala kerala nilgiris, a part of western ghats at masinangudi, tamil nadu. Natural resource management in indias western ghats clark labs. The western ghats begin in a goa b pondichery c kandesh d dau answer. Endemic indirana frogs of the western ghats biodiversity.
The western ghats, also called the sahyadri, are a northsouth chain of mountains or hills that mark the western edge of the deccan plateau region. Western ghats mountains are the major source of water for peninsular india and one of the worlds eight hottest biodiversity hotspots and a world heritage site. Butterflies of western ghats final draft the ebook can be downloaded free of cost and used on any smart phone or computer. Global biodiversity hotspot extraordinarily rich in plant and animal species. The western ghats is the home for about 50 million people belonging to the six states of the country. Pages in category wildlife sanctuaries of the western ghats the following 39 pages are in this category, out of 39 total. The range starts south of the tapti river near the border of gujarat and maharashtra, and runs approximately 1600 km through the states of maharashtra, goa, karnataka, kerala, and tamil nadu, almost to the southern tip of the. It runs, about 1600 km, north to south, along the western edge of the deccan plateau. Godavari, mahanadi, krishna, and kaveri mountain ranges run parallel to the bay of bengal. Contains forest maps of south india, western and eastern ghats. The distribution and abundance patterns of malabar grey hornbill ocyceros griseus and great hornbill buceros bicornis were studied in one undisturbed and one heavily altered rainforest landscape in the southern western ghats, india. Consequently, western ghats constitutes not only one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the world, but also one among worlds eight hottest hotspots. Topics report of the western ghats ecology expert panel collection arvindgupta. Pdf climate change and drought in the western ghats.
Gadgil report marked out 60 percent of the western ghats as the highestpriority ecologically sensitive zone esz 1. The climate impact analysis is carried out for the fsi forest categories as well as the biome model. The western side of the western ghats is on the threshold of southwest monsoon and receives a rainfall of 203254 cm, and the eastern side lies in the rainshadow area of the peninsula. A novel initiative to conserve devrais in western ghats. Vegetation and phytogeography of the western ghats. The seasonal southeast asian summer monsoons and the orographic peculiarities of ghats bestowed copious rainfall and is considered to be one of the most water rich regions of the world. Huge diversity of natural, seminatural and agroecosystems. In neginhals own words forest trees are fast disappearing. Nilgiris, a part of western ghats at masinangudi, tamil nadu.
The western ghats are a major physiographic region of india. Gadgils western ghats western ghats landscape across 1,29,037 sq km. Identification of ecologically sensitive areas in western ghats region 43 6. The beautiful green valley is home to thousands of wild animal species including at least 325 globally threatened species.
Mar 01, 2016 the region the western ghats, is a mountain range that runs along the western side of india. Jan 12, 2015 consequently, western ghats constitutes not only one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the world, but also one among worlds eight hottest hotspots. Butterflies of western ghatsfirst editionthis is an ebook which can be downloaded free of cost and used on any smart phone or computer. Amplexed pair of raorchestes jayarami from the western ghats mountain range, india. The western ghats meet the eastern ghats at the nilgiri mountains in northwestern tamil nadu. Wildscreens arkive project was launched in 2003 and grew to become the worlds biggest encyclopaedia of life on earth. Jog falls, dudhsagar falls, kunchikal falls and sivasamudram falls among the many treasures that nature has bestowed on this hilly region. With the help of over 7,000 of the worlds best wildlife filmmakers and photographers, conservationists and scientists, featured multimedia factfiles for more than 16,000 endangered species. Download report of the western ghats ecology expert panel part i book pdf free download link or read online here in pdf. The temporal and geological dimensions of the western ghats make it a significant study world over. More like rolling hills than snowcovered mountains, the western ghats stretching some 1,600km from the north of mumbai to the southern tip of india are a biodiversity hotspot that contains a large proportion of the countrys plant and animal species. The western ghats, also known as sahyadri benevolent mountains, are a mountain range. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the lineage belongs to natatanura and clusters with.
The western ghats a mountain range at the western edge of the deccan plateau. Traverses the states of gujarat, maharashtra, goa, karnataka, kerala and tamil nadu. The range is known as sahyadri in maharashtra and karnataka. The snake family uropeltidae of the reptile class is almost entirely restricted to this region. Their positioning makes the western ghats biologically rich and biogeographically unique a veritable treasure house of biodiversity. The three parts of western ghats which are northern western ghats, central western ghats and southern western ghats are comprehensively explained with appropriate pictorial representations. The western ghats wg is an escarpment on the west coast of peninsular india, housing one of the richest assemblages of frogs in the world, with three endemic families. Here, we report the discovery of a new ancient lineage from a highelevation massif in the wayanad plateau of the southern wg. Anai mudi 8,841 ft2,695 m is the highest peak in the two ranges, which are joined by the nilgiri hills in the click the link for more information.
Coastline of india coastal plains of india pmf ias. The hill ranges of the western ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot, extend along the west coast of india from the river tapti in the north to the southern tip of india. Western ghats definition of western ghats by the free. This book is equally useful wherever tropical evergreen, deciduous and scrub forests exist in peninsular india. Indoburma is one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots, due to the rate of resource exploitation and habitat loss.
Indias western ghats is one of 25 biodiversity hot spots in the world and is home to the kudremukh national park, an area characterized by rich evergreen forest and significant populations of endangered species, including the liontailed macaque and tiger. Western ghats gallery unesco world heritage centre. Media in category western ghats the following 59 files are in this category, out of 59 total. The highest peak in the western ghats is anamudi in kerala that rises to an elevation of 2695 metres above sea level. The western ghats are home to thousands of animal species including at least 325 globally threatened species. Introduction the western ghats sahyadri hills is formed by the malabar plains and the chain of mountains running parallel to indias western coast. These hills cover an area of about 160,000 sq km starting. The range ends in kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of mainland india. Pdf kasturirangan reportwestern ghat conservation bill priju. Only about 5% of natural habitats remain in relatively pristine condition, with another 10 to 25% of the land in damaged, but ecologically functional, condition. Bhl relies on donations to provide free pdf downloads and other services. The western ghats again find a place in the news after the announcement of the.
The western ghats mountain range is itself a major attraction in india along with its high hills, deep valleys,mountain grasslands, dense and rain forest. Eastern ghats is a separate category of mountains along the eastern coast of india. Then she sheds light on the complete information pertaining to eastern ghats with clear illustrations. They rise abruptly from the coastal plain of the arabian sea as an escarpment of variable height, but in karnataka. Western ghats the northern part of the western ghats is known as a sahyadri range b annamalai range c kardamakam range d neelagiri range answer. The main types of soils met with in the western ghats are red soils, laterites, black soils and humid soils. The western ghats article about the western ghats by the. Pdf on the ecological history of the western ghats researchgate.
Both the western ghats and sri lankas central highlands are particularly known for their amphibian diversity. The western ghats have a few manmade reservoirs and lakes, where a boat ride can be taken to enjoy views of the woody or grassy surroundings. All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so dont worry about it. Eastern ghats pass through parts of karnataka and wayanad district of kerala, going south from odisha to tamil nadu via andhra pradesh. Correlates of hornbill distribution and abundance in.
Free and open access to indias biodiversity information. The ghats is well known for its biodiversity, where we can find a variety of flora and fauna. Pdf environmental fundamentalism often ignores the humanitarian aspects of development. Volume 95, page 193 habitat, hunting and conservation of rupicaprines in mizoram, northeast india. Exotic products of western ghats is carried to outside india through the silk route and arabian sea from ancient time onwards. The western ghat escarpment is one of the classic examples of passive margin great escarpments in the world. Impact of rainforest fragmentation on small mammals and herpetofauna in the western ghats, south india pdf. This book is a valuable field guide for identifying forest trees in the western and eastern ghats, deccan plateau and mangroves in southern india.
The western ghats are the mountain groups running parallel to the western coast of the indian peninsula. Report of the western ghats ecology expert panel, part i. Read online report of the western ghats ecology expert panel part i book pdf free download link book now. The western ghats run parallel to the west coast of india for about 1600 kms in north. Development projects pumped into these river basins. With less than 6 percent of the land area of india, contains more than 30 percent of all plant, fish. Watershed mapping and land cover classification in indias western ghats. It is high time we acquaint ourselves with these vanishing. It is the source of water for the entire peninsular india, and also influences the monsoons. Western ghats is a mountain range that runs parallel to the western coast of the peninsular india starting from maharashtra, goa, karnataka, kerala and ending at kanyakumari in tamilnadu which covers about 1,60,000 square kilometers. Forest trees of the western ghats authored by neginhal s. Pdf butterflies of western ghats second edition 2018 3 final.
The western ghats is internationally recognized for its biological diversity that nurtures an impressive collection of indian wildlife. The western ghats start from the satpura range in the north, with two major gaps across its length. They are being destroyed by four major rivers of peninsular india. The western ghat zone is an area of spectacular scenery, rugged terrain, deep valleys, impressive waterfalls, and dense forest teeming with wildlife. Older than the himalaya mountains, the mountain chain of the western ghats represents geomorphic features of immense importance with unique biophysical and ecological processes. The 1,600 km long majestic mountains of western ghats is one of the eight hottest biological diversity hotspots in the world. Jun 18, 2018 now, a citybased environmental ngo has come up with a unique initiative to comprehensively document these green islands in a bid to conserve this rich and vital habitat in the western ghats.
Far more ancient than the larger and betterknown himalayas to the north, the sahyadris harbour the most intact rainforests in peninsular india. Western ghats synonyms, western ghats pronunciation, western ghats translation, english dictionary definition of western ghats. Western ghats and looks for solutions to resolve them. Report of the western ghats ecology expert panel part i. Western ghats academic kids free online educational. Many are endemic species, especially in the amphibian and reptilian classes. The agasthyamalai hills kalakadmundanthurai tiger reserve, kmtr contained over 400 km 2 of continuous rainforest, whereas the anamalai hills now. The sites high montane forest ecosystems influence the indian monsoon weather pattern. There are about major 50 dams along the length of the western ghats with the earliest. Central india as well as the western ghats in southern india. With this objective western ghats ecology expert panel was constituted by the ministry of.
Across the western ghats, coffee agroforest area is slightly more than a quarter of the land area that is formally protected 16. Continental drift as such the coast of india does not offer many sites for good natural harbours. We estimated changes in forest cover between 1973 and 1995 in the southern part of the western ghats using satellite data. Ghattam in malayalam also refers to mountain ranges when used with the name of the ranges being addressed e. Pdf deforestation and land use changes in western ghats, india. Shola grasslands and forests in the kudremukh national park, karnataka. Indias western ghats face biodiversity loss scidev. Eastern ghats on the east coast of india and western ghats on the west coast of india are the largest ghats in pensular india. What are some interesting facts about the western ghats of.
Western ghats and sri lanka hotspot, one of 34 global biodiversity hotspots for conservation and. We transfer to a remote farm villa located in the spice growing areas at the foothills of the western ghats. On the malabar coast of southern india, along the arabian sea, lies a range of mountains known as the western ghats, or sahyadris. Though covering an area of 180,000km 2, or just under 6 per cent of the land area of india, the western ghats contain more than 30 per cent of all plant, fish, herpetofauna, bird, and mammal species found in india. Hottest hotspots of biodiversity, species richness and endemism the western ghats.
The western ghats lies with the sahyadri mountains ranges along the western side of india and separates the deccan plateau from a narrow coastal plain of the arabian sea. The nilgiris connect the biligiriranga hills in southeastern karnataka with the shevaroys and tirumala hills. Western ghats article about western ghats by the free. Butterflies of western ghats first edition this is an ebook which can be downloaded free of cost and used on any smart phone or computer.
Gadgil report and kasturirangan report on western ghats. It is made as a simple pdf so that any species can be searched using. Wildlife sanctuaries of the western ghats wikipedia. The straight and regular coastline of india is the result of faulting of the gondwanaland during the cretaceous period.
Avifauna of the anaimalai hills western ghats of southern india. Report of the western ghats ecology expert panel by madhav gadgil. The western ghats or sahyadri mountains run along the western edge of indias deccan plateau, and separate the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the arabian sea. Apart from bringing together what is known about the morphology, systematics, basic ecology and biology of these frogs, we paid particular attention to what is known about. The western ghats 43 heavy precipitation, coupled with the steep westward slopes of the ghats has rendered this as an ideal location for the generation of hydroelectric power. Coastline of india indian coastline india has a coastline of 7516. Learn eastern and western ghats with free interactive flashcards. The bay of bengal and the arabian sea came into being. You have reached your limit for free articles this month. S retd this book contains description of all forest trees in peninsular india and most of srilanka too.
Fire has been an important disturbance regime and has played an important role in the ecological history of the western ghats chandran 1997. The western ghats, also known as sahyadri, are a mountain range that covers an area of 140,000 square kilometres in a stretch of 1,600 kilometres parallel to. Choose from 500 different sets of eastern and western ghats flashcards on quizlet. The western ghats, also known as sahyadri benevolent mountains, are a mountain range that covers an area of 140,000 square kilometres 54,000 sq mi in a stretch of 1,600 kilometres 990 mi parallel to the western coast of the indian peninsula, traversing the states of kerala, tamil nadu, karnataka, goa, maharashtra and gujarat. The western ghats, a unesco world heritage site, is a biodiversity hotspot that is home to more than 4,000 flowering plants, about 500 bird species, and over 300 species of mammals and amphibians. Butterflies of western ghats this is an ebook which can be downloaded free of cost and used on any smart phone or computer.
248 1122 749 176 688 1513 679 1362 861 615 332 120 999 1388 1502 1519 977 605 1259 107 1078 113 967 270 810 305 1433 146 242 943 1284 1013 1032 798