Question

Tropical dry evergreen forests are restricted to

• A. Annamalai Hills.
• B. Western Ghats
• C. Vishakapattanam to Puri
• D. Tirunelveli to Nellore

Hint:

Dry Evergreen = Coromandel/Carnatic Coast. It is the only evergreen forest that doesn't need 2500mm of rain; it survives on the "Return Monsoon" (Oct-Dec).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the specific geographic distribution of "Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests" (Champion and Seth Group 7), which is a unique and relatively rare forest type in India.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

• Characteristics: Unlike tropical wet evergreens (which receive heavy rain), these forests are found in regions with a long dry season but high humidity and moderate rainfall (mostly from the North-East monsoon). The trees are small, coriaceous, and remain green throughout the year.

• Distribution: This forest type is strictly restricted to the Carnatic coast of India. It forms a narrow strip along the eastern coast.

• Boundaries: It extends roughly from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu in the south up to Nellore (and slightly beyond to Kakinada) in Andhra Pradesh in the north.

• Key Species: Typical species include Manilkara hexandra (Pala), Memecylon edule, and Drypetes sepiaria.

• Misconceptions: The Western Ghats (B) house Wet Evergreens. Annamalai (A) has mostly semi-evergreen and moist deciduous. The stretch from Vizag to Puri (C) is dominated by Tropical Moist Deciduous forests (Sal).

Step 3: Final Answer:
Tropical dry evergreen forests are geographically restricted to the coastal strip between Tirunelveli and Nellore.