Chapter 12: Forests: Our Lifeline

Animals dwelling in the forest help it grow and regenerate in the following ways:

• Animals help in dispersing plant seeds.
• Decaying animal dung provides nutrients for plants to grow
• Microorganisms convert the dead plants and animals to humus

Plants in the forests will not allow the rainwater to fall directly on the earth, and these plants also hold water which helps in preventing floods.

The micro-organisms which convert dead plants and animals to humus are known as decomposers. For example, bacteria and fungi. They help in the recycling of nutrients by decomposing dead plants and animals.

Plants in the forests consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen through the photosynthesis process. This helps in balancing oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

There is no waste in a forest because the waste created is bio-degradable, which gets converted to humus by the action of microorganisms.

The five products we get from forests are listed below:

i) Medicines

ii) Spices

iii) Wood

iv) Paper

v) Gum

(a) The insects, butterflies, honeybees and birds help flowering plants in pollination.

(b) A forest is a purifier of air and water.

(c) Herbs form the lowest layer in the forest.

(d) The decaying leaves and animal droppings in a forest enrich the soil.

We should worry about the forest for the following reasons:

• A decrease in forests results in an increase in carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. This results in global warming.
• Depletion of forests results in soil erosion
• The decrease in forests adversely affects the lives of animals living in the forest.
• The absence of forests leads to flooding more often.
• Due to the reduction of forests, the land will turn barren, which is called desertification.

A variety of plants and animals in the forests helps plants to regenerate and grow. A wide range of plants supports herbivores, which in turn serve as food for carnivores. Decomposers turn dead animals and plants into humus, thereby maintaining nutrient recycling. This wide variety makes the forest a dynamic living entity.