Question 1

What is a terrestrial ecosystem in simple words?

Accepted Answer

A terrestrial ecosystem is a land-based community of plants, animals and micro-organisms interacting with the soil, air, water and climate around them. Unlike an aquatic ecosystem, organisms here must actively obtain and conserve water, so water availability is the main factor that decides which terrestrial ecosystem develops in a place.

Question 2

What are the four types of terrestrial ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

Forest, grassland, desert and tundra. Forests form where rainfall is high and reliable; grasslands where rainfall is moderate or highly seasonal; deserts where water is severely deficient; and tundra where temperature and a very short growing season prevent trees from growing at all.

Question 3

Which is the largest terrestrial ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Among the terrestrial biomes, the boreal coniferous forest, or taiga, covers the largest land area, forming a continuous belt across northern North America and Eurasia. Taken as a single category, forests hold the greatest terrestrial biomass and are often called the largest terrestrial ecosystem for that reason.

Question 4

Which terrestrial ecosystem has the highest biodiversity, and which has the lowest productivity?

Accepted Answer

The tropical rainforest has the highest biodiversity and the highest net primary productivity. The desert has the lowest net primary productivity, and tundra is the least resilient because growth and decomposition are so slow.

Question 5

What is the difference between a terrestrial and an aquatic ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

In a terrestrial ecosystem, water is scarce, temperature fluctuates widely, light and gases are abundant, producers are large long-lived plants, the pyramid of biomass is upright and the detritus food chain carries most of the energy. In an aquatic ecosystem, water is the medium itself, temperature is buffered, light and dissolved oxygen are limiting, producers are mostly microscopic phytoplankton, and the pyramid of biomass in open water is inverted.

Question 6

How many types of forests are there in India?

Accepted Answer

Under the Champion and Seth (1968) classification, India’s forests fall into five major groups and sixteen type groups. Some textbooks present six major groups by separating sub-alpine from alpine forests; the sixteen type groups are the same in both presentations.

Question 7

Which type of forest occupies the largest area in India?

Accepted Answer

Tropical Dry Deciduous forest, at roughly 38% of the forest area, is the largest type group in India, followed by Tropical Moist Deciduous at about 19.7%. In a question where dry deciduous is not among the options, the answer is Tropical Moist Deciduous — as in UPSC Prelims 2010.

Question 8

What is India’s forest cover according to the latest report?

Accepted Answer

As per the India State of Forest Report 2023, released in December 2024, India’s forest cover is 7,15,343 sq km or 21.76% of the geographical area, and forest and tree cover together are 8,27,357 sq km or 25.17%. Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover by area and Lakshadweep the highest as a percentage of area.

Question 9

Is a desert a terrestrial ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A desert is one of the four terrestrial ecosystems. It is defined by aridity, not heat, which is why cold deserts such as Ladakh, the Gobi and Antarctica’s dry valleys are true deserts. India has both a hot desert (the Thar) and a cold desert (Ladakh and Lahaul–Spiti).

Question 10

What is the difference between arctic and alpine tundra?

Accepted Answer

Arctic tundra lies below the polar ice cap and above the tree line in the northern hemisphere and has permafrost and strong seasonal temperature variation. Alpine tundra occurs on high mountains at all latitudes, usually lacks permafrost, has good drainage, and shows strong day-to-night temperature variation rather than seasonal extremes.

Question 11

Why are India’s grasslands classified as wastelands?

Accepted Answer

Indian revenue and land-use records classify most grasslands as “wasteland” or “culturable waste” because they carry no trees and no crops. That category is an administrative artefact, not an ecological description: these are ancient, climatically determined ecosystems. The classification makes them the default site for plantation, solar parks and industry, which is the main threat to grassland species such as the Great Indian Bustard.

Day: September 6, 2026

Terrestrial Ecosystem and Types of Forest in India

Geography Optional 300+ Score Pack

Geography Optional Mains Master Kit 2027

History Optional Mains Master Kit 2027

Download PDF

Quick Link

Company

Contact Us

Two ways to score more in your Optional.