Name the main geographical factors which influence the growth of natural vegetation.
The geographical factors which influence the growth and development of natural vegetation in India are climate (temperature and precipitation), topography and soil.
i. Rainfall is more important than temperature except in the Himalaya Mountains.
ii. Areas of heavy rainfall have more dense vegetation as compared to the areas with less rainfall.
iii. The fall in temperature affects the type of vegetation and its growth. The vegetation cover changes from tropical to sub-tropical, temperate and alpine.
iv. A plain and fertile land is generally devoted to agriculture, while the undulating and rough terrains have grasslands and woodlands.
v. The sandy soils in the deserts support cactus and thorny bushes, while wet marshy deltaic soils support mangroves and swamp forests.