Which of the following is a major reason for the rich biodiversity found in the Indian Himalayas?
Variation in altitude and climate
The Indian Himalayas rise from the hot, humid foothills (a few hundred metres) to snow-covered peaks above 8,000 m. Over this short horizontal distance, temperature, rainfall, sunlight and soil change sharply with altitude.
Each altitude belt therefore supports its own type of vegetation and animal life – tropical and subtropical forests in the foothills, temperate broad-leaved and coniferous forests in the middle ranges, and alpine meadows and cold-desert species near the snowline. The eastern Himalaya, part of a global biodiversity hotspot, is especially rich because heavy rainfall combines with this altitude gradient.
The other statements do not fit: rainfall in the Himalaya is very uneven (heavy in the east, scanty in the trans-Himalayan cold deserts such as Ladakh); farming and cultivation reduce natural habitats rather than create biodiversity; and soil fertility is not uniform across the region or the nation.
Hence, the answer is variation in altitude and climate.
Similar Questions
Which of the following animals is found in the arid areas of the Rann of Kachchh and the Thar Desert?
Which of the following factors contributes to the high plant diversity in India?
Which of the following real-life scenarios best demonstrates how human activity can reduce biodiversity in an ecosystem?
Important Questions from Biodiversity
Which biosphere reserve among the following has the largest area?
The Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary is located in:
Which of the following group of animals is belongs to group of Omnivores?
A place where animals are protected in their natural habitat is called_________.
Match List - I (National Park) with List - II (Important Wildlife) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List - I
List - II
(a) Gir national park
(i) Elephant
(b) Ranthambore
(ii) Indian Lion
(c) Kaziranga
(iii) Tiger
(d) Bandipur
(iv) One-horned Rhino
(e) Kanchenjunga park
(v) Musk deer
