These are the most widespread forests of India.
They are also called the monsoon forests and spread over the region receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm.
The basis of the availability of water, these forests are further divided into:
Moist:
- Found in areas receiving rainfall between 200 and 100 cm.
- Moist area of the country, mostly in the eastern part of the country, northeastern states, along with the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.
- Teak is the most dominant species of this forest. Bamboos, Sal, Shisham, Sandalwood, khair, Kusum, Arjun, mulberry are other commercially important species.
Dry deciduous forests:
- Found in areas having rainfall between 100 cm and 70 cm.
- The forests are found in the rainier parts of peninsular plateau and the plains of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
- There are open stretches in which Teak, Sal, Peepal, Neem grow. A large part of this region has been cleared for cultivation and some parts are used for grazing.
- The common animals found are lion, tiger, pig deer and elephant. A huge variety of birds, lizard, snakes and tortoises are also found here.