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The varied
topographical features, high rainfall and geologic conditions have favoured the
formation of different ecosystems from shola forests on the mountain valleys to
the mangrove forests along sea coasts and estuaries. The most outstanding
feature of the State is the formation of tropical rainforests along the windward
side of the Southern Western Ghats, which is lying parallel to the west coast. A
small extent of area of the State is along the rain shadow region the Western
Ghats, where the vegetation is dominated by dry deciduous forests and scrub
jungles. The wet lands are mostly confined to the low land region of the
State.Champion and Seth (1968) recognised 26 forest types in Kerala of which the
major ones are the west coast tropical evergreen, west coast semi-evergreen,
southern moist mixed deciduous, southern dry mixed deciduous, southern montane
wet temperate forests, southern subtropical hill forests, southern montane wet
temperate grasslands and littoral forests (mangroves). Certain edaphic types
recognised are Bamboo brakes, Cane brakes, Reed brakes, Euphorbiaceous scrub
jungles, laterite thorn forests and Myristica swamp forests. Based on dynamics
they recognised secondary forests such as secondary evergreen, secondary moist
deciduous, secondary dry deciduous, etc.
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