There is a great variety of vegetation all along the Ghats: scrub jungles, grassland along the lower altitudes, dry and moist deciduous forests, and semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. There are two main centres of diversity, the Agashyamalai hills and the Silent Valley. The complex topography and the heavy rainfall have made certain areas inaccessible and have helped the region retain its diversity.
Almost one-third of all the flowering plant species in India are found in this region. Of the 450-odd plants found in this region, 40% are endemic (these are species that have adapted to this particular area and the conditions existing in it.) There is an equal diversity of animal and bird life. There is only one biodiversity reserve in the Western Ghats, the Nilgiri biodiversity reserve,which helps in conserving endemic and endangered species. A few of the indigenous and exotic tree and plant species in the Western Ghats are the teak, jamun, cashew, hog plum, coral tree, jasmine, and crossandra.
Some of the national parks situated in this region are the Borivali national park in Maharahshtra near Mumbai, which is home to a large variety of birds, and the Nagarhole national park, which borders the Bandipur national park, famous for its tiger leopard, sloth bear, barking deer and mouse deer. More than 250 species of birds are found in this park. There is the Anamalai wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, which has evergreen forests and tall high-altitude temperate grasslands. The Nilgiri languar, the rare lion-tailed macaque, spotted deer, and the giant squirrel are some of the animals found here. Racket tailed drongos, hornbills, fairy bluebirds are some of the birds seen here. The famous Periyar national park in Kerala is home to a large number of elephants, gaur, sambhar, and lion-tailed macaque and a variety of birds.
During the past 40 to 50 years the plant and animal life has as a whole suffered due to so-called development and urbanization, which has led to the extinction of many species and more are in danger of becoming extinct. http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/life/western.htm
South India's vanishing rain forests, the Western Ghats (hill ranges running parallel to the
south-west coast of peninsular India) are an area of exceptional biological, cultural diversity and conservation interest. This unique treasure trove - home to a fascinating array of flora and fauna, indigenous people, ancient forts and monuments etc. is facing the wrath of uncontrolled development. Buckling under modern pressures - mining, dams, timber felling- this pristine natural area is fast depleting. Threatened to extinction, the rain forests of Southern India are in a dilapidated state. The Adventurers have taken up various initiatives in the past to endear people to these fast depleting rain forests. A massive initiative to save the rain forests of the Western Ghats has been launched by The Adventurers - http://www.westernghats.org/All Threatened Vertebrate Species Occurring in Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
Faced with tremendous population pressure, the forests of the Western Ghats has been dramatically impacted by the demands for timber and agricultural land. Remaining forests of the Western Ghats are heavily fragmented. Population levels are also applying increased stress on the fringes of protected areas where many farms, loggers, and poachers use the resources illegally.
Due in part to the varying effect of the yearly monsoons and the high mountain regions, this hotspot is home to a rich endemic assemblage of plants, reptiles, and amphibians. The region also houses important populations of Asian elephants, Indian tigers, and the Endangered lion-tailed macaque. Freshwater fish endemism is extremely high as well, with over 140 native species. http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/ghats/
The Western Ghats of Maharashtra spread from the Satpura Range to the north, and continues south past Goa to Karnataka. The major hill range of the sector is Sayadhri range, which is home to the hill stations of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. The Biligirirangans southeast of Mysore in Karnataka, meet the Shevaroys (Servarayan range) and Tirumala range farther east, linking the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats. Smaller ranges, including the Nilgiri Hills with Doddabetta being the highest peak at 2,623 metres (8,606 ft), are in northwestern Tamil Nadu. In the southern part of the range in Kerala, Ana Mudi 2,695 metres (8,842 ft) is the highest peak in the Western Ghats. Chembra Peak 2,100 metres (6,890 ft), Banasura Peak 2,073 metres (6,801 ft), Vellarimala 2,200 metres (7,218 ft) and Agasthya mala 1,868 metres (6,129 ft) are also in Kerala. These hill ranges serve as important wildlife corridors, allowing seasonal migration for species like elephants.
The major gaps in the range are the Goa gap, between the Maharashtra and Karnataka sections, and the Palghat Gap on the Tamil Nadu/Kerala border.
The northern portion of the narrow coastal plain between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is known as the Konkan Coast or simply Konkan, and the southern portion is called Malabar region or the Malabar Coast. The foothill region east of the Ghats in Maharashtra is known as Desh, while the eastern foothills of central Karnataka state is known as the Malnad region. The largest city within the mountains is the city of Pune, in the Desh region on the eastern edge of the range.
The mountains intercept the rain-bearing westerly monsoon winds, and are consequently an area of high rainfall, particularly on their western side. The dense forests also contribute to the precipitation of the area by acting as a substrate for condensation of moist rising orographic winds from the sea, and releasing much of the moisture back into the air via transpiration, allowing it to later condense and fall again as rain.
The Western Ghats are not true mountains but a rather, the upraised faulted edge of the Deccan plateau.[1] They are believed to have been formed during the break-up of the super continent of Gondwana some 150 million years (mya) ago. Geo-physicists Barren and Harrison from the University of Miami advocate the theory that the west coast of India came into being somewhere around 100 to 80 mya after it broke away from Madagascar. After the break-up, the western coast of India would have appeared as an abrupt cliff some 1,000 metres in height.[2]
Soon after its detachment, the peninsular region of the Indian plate drifted over the Réunion hotspot, a volcanic hotspot in the earth's lithosphere near the present day location of Réunion ( 21°06′S, 55°31′E). A huge eruption here some 65 mya is thought to have laid down the Deccan Traps, a vast bed of basalt lava that covers parts of central India. These volcanic upthrusts led to the formation of the northern third of the Western Ghats. Since these uplifts are
dome-shaped in nature, the underlying rock is ancient, dating back 200 mya, and can be observed in some parts such as the Nilgiris.[3]
Basalt is the predominant rock found in the hills reaching a depth of 3 km (2 mi). Other rock types found are charnockites, granite gneiss, khondalites, leptynites, metamorphic gneisses with detached occurrences of crystalline limestone, iron ore, dolerites and anorthosites. Residual laterite and bauxite ores are also found in the southern hills.
Climate in the Western Ghats varies with altitudinal gradation and distance from the equator. The climate is humid and tropical in the lower reaches tempered by the proximity to the sea. Elevations of 1,500 m (4,921 ft) and above in the north and 2,000 m (6,562 ft) and above in the south have a more temperate climate. Average annual temperature here are around 15 °C (60 °F). In some parts frost is common, and temperatures touch the freezing point during the winter months. Mean temperature range from 20 °C (68 °F) in the south to 24 °C (75 °F) in the north. It has also been observed that the coldest periods coincide with the wettest.[3]
During the monsoon season between June and September, the unbroken Western Ghats chain acts as a barrier to the moisture laden clouds. The heavy, eastward-moving rain-bearing clouds are forced to rise and in the process deposit most of their rain on the windward side. Rainfall in this region averages 3,000–4,000 mm (120–160 in) with localised extremes touching 9,000 mm (350 in). The eastern region of the Western Ghats which lie in the rain shadow, receive far less rainfall averaging about 1,000 mm (40 in) bringing the average rainfall figure to 2,500 mm (150 in). Data from rainfall figures reveal that there is no relationship between the total amount of rain received and the spread of the area. Areas to the north in Maharashtra receive the heaviest rainfall, but are followed by long dry spells, while regions closer to the equator receive less annual rainfall, with rain spells lasting almost the entire year.
The Western Ghats form one of the three watershed of India, feeding the perennial rivers of peninsula India. Important rivers include the Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri. Rivers that flow to the west drain out into the Arabian Sea. These rivers are fast-moving, owing to the short distance travelled and steeper gradient. Important rivers include the Mandovi, Zuari, and Periyar. Many of these rivers feed the backwaters of Kerala and Maharashtra. Rivers that flow eastwards of the Ghats drain into the Bay of Bengal. These are comparatively slower moving and eventually merge into larger rivers such as the Kaveri and Krishna. Smaller rivers include the Chittar River, Bhima River, Malaprabha River, Manimuthar River, Kabini River, Kallayi River, Kundali River, Pachaiyar River, Pennar River, and the Tambaraparani River.
Fast running rivers and steep slopes have provided various state governments set large hydro-electric projects. There are about major 50 dams along the length of the Western Ghats with the earliest project up in 1900 near Khopoli in Maharashtra.[5] Most notable of these projects are the Koyna Dam in Maharashtra, the Parambikulam Dam in Kerala, and the Linganmakki Dam in Karnataka. The reservoir behind the Koyna Dam, the Shivajisagar Lake, is one of the largest reservoirs in India with a length of 50 km (31 mi) and depth of 80 m (262 ft).[6]
During the monsoon season, numerous streams fed by incessant rain drain off the mountain sides leading to numerous and often spectacular waterfalls. Among the most well known is the Jog Falls, Kunchikal Falls, Sivasamudram Falls, and Lushington Falls.
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