South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests


The South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests is a tropical dry forest ecoregion in southern India. The ecoregion lies in the southernmost portion of the Deccan Plateau, and includes the southernmost portion of the Eastern Ghats.
The ecoregion lies in the rain show of the Western Ghats, and receives most of its rainfall with the June–September southwest monsoon. It is characterized by tall trees that drop their leaves during the dry winter and spring months. Much of the forest has been degraded through over-use, and thorn forests and shrub thickets are common. To the north and east, the dry deciduous forests transition to the drier Deccan thorn scrub forests.

Flora

These forests have three stories, with an upper canopy at, an understory at, and undergrowth at. Trees are draped in lianas in denser, mature forests. The vegetation is characterized by Acacia catechu, Albizia amara, Anogeissus latifolia, Boswellia serrata, Cassia fistula, Chloroxylon swietenia, Dalbergia latifolia, Diospyros montana, Hardwickia binata, Pterocarpus marsupium, Shorea talura, Sterospermum personatum, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia paniculata, and Terminalia tomentosa. Sal found here is used for railway sleepers and house construction while teak, a durable timber, is used for ship building and furniture. Sandalwood is used for perfume and semal for toys.

Fauna

The ecoregion is home to 75 mammal species. Threatened species include the Indian elephant, wild dog, sloth bear, chousingha, gaur, and grizzled giant squirrel. Salim Ali's fruit bat is critically endangered, and is near-endemic. 260 species of birds live in the eco-region, and two, the rufous babbler and yellow-throated bulbul are near-extinct. The threatened great Indian bustard and lesser florican inhabit the eco-region.

Protected areas