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according to their light demanding and shade bearing capacities occupying intermediate spaces between higher and higher plants. Though the number of plants in polyculture natural forests is more yet there is no competition in roots or crowns because the depths of soil tapped by varying spread of roots are different and so also the heights of canopies are different according to varying light requirements. In a normal healthy forest eco-system there are essentially all age gradations of all constituent species. In contrast where there is monoculture i.e. one single species over an extensive stretch of land as is the case generally in artificial and man-made forest plantations, fruit orchards and agriculture crops, there is competition in roots and crowns because they tap the same depth of soil and occupy same height. The number of plants in monoculture has to be reduced periodically as they grow and occupy more and more root zone and crown space. The number of trees and plants are far less in monoculture than in polyculture and accordingly the availability of variety of products is also very limited. In monoculture plants are prone to extensive damage by insect pests which are generally gene specific i.e. a particular insect pest attacks a particular variety of plants. In polyculture since there are varieties of plants and so are the varieties of insect pests and one type of insect pest is predator on other type of pest and there is natural control without any damage to plants. There is no need of any sort of poisonous pesticides to protect the plants as in monoculture.
Benevolent Forests-Nature's sentinals and shields :
In addition to providing all sorts of products for human needs forests play a vital role in maintaining climatic and overall environmental balance. It offers an effective protective shield to earth and its inhabitants from harmful ultraviolet radiation, floods, drought, storms, epidemics, earthquakes and other vagaries of nature and ensuing calamities. Forests are most effective for soil and moisture conservation. Rains of highest intensity and velocity do not fall directly on ground in a good forest area. In natural
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