Elements of Geography

The Natural Vegetation of the Earth

Submitted by: Miraluna D. Saltones

Submitted to: Mrs. Jenny Belmonte- Orbegoso

TOPIC: The Natural Vegetation of the Earth I. Introduction

II.

Subtopic 1. The Ecology of Vegetation 1.1 Plant communities 1.2 Biotic succession 1.3 Formation types 2. Factors Affecting the Distribution of

Vegetation 2.1 Climatic factors 2.2 Topographic factors 2.3 Edaphic factors 2.4 Biotic factors

INTRODUCTION:

Climate leads to a study of the earths natural vegetation considering that plants are greatly affected by the climate, especially in their distribution over the earths surface. Plants have their climatic controls in terms of moisture, temperature, sunlight and winds. Likewise, plants are controlled by topographic (landform), edaphic (soil) and biotic factors. Geography is interested only in distribution of earth phenomena and their areal differentiation. Plants show certain general groupings based on size, height, leaves, density, branching character and other factors. They exhibit certain associations or groupings called communities, namely, forests, scrublands or woodlands, grasslands and deserts. The groupings are primarily due to the amount of precipitation in certain regions; hence the emphasis in the present description of vegetation is on the bio climatological aspects of vegetation. In fact, this is the preoccupation of the branch of the geographic discipline called phytogeography.

The Ecology of Vegetation

1. Plant communities

Ecosystem - which is a set of biotic and abiotic elements so related that together they form a complex whole.

Plant community - is an assemblage of plant species in an area, existing in a systematic interaction with one another and with the animal life in the area.

Objective of Ecology Is the study of life communities and their interrelationships with one another and with the other components of the abiotic environment

Plant species in a community or plant association do not usually compete for energy and moisture because each species has its own special niche or level in the community with its own energy and moisture requirements.

Steady state or stable ecosystem - in the process of arriving this state, should two species compete for essential sustenance in the same niche in a plant community.

2. Biotic succession Are specifically called plant succession Is a gradual sequence of changes of phases in biotic communities in a certain area over a period of time, even if climate remains unchanged.

One plant community appears and then gives way to another until a series of replacements a stable community predominates and there is no further alternation in its composition

Pioneer community - a plant community (grass) that started the succession which is able to colonize and inhabit a bare surface Climax community the end product in the succession (oaky-hickory forest) Most complex type of community which a particular natural environment will support Stable and able to maintain itself over a long period of time It is also the efficient user of solar energy and soil nutrients in the area

The general trend in plant succession Taller plants More density Greater stability

Two (2) kinds of vegetative succession Primary succession- occurs in places that have not previously supported life Secondary succession- Takes place on areas where the original climax vegetation has been destroyed or disturbed but where the soil has been retained

3. Formation types Another way of describing plant communities over the earths surface is to characterize them in terms of the form elements of their assemblage.

The classification elements a. Plant type - such as trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses

b. Size such as tall or short trees and grasses c. Leaf shape such as broadleaf or needle leaf d. Branching character such as high- branching (like many trees) or lowbranching (like shrubs) e. Leaf behavior such as evergreen (with leaves throughout the year) or deciduous (with leaves falling off during dry period) f. Horizontal density such as closely spaced or widely spaced g. Vertical alignment such as canopy- producing tree crowns, or a secondstory growth below the tree crown, or undergrowth (on the ground)

Factors Affecting the Distribution of Vegetation

1. Climatic factors Is the most important environmental element influencing the distribution of plant communities over the earths surface Precipitation moisture is again the most important influence in the distributed of vegetation The three great formations of natural vegetation Forests Grassland Desert

Copious rainfall often gives rise to forests Moderate rainfall or summer season rainfall to grassland Scanty rainfall to desert plants Osmosis a process where water is taken is mainly by plants at the roots

High temperature and low humidity favor rapid loss of plant moisture Low temperature and high humidity inhibit its loss

Plants are distinguish by their ability to respond to variations in the amount of precipitation of certain area receives Xerophytes (greek xeros = dry, phytos = plant) Plants that is structurally adapted to very limited moisture budgets

Hydrophytes ( greek hydro = water) Vegetation that are adapted to very humid environmental and have rarely any defense against evaporation and moisture insufficiency Mesophytes plant types that have intermediate needs and tolerances for water Halophytes (greek halos = salt) Plants that have adapted to salty water conditions, such as beach and mangrove vegetation

Temperature - ranks next to precipitation in importance as an influencing factor in vegetative growth

Three (3) critical temperatures 1. Minimum or lower temperature below which it will die 2. Maximum or upper temperature above which it will likely wilt or die 3. Optimum temperature at which it thrives best

Species that survived prolonged low temperatures periods through seed carryover

Annuals complete their life cycle during warm season and their vegetative structure perishes completely during the cold season Biennials species that need more than one year to complete their cycle Perennials survive through contrasting temperature regimes year after year

Temperature fall below 20 degrees Celsius throughout the year All of the above plants cannot survived

Solar energy plays a major role in the regulation of the life cycle of plants

2. Topographic factors (landform) Specifically in terms of elevation and slope, also affect the growth and distribution of plant communities

3. Edaphic factors (soil) Do not have much influence as climate in influencing regional plant distribution but they may be significant locally

4. Biotic factors Lower forms of organisms have a profound and pervasive effect on vegetative communities