Earth: Our Home

Full Geography

Chapter 9
Types
of
Natural Vegetation
 You will learn:
• to describe the global distribution of
different types of forests
• to describe the characteristics of different
types of forests
• to compare the ways in which different
types of forests adapt to the environment
 Learning Outcomes
•Global distribution of tropical rainforests,
tropical monsoon forests, mangroves and
coniferous forests.
•Characteristics and adaptations of tropical
rainforests, tropical monsoon forests,
mangroves and coniferous forests.
•Skills
- Compare and contrast the characteristics
of different forests.
 What is Natural Vegetation?
• Natural vegetation refers to plants that
grow naturally in a place with little or no
human interference.
• It plays an important role in a forest
ecosystem by providing food and shelter
for the animals and native people that live
in the forest.
 Major types of natural vegetation Forest biome
The vegetation in a forest biome consists of mainly trees. It generally has many varieties of plants.

Temperate Coniferous forest

Tropical rainforest
deciduous forest

Grassland biome
Grasses constitute the main plants in a grassland
biome. It has few varieties of plants.

Tropical grassland Temperate grassland

Desert biome
The vegetation in a desert biome consists of mainly sparse vegetation, such as scrubs and tough grasses in the hot desert,
and mosses and lichens in the cold desert. It has very few varieties of plants.

Hot desert vegetation

Cold desert
vegetation (tundra)
 Distribution of Natural
Vegetation
• Climate is a major factor in influencing the
distribution of natural vegetation.
• There are 3 climatic types..
 Distribution of Natural
Vegetation
Very low temperatures, often below 0ºC. Very low annual precipitation,
Polar region below 250 mm

Low to modern temperatures, ranging from 0°C to 34°C,

depending on the season. Moderate annual precipitation,
Temperate region
300 mm to 1 000 mm

Tropical region High temperatures throughout the year, 20°C to 30°C.

High precipitation, above 1 000 mm

Tropical region

Temperate region

Polar region
 Distribution of Natural
Vegetation
• Temperature and precipitation can
influence plant growth.
• Plant growth is more abundant in areas
where temperatures are consistently
above 20C than in areas where
temperatures fall below 6C.
 Distribution of Natural
Vegetation
• Water is required by plants to make food.
• Thus, different types of natural vegetation
forests are found in different parts of the world.
- forests --- high precipitation at above
1 000 mm per year.
- grasslands --- moderate precipitation
between 200 mm to 1 000 mm per year.
- hot desert vegetation or tundra --- no or
little precipitation at less than 250 mm per
year.
Distribution of Natural
Vegetation
Tropical forests are a cradle of biodiversity. It has
been estimated that half of the plant and animal life
forms that live on this planet are found in this
environment, even though tropical forests cover
only six percent of the earth’s surface.
Source: The Tropical Rainforest by Francesco Petretti, Journey Editions, 1998, Italy.
 Tropical Rainforest
• Tropical rainforests
- found in places 10°N & S that experience
the tropical equatorial climate
- high temperatures, about 27C
- high amount of rainfall, above 1 500 mm
throughout the year
- examples of tropical rainforests include
the Amazon Basin in South America,
Congo Basin in Africa and parts of
Southeast Asia
 Tropical Rainforest
• Structure of the forest
- 5 layers:- Emergent layer, 30 m to 50 m
- Canopy layer, 15 m to 30 m
- Understorey layer, 6 m to 15 m
- Shrub layer, grow up to 6 m
- Undergrowth layer, grow up to
5m
 Tropical Rainforest
Emergent layer 50 m
Tall trees, called emergents, reach a height of 30 m
to 50 m. Their crowns appear above the canopy
layer. These trees have tall, thick and straight trunks.
30 m
Canopy layer
The trees in this layer reach a height of 15 m to 30
m. Their wide, shallow and umbrella-shaped crowns
form a continuous leaf cover, called a canopy, as
they prevent sunlight from penetrating into the lower
layers of the forest. 15 m
Understorey layer
The trees here have narrower, oval-shaped crowns
because most of the sunlight is blocked by the
canopy. These trees grow where gaps in the canopy
allow sunlight to pass through. Their heights range
from 6 m to 15 m. Young trees of the emergent and
canopy layers are also found in this layer.
6m
Shrub layer
Tree saplings and woody plants are found in this
layer. They may grow up to 6 m high.
5m
Undergrowth layer
The undergrowth or forest floor is made up of
grasses, ferns, mosses and fungi. Plant growth is
sparse because very little sunlight reaches this layer.
Plants in this layer reach a maximum height of 5 m.
0m
 Tropical Rainforest
• Characteristics of the 5 layers
Emergent layer
- trees have tall, thick and straight trunks
Canopy layer
- tree crowns inter-lock
- presence of epiphytes and lianas, and parasitic plants
Understorey layer
- trees with narrower crowns
- presence of parasitic plants
Shrub layer
- tree saplings and woody plants found
Undergrowth layer
- sparse due to lack of sunlight that reaches the forest
floor
 Tropical Rainforest
• Characteristics
- a wide diversity of plant species
- 750 species of trees and 1 500 species of other plants
in 1 hectare
- the high temperature and rainfall throughout the year
enables it to support a large variety of plants

• Density
- extremely dense
- density is due to high temperature and rainfall that
encourage abundant vegetation growth
 Tropical Rainforest
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Leaves
- are evergreens
- due to high rainfall throughout the
year, trees do not shed leaves at the
same time
- are waxy with drip tips
- to allow rainwater to drain off easily
 Tropical Rainforest
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Flowers and fruits
- are colourful and sweet-smelling
- to attract insects for pollination and
animals for seed dispersal
 Tropical rainforest
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Bark and branches
- thin and smooth branches
- does not need protection against cold or dry conditions
- branches are found at the uppermost one-third of the
trunks to get as much sunlight as possible

Roots
- shallow and spreading
- nutrients are found at topsoil due to high decomposition
- buttress roots (of some tall trees)
- support weight of trees
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Tropical monsoon forest
- found in the tropics
- high temperatures, about 26C
- high amount of rainfall, above 1 500 mm
throughout the year, but with distinct wet
and dry seasons
- located in South Asia, Southeast
Asia,southern China and northern
Australia
Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Distribution
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Structure of the forest
3 layers: - Canopy layer, 25 m to 30 m
- Understorey layer, about 15 m
- Undergrowth layer
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
30 m
Canopy layer
Trees can grow to 25 to 30 m
in height. They are more
spread out than those in a
tropical rainforests, plants such
as creepers, vines, epiphytes
and parasitic plants are found
within this layer.

15 m
Understorey layer
The trees in the understorey
are about 15 m in height.
6m
Undergrowth
Bamboo thickets and grasses
grow densely here during the
wet season. They are
dense during the dry season.
0m
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Characteristics of the 3 layers
Canopy layer
- more spread out than those in tropical rainforest
- presence of epiphytes and lianas, and parasitic plants
Understorey layer
- consists of shorter trees about 15 m in height
Undergrowth
- bamboo thickets and grasses grow densely here
during the wet season but are less dense during dry
season
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Characteristics
Diversity of plant species
- about 200 species in 1 hectare
- less species compared to tropical rainforest
due to inconsistent rainfall

Density
- plant growth is abundant but less dense than
tropical rainforest
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Characteristics & Adaptations
Leaves
- are deciduous
- shed leaves during the dry season to minimise
loss of water through transpiration
- waxy with drip tips to allow rainwater to drain
off easily
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Characteristics & Adaptations
Bark and branches
- thick and coarse
- protects the trunk from heat and dryness
during the dry season
- withstand extreme heat from natural — forest
fires
- branches found around middle of trunks as
trees grow less dense than tropical rainforest
 Tropical Monsoon Forest
• Characteristics & Adaptations
Roots
- deep tap roots
- to tap water sources deep under the
ground as rainfall is irregular throughout
the year
 Tropical forests in a glance
• What are the similarities between the
tropical rainforest and the tropical
monsoon forest?

• What are the differences?

 Tropical forests in a glance
• Similarities
- both forests are dense
- leaves are waxy with drip-tips
 Answers
Tropical rainforest Differences in Tropical
terms of monsoon
forest
more diversity less
denser density less dense
evergreen leaves deciduous
Smooth, thin bark bark & Thick bark
Branches at top one- Branches around
third
branches middle of tree

shallow roots deep tap roots

 Mangrove forests
• Found mainly in areas experiencing
tropical climate, along sheltered coastal
regions and places where rivers constantly
deposit clay and silt.
 Mangrove Forests
• Structure
- grows to a height of 2 m to 40 m
- horizontal zones of mangrove species
 Mangrove Forests

High tide
Low tide

Coastal area
Middle zone Inland zone
Avicennia and Sonneratia trees are
Rhizophora trees are common in this Bruguiera trees grow further inland, as
common in this zone, which is the
zone. They have prop roots or stilt roots. they are the least tolerant of salt water.
nearest to the coast. They have adapted
They have knee-like roots.
to growing in salt water, as the coastal
zone is flooded with seawater during
high tide. The trees have breathing
roots or aerial roots.
 Mangrove Forests
• Characteristics and Adaptations
- four main species which are known as
halophytes
- Avicennia, Sonneratia, Rhizophora, Bruguiera
- dense and luxuriant

Leaves
- evergreen
- salt secretors
- ultrafiltrators
 Mangrove Forests
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Flowers
- generally colourful to attract insects to pollinate
Fruits
- buoyant so that waves and currents can carry them
away
- elongated with sharp tips to anchor in soft muddy soil
 Mangrove Forests
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Roots
- aerial roots that are exposed
- allow them to take in oxygen
- prop roots
- anchor the trees firmly in the muddy soil
 Coniferous Forests
• Coniferous forest
- found in places that experience a cool
continental climate
- experiences seasons
- temperatures range from -40C to 21C
- low amount of precipitation, usually in the form
of snow, 300 mm to 635 mm in a year
- located in Alaska, northern Canada, northern
USA, northern Scandinavia and Russia
 Coniferous Forests
• Distribution
 Coniferous Forest
• Structure
- no distinct layers
- generally uniform in height, about 20 m
to 30 m
- trees grow close together
- little undergrowth
 Coniferous forests
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Diversity
- few species as not many trees can adapt to
the climate
- the trees grow in pure stands
Density
- forest are not dense as the climate does not
support dense vegetation growth
 Coniferous Forest
• Characteristics
Leaves
- evergreen
- retain leaves so that photosynthesis can take
place whenever temperature rises above 6C
- needle-like with small surface area to reduce
water loss due to transpiration
- store water for use in winter
 Coniferous Forest
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Flowers and Fruits
- trees bear female and male cones
- female cones produce seeds
- male cones produce pollen
- cones can be dispersed by wind or
animals after pollination
 Coniferous forest
• Characteristics and Adaptations
Bark and branches
- thick bark
- to protect from long, cold winters
- flexible branches that slope downwards
- to enable snow to slide off easily
Roots
- shallow, spreading roots
- enable trees to absorb water easily from soil
surface when snow melts
 Importance of Forests
• Support diversity of plants and animals.
• Natural habitats for animals.
• Provide us with resources.
• Home to some natives.
• Part of our natural heritage.
 Learning Outcomes
•Global distribution of tropical rainforests,
tropical monsoon forests, mangroves and
coniferous forests.
•Characteristics and adaptations of tropical
rainforests, tropical monsoon forests,
mangroves and coniferous forests.
•Skills
- Compare and contrast the characteristics
of different forests.