KAWA MULTIMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Factors influencing the vegetation of a place
Vegetation refers to the Plant cover on the surface of the Earth, its distribution is affected by the following:
The climate of a place. This affects the distribution of Vegetation through its elements like rainfall, temperature, light and winds.
Rainfall distribution and intensity in a given area will determine the nature of and type of vegetation found in an area. For example abundant rainfall produces forests, light rainfall produces grasslands like the Savannah grassland while insufficient rainfall of less than 500mm per year produces scrub and desert vegetation
Temperature: Temperature plays a role in determining type and size of plants. Areas with moderately high temperatures have luxuriant vegetation while those areas with average temperatures falling below 6oC cannot sustain any vegetation
Wind: These may discourage tree growth from exposed Upland, mountain or Coastal areas. Winds may also cause stunting or bending of trees. They influence transpiration and if the wind is a warm and a dry one, more water vapour is removed from the plants.
Relief: Different relief aspects like steepness, Levelness, presence of valleys, mountains, uniforms low lying plains support different vegetation types.
Natural drainage: Certain vegetation will only occur in water logged areas. Examples are Mangroves and Swamp vegetation.
Biotic factors: Occurrence of pests and diseases will hinder the growth of vegetation.
Man: Through his activities like deforestation, burning, industrialization, has led to disappearance of some vegetation and what remains today are mere remnants.
Soil: The mineral composition, depth, maturity, acidity and alkanity of the soil partly determines that type of vegetation that will grow in the area. Skeletal soils on mountain tops and steep slopes tend to support stunted plants. Swampy soils support mangrove swamps and papyrus.
The climate of a place. This affects the distribution of Vegetation through its elements like rainfall, temperature, light and winds.
Rainfall distribution and intensity in a given area will determine the nature of and type of vegetation found in an area. For example abundant rainfall produces forests, light rainfall produces grasslands like the Savannah grassland while insufficient rainfall of less than 500mm per year produces scrub and desert vegetation
Temperature: Temperature plays a role in determining type and size of plants. Areas with moderately high temperatures have luxuriant vegetation while those areas with average temperatures falling below 6oC cannot sustain any vegetation
Wind: These may discourage tree growth from exposed Upland, mountain or Coastal areas. Winds may also cause stunting or bending of trees. They influence transpiration and if the wind is a warm and a dry one, more water vapour is removed from the plants.
Relief: Different relief aspects like steepness, Levelness, presence of valleys, mountains, uniforms low lying plains support different vegetation types.
Natural drainage: Certain vegetation will only occur in water logged areas. Examples are Mangroves and Swamp vegetation.
Biotic factors: Occurrence of pests and diseases will hinder the growth of vegetation.
Man: Through his activities like deforestation, burning, industrialization, has led to disappearance of some vegetation and what remains today are mere remnants.
Soil: The mineral composition, depth, maturity, acidity and alkanity of the soil partly determines that type of vegetation that will grow in the area. Skeletal soils on mountain tops and steep slopes tend to support stunted plants. Swampy soils support mangrove swamps and papyrus.