Grade 7: Why is Vegetation Important?

Without working with our vegetation rather than against it, we put ourselves and the planet at great risk.

1.      ecosystem- interactions that link living and non-living parts of the environment

2.      natural vegetation-plants that are natural to an area and grow freely there

3.      boreal – of the North or northern region

4.      tropical – between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

5.      subtropical – just north of the Tropic of Cancer and just south of the Tropic of Capricorn

6.      Equatorial zones exist along the equator which are ideal for coffee.

7.      tundra – vast Arctic region without trees where the soil is frozen all year round

Vegetation Zone                                             Climate                                   Description     

8.      Tropical broadleaf forest                  -large and frequent rainfall   - broad or flat leaves

9.      Subtropical broadleaf forest             -large rainfall yet dry months -deciduous

10.  Mediterranean forest                                    -moderate rainfall                 -woodlands, shrubs &

cork & olive trees

11.   Broadleaf deciduous forest              -moderate rainfall throughout  -deciduous i.e. oak,

the year                                   beech, and maple

12.  Mixed forest                           -steady precipitation                        coniferous/deciduous

13.  Needle leaf evergreen                                    -snow & short growing          -coniferous, needle-

season                                     like i.e. spruce & pine

or boreal forest                                                                                  -lichen and moss

14.  Tropical grasslands                            -short moist season               -grassland for grazing

animals i.e. zebras

15.  Mid-latitude grassland                       -cold winters/warm summers – tall & short grasses

 -root systems are matted

16.  Semi-desert scrub                              -high rates of evaporation    -sagebrush & dwarf

shrub

17.    Desert                                                                    -hot days and cool nights                    -long rooted plants

-less leaves to reduce

evaporation

18.    Tundra and high-mountain                 -moisture is locked in the                   -permafrost except

vegetation                                                             snow                                                       for top few cms i.e. lichen

The 5 Benefits of Vegetation

Without plants, there would more soil erosion and there would be the less maintenance of the water cycle.  The Earth could not absorb higher CO2 levels while oxygen levels would be depleted.  Global warming and climate change would increase.

1.      Oxygen is produced through photosynthesis. This is the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy for growth.

2.      Natural habitats provide animals their food, water, shelter, and protection from predators.  Habitats provide animals with all their needs for survival.

3.      Resources from plants are used for shelters, transportation, clothing, medicine, and domestication of wild plants for food sources.

4.      Recreation or ecotourism is less possible without vegetation.  People who wish to may a low impact on the environment yet still enjoy nature.

5.      Spiritual connections are very common for indigenous groups who use plants for ceremonial and medicinal purposes such as sweet grass, sage, and cedar.

How do natural factors and vegetation interact?

Moisture levels are determined by precipitation and evaporation that occurs in a region.

Precipitation is the amount of water in the form of rain, snow or sleet that falls in an area.

Evaporation or the loss of moisture can be retained by plants.  In order for plant life to thrive, evaporation levels cannot be too great.  

The temperature of the Earth varies with latitude.  The natural vegetation adapts to the amount of light and moisture.

Photosynthesis requires light but it also requires a temperature range between 6 to 20 degrees Celsius for ideal conditions. 

The elevation in an area affects climate, since air particles are further spread apart.  Therefore, the temperature drops, the air becomes dry, and the soil becomes thin. Where trees can no longer grow on mountains, a treeline forms.

Soil acts as an anchor for plants and decomposing plants return nutrients to it.  Without nutrients, soils become depleted and unsuitable for farming.

How Vegetation and Climate Interact

1.      By storing water in roots, plants can decrease the moisture levels in regions.

2.      Photosynthesis actually cools the air since leaves absorb sunlight.

How Vegetation, Climate and Soil Interact

Humus or decaying plants are deposited in the top layers of the soil.  These nutrients are drawn into the soil after rainfall and feed future plants.  The cycle continues.

Timeline for Desertification

Between 7000 B.C.E.  and 4000 B.C.E., the grasslands of the Sahara or North Africa turned  to desert because of grazing animals and weather patterns.  If land is mismanaged, it can easily turn to desert.

Reducing Natural Vegetation

One third of the Earth is now farmland rather than natural vegetation.

Losing Forests

Historically and currently farmers have used ‘slash-and-burn’ techniques on forests  to create farmland, roads, cities, and other settlements. Clear cutting also contributes to soil erosion, landslides, and desertification since roots are lost and the land is quickly worn away over a short period of time.

Burning grasslands was a common practise for farmers who let their animals overgraze.  Farmers would set fire to grasslands to encourage new growth for their animals to eat.  This process accelerates top soil erosion.

Preserving vegetation through ecotourism is an effort to preserve the environment while learning and minimizing one’s carbon footprint or detrimental effects on an environment. 

How do changing vegetation patterns affect species?

Loss of Biodiversity

The following areas of the greatest levels of biodiversity: Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador, and Australia.

A rise in non-native plant species lead to a loss of natural species. Invasive species cause native species to become extinct.

What now?  How do we manage our forests, so we avoid clear cutting or slash and burn techniques.

The Current Situation:  Forests both contribute to production of oxygen, the creation of natural habitats, and the cleansing of the environment. However, clear cutting methods destroy them.

Question: How do we make logging sustainable, yet at the same time appease the stakeholders involved in forestry?

 Who are the stakeholders or people affected by the logging industry?

A)     Indigenous people__________________________________.

B)     Logging companies_________________________________.

C)     People who want work______________________________.

D)     Consumers who want wood products ___________________.

E)      Politicians who wish to be (re)-elected or have a prosperous

economy for tax revenues and higher employment_________________________________________.

A)         Indigenous People can have their lands untouched by logging companies while profits from the Amazon can go towards the sustainment of their traditional communities.

B)         Logging Companies can practise selective cutting, replant, and re-invest profits into the community.

C)         People who want work can work for eco-tourism and tree planting organizations.

D)        Consumers who want wood products can choose from replanted forests, bamboo sources or reclaimed wood sources.

E)         Politicians who wish to

be (re)-elected or a prosperous

economy for tax revenues and

higher employment can refuse to do trade with countries that do not practise proper foresting techniques and re-invest tax revenues into reforestation efforts.