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- Social Studies for ECLPE Y2 SB File Uploaded 2/11/21, 14:01
UNIT 6 NATURAL VEGETATION OF THE WORLD
Key unit competence: The student-teacher should be able to appreciate
the distribution of different types of vegetation inthe world.
Vegetation refers to a community of plants which grow in an area and which
gives it distinct character. In biological terms, vegetation is known as “flora”,
that is all vegetation types growing on land and in water. The world vegetation
communities are in two categories: forests and grasslands. They are distributed
according to the vegetation zones and they include tropical, temperate, tundra,desert, mountain and aquatic/marsh or mangrove vegetation.
6.1. Tropical forests and their characteristics
Tropical vegetation develops within the tropics. Tropical vegetation can be sub
-divided into three, but related groups. These include equatorial rainforests,
tropical monsoon forests and tropical mountain forests.
6.1.1. Equatorial forests
The equatorial rainforests grow within the tropics between 10 °N and 10 °S
near the equator. Equatorial rainforests are sometimes called “rainforest” and
equatorial rain forests cover only a small part of the earth’s surface, which is
about 6% of the earth’s surface. They are situated in Amazon basin in South
and Central America, Congo basin in Central Africa, Malaysia and Burma in the
west to Malaysia, West Africa coastal belt (Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberiaand Central Africa Republic).
Equatorial rainforests are characterized by the following:
• They are evergreen, since the forests receive heavy rainfall throughout
the year with no clear distinct seasons.
• They grow buttress roots in order to support their enormous sizes.
• The major tree species in equatorial are hardwood tress which are
characterized by long gestation period.
• The vegetation in equatorial regions are characterized by different
canopies or layers.
• Equatorial rainforests are dominated with valuable tree species such
as mahogany, ebony, green heart and redwood.
• The forest floor receives only 2% of the sunlight. This has led to the
existence of little undergrowth.
• The trees are very tall (35 m - 40 m) with a very dense and thick
canopy. The result is that the canopy blocks most of the sunlight falling
on them depriving the plants under them of sunlight. Therefore, the
trees in Equatorial rainforests become tall due to competition for light.
• Most trees are broad-leaved evergreen. This allows excessive rates of
transpiration in equatorial rainforests.
• Trees grow in mixed stands. The different species are scattered all over
the forest.
• There is high accumulation of undergrowth. This is due to the existenceof canopies the limit the penetration of light to reach the ground.
6.1.2. Tropical Monsoon forests
The Tropical Monsoon Forests beyond the equatorial region between 10 0and
250 north, and south of the equator. Burma, Thailand, the Indo-China region,
parts of India, East Java, parts of northern Australia, small parts along thesouthern west coast of West Africa especially in Senegal and low land.
Tropical monsoon forests are characterized by the following:
• The trees possess trunks that they use to store water during the dry
seasons.
• The tropical monsoon forests can grow up to 30 metres in height.
• Trees possess long tap roots that penetrate into the ground to access
groundwater. In order to sustain plants’ growth, especially during the
dry winter season when there is unreliable rainfall.
• Tropical monsoon forests shade off their leaves during the dry seasons
in order to minimize water loss.
• Trees have broad leaves due to sufficient rainfall (2000 mm) received
during the wet season.
• Tropical monsoon forests contain valuable hard wood tree species
such as the teak and sandalwood.
• Tree canopy from 25 to 30 m tall and grow closely together to form a
continuous canopy layer. Epiphytes and lianas and parasitic plants arefound on the canopy.
6.1.3. Mountain tropical forests
The tropical mountain forests are mainly located at a high altitude in the
mountains and usually vary largely along the slopes of Himalayas Mountain
and East Africa Mountain peaks of Rwenzori, Kenya and other good are located
in Cameroon Mountains, Central Africa and Ethiopia Highlands. At the altitude
trees grow in plenty of higher slope between 1,500 meters to 3,500 meters and
dominate the mountain forest, the evergreen trees like Teak, Bamboo and cangrow abundantly and dominate the natural vegetation.
Mountain forests have the following characteristics:
• Mountain forests grow broad leaves and they are evergreen;
• Mountain forests grow thick under growth;
• The forests contain giant evergreen trees that grow on the windward
slopes of the mountain;
• The main tree species are characterized by long gestation period;
6.2 Temperate forests
The temperate forests are categorized into 3 categories that include: deciduousforests, Mediterranean forests and coniferous forests.
The characteristics of temperate forests.
• With high levels of precipitation, humidity, and a variety of deciduous
trees.
• Temperate trees are trees that lose their leaves in winter.
• Trees shed their leaves in fall and bud new leaves in spring when
warmer temperatures and longer hours of daylight return.
• Temperate forests are the tall evergreen trees dominating the regions.
• Redwood trees are the tallest in the world, reaching heights above 360
feet.
• The most prominent tree in temperate forest is the Douglas fir, that
growing 280 feet tall.
• Temperate forest the mature species of cedar and spruce trees typically
exceed 200 feet.
• Epiphytes are mostly species of mosses and ferns that live on the
branches and trunks of trees, especially the broad-leafed maples.
• Temperate forests have many species of large ferns inhabit the shady
forest floors.
• Temperate forests can get from 60 to 200 inches of precipitationannually.
6.2.1. Mediterranean forests
The Mediterranean forests are located mainly in south-west America, Spain,
Italy, France, Australia, Mediterranean Sea, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and
Central Chile. Mediterranean forests grow also well on the tip of South Africanear Cape Town.
The characteristics of Mediterranean forests are:
• Trees species in the Mediterranean deciduous forests have broad
leaves.
• Mediterranean vegetation is characterized by open and evergreen
woodlands.
• Mediterranean vegetation has impassable thicket with thin and waxy
leaves.
• The scrubs are known by different names in different localities e.g.
Maquis in southern Europe, Chapparal in California, Fymbos in South
Africa, Mallee shrub in Australia, Mattoral in Spain and Macchia in Italy.
• There is inadequate undergrowth.
• There is generally composed of broadleaf trees, such as the oak and
mixed sclerophyll forests.
• dense vegetation composed of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs, bushes,
and small trees usually less than 2.5 m (about 8 feet)
• Tall trees and growing in regions lying between 30° and 40° north and
south latitudes.
• Trees, even fully grown, are often stunted.
• Woody, evergreen shrubs or small trees prevail, having developed
various strategies of growth and usage of available water during the
dry period.
• Mediterranean deciduous tree species have a long gestation period.
• Mediterranean plants have long taproots to reach underground water,
called “Xerophytic Plants”.
• Mediterranean trees adapt themselves to dry summers with the help
of their thick barks and wax coated leaves, which help them reduce
transpiration
6.2.2. Coniferous forests / Taiga Forest
The coniferous forests are located. They are pretty much across North America,
Europe, and Asia, usually extending from 50˚ to 60˚N. The coniferous forest is
the largest terrestrial vegetation covering about 17% of Earth’s land area. Canada,
Russia, and Scandinavia are almost entirely covered by these coniferous forests. The
vegetation is identified by its climate, which occurs almost exclusively in the highlatitudes of the northern hemisphere.
The characteristics of coniferous forests are:
• The coniferous forests consist of tall, softwood evergreen trees.
• The limited species of trees and these trees are evergreen and grow
apart from each other;
• The coniferous tree species grow tall, straight and contain few branches.
• The type of these coniferous forests grow in pure stands;
• Trees are conical shaped with needle shaped leaves. These include chir,
pine, cedar are the important variety of trees in these forests;
• The tree species often grow to a height of over 30m (100ft) tall;
• Coniferous tree species grow shallow roots and able to collect enough
water from top soil;
• Roots are shallow enable to absorb the nutrients and water on the top
soil;
• Adapted in harsh winter even the ground is frozen, little water is
available still can survive;
• Leaves are small, narrow and often needle with the capacity of reducing
transpiration
6.2.3 Deciduous forests
Deciduous forests grow well within the latitude of 40° N and 60°N and 30° S
and 50oS of the equator. Deciduous forests can be found in the eastern half of
North America, and the middle of Europe. There are many deciduous forests
in Asia. Some of the major areas that they are in are southwest Russia, Japan,
and eastern China. South America has two big areas of deciduous forests in
southern Chile and Middle East coast of Paraguay. There are deciduous forestslocated in New Zealand and southeastern Australia also.
The characteristics of deciduous forests are:
• These regions experience seasonal changes. Trees shed their leaves inthe dry season to conserve water.
• Deciduous forests are characterized by existence of epiphytes, which
include mosses.
• Trees like sandalwood, teak, ebony, bamboo, etc. are the common trees
found here.
• Deciduous forests have a short growing gestation
• Deciduous forests grow in pure stands.
• Deciduous forests require low sunshine supply.
• There are at times hard wood forests species such as maple, oak, beechand hazel.
6.3. Grasslands
Grasslands include two types: tropical grasslands and grasslands in temperatezone.
Tropical grasslands are commonly known as savannah vegetation. Tropical
grasslands grow well within altitude of 50 N and 15o N and 50 S and 15o S of
the equator. Tropical grasslands grow well in Africa, South America specifically
in Campos in Brazil”. They can also be found in Guyana, Australia, Eastern
Madagascar and India. Tropical grassland is divided into two groups: Savanna
and steppe.
i. Savannah humid
Savannah humid forests grow well in regions with average rainfall total at
high 1000 mm per year. Mambo woodlands of central Tanzania as examples
of savannah woodlands in East Africa. Other examples of savannah humid alsofound in Madagascar, Indian subcontinent, south East Asia and New Guinea.
The characteristics include the following:
• The trees species are deciduous, and shade leaves during the dry
periods.
• The vegetation’s are mostly shrub and short grass.
• The species of trees such as baobab and acacia are mostly common in
area.
• The trees grow in arrangement of constant cover.
• The grass can grow very tall, about 3 to 4 meters in height, which is
also known as “elephant Grass”.
• Near riverbanks and water holes, trees are and which are deciduous in
nature, e.g. Acacia, baobab, etc.
• The vegetation is characterized by undergrowth of mainly shrub and
short grasses.
• The acacia tree species in the savannah woodlands form small umbrella
–like tops
• The trees species are deciduous and shade –off leaves during the dry
season.
• The tree species such as the acacia and baobab are more dominant in
savannah humid.
• Plant has yellow or white flowers and can grow over six feet tall.
• The non-thorny trees, baobab, candelabra, and the Jackal berry tree are
found on the African grasslands.
ii. Steppe/ Savannah dry
Savannah dry covers almost half the surface of Africa (central Africa) and large
areas of Australia, South America, and India. Climate is the most important
factor in creating a savanna. Savannas are always found in warm or hot climates
where the annual rainfall is from about 50.8 to 127 cm (20-50 inches) per year.
It is crucial that the rainfall is concentrated in six or eight months of the year,followed by a long period of drought when fires can occur.
The main characteristics of Savannah dry are:
• Trees may facilitate grass growth by improving the biophysical or
biogeochemical conditions for herbaceous growth.
• The trees grass growth through direct competition for water, light and
nutrients.
• The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support
an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of grasses.
• Annual herbaceous plants die completely at the end of the growing
season or when they have flowered and fruited, and they then grow
again from seed.
• The vegetation consists of tall grasses and scattered trees.
• The grasses are usually two meters high or more.
• The trees are mainly found near watercourses. The main types of tree
species are acacia;
• Some trees lose their leaves in the dry season.
• Some plants have thick barks and thorny leaves to reduce water loss.
The Savannah dry /steppe are associated with various economic activities
include hunting, fruit of gathering, rearing of animals, settlement patterns,
agriculture and gazetting of national park and game reserves.
6.3.2 Grasslands in temperate zone
Temperate grasslands are known by different names in various regions.
“Prairies” in North America; “Pampas” in South America (Argentina), “Downs”
in Australia “Velds” in South Africa and “Steppes” in Europe. These are found
in the mid- latitudinal zones and in the interior part of the continents. Central
Asia from Black Sea to Central Russia, North Central USA and Southern Canada,South-East Australia, Southern Africa and Argentina.
The characteristics of temperate grasslands are:
• Grass lands found here are short and juicy, which is suitable for cattle
feed.
• Maize and wheat are grown in large amount that is why this area is
known as “bread basket” of the world.
• The steppes form largest segment of the temperate grassland biome.
Steppes are divided into: Forest steppes, Meadow steppes, grass
steppes.
• America Prairies are divided into three sub regions: tall grass prairie,
mixed grass prairie and short grass prairie.
• Based on rainfall, the Pampas in South America (Argentina) are divided
into two types: humid pampas in the eastern part and Sub-humid
pampas in the Western part of Argentina.
• Velds in South Africa are sub-divided into three types: themed veld
(altitude varies between 1500-2000m), Sour veld and Alpine veld
(2000-2500) of the Drachenberg mountain.
• Dows growing in Australia are divided into three types: temperate
tall grasslands found in eastern coast of New south Wales to Victoria
and Tasmania. Temperate short grasslands found to the north of the
temperate tall grassland region. Xerophytic grasslands developed in
the interior lands of New South Wales and Queensland where semiarid
climate prevails.
• Canterbury grasslands are extended especially over the eastern andthe central part of New Zealand.
6.4. Desert Vegetation
Desert vegetation grows in
desert covering the countries of Saudi Arabia, Iraq,
Iran Syria and Israel, Atacama Desert (Peru and Chile), southern California in
USA, Sonora in Mexico and Victoria in Australia. Desert Vegetation is separateinto two types, namely hot desert and cold desert vegetation or Tundra.
6.4.1. Hot desert vegetation
Hot deserts are located between the latitudinal belts of 15°-30° in North
America, South Asia, south and Central America, Africa and Australia. Hot desert
vegetation is very hot throughout the year. The rainfall is unreliable as the tradewind blocks the rainfall and natural vegetation is very poor in the desert region.
Hot desert vegetation is characterized by the following:
• They have small leaves, with sunken or restricted openings, pale,
reflective and leaves.
• Plants found there are very less with succulent stems, long roots and
leaves.
• The desert trees shade off its leaves during the dry season to minimize
on water loss from the excessive temperature.
• Desert vegetation types especially the tree species grow long taproots
to tap the necessary water deep in the underground water table.
• The main vegetation growing, here is mainly thorny acacia, bushes
euphorbia and turfed coarse grasses.
• Some desert vegetation types grow no leaves in order to avoid excessive
water loss through evapotranspiration.
6.4.2. Cold desert vegetation
The cold vegetation is located in high, flat areas, called plateaus, or mountainous
areas in temperate regions of the world. Temperate regions lie between the
Polar Regions and the tropics. Like other types of desert, cold deserts get very
little rain or snow and are mainly in the in North Canada, North Russia, NorthSweden and Finland islands in Arctic Ocean.
The major characteristics of cold desert vegetation include the following:
• The plants are widely scattered.
• The main plants are deciduous, most having spiny leaves.
• Large amount of snowfall in winter (and sometimes in summer).
• Short, wet moderately warm summers.
• Mean average winter temperature - 2 to 4º C.
• The vegetation receives a mean annual precipitation ranges from 90
and 260 mm.
• Good drainage to leach out most of the salt.
• The burrowing habit also applies to carnivores like the badger, kit fox,
and coyote.
• Several lizards do some burrowing and moving of soil. Deer are foundonly in the winter.
Tundra vegetation is the coldest of all the vegetation and the term tundra is
derived from a Finnish word “tunturi” which means “treeless plain”. It is among
the harshest type of vegetation are found in the arctic region on top of mountains
where the climate is cold and windy, rainfall is limited. Therefore, the tundraregions are covered the areas of Alaska, Russia and some parts of Canada.
The characteristics of tundra vegetation are as follows:
• There is very low variety of trees.
• The vegetation arrangement is simple.
• The season of growth and reproduction is short.
• The drainage system is nearly limited.
• The nutrients and the energy here is in the form of dead and organicmaterial.
Mountain vegetation is categorized into two type’s namely tropical mountain
vegetation and temperate mountain vegetation.
6.6.1. Tropical Mountain vegetation
Mountain vegetation has a variety of vegetation ranging from tropical to
temperate types. On type Mountain slope, various vegetation types show
clear demarcation zones. The savannah vegetation rows from at the foothills,
followed by the layer of tropical rainforests, bamboo forests, mountain heath
and moorland and rest is bare rock. For instance, mountains: Mt. Kenya,
Aberdares, Kilimanjaro, Mt. Meru, Mt. Elgon, Mt. Cameroon, Mt. Ruwenzori,Virunga, Simien Mts. and Bale Mts.
The characteristics of mountain vegetation
• It grows in clearly demarcated zones from the foothills to the summit.
• Mountain vegetation are dominated by tussock grasses and stands of
giant rosette.
• The mountain heath and moorlands grow between the bamboo forests
and the snow – line or bare rocks.
• The tree species, mainly of the lower canopy, are the wild olive.
• Soils in the mountains are mostly are very young and fertile favors the
growth of threes.
• Mountainous areas, the decrease in temperature with increasing
altitude leads to the corresponding change in natural vegetation.
• The wet temperate forests are suitable between 1000 and 2000 mm.
• Between 1500 and 3000 mm, temperate forests containing coniferoustrees like pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce and cedar.
6.6.2 Temperate mountain vegetation
Temperate mountain vegetation grows well in High Mountain of temperate
regions, and temperate mountain vegetation grows best between 350 N and
600 N of the equator. Temperate mountain vegetation also is found in Alps in
Western Europe, in Norway, Sweden and Finland and the Rocky Mountainslopes in California and British Columbia and Andes in South America.
Zonation temperate mountain vegetation
They are characterized by the following:
• Temperate mountain vegetation contains both deciduous and
coniferous plant species such as poplar, birch, oak and elm.
• The vegetation arranges itself on the slope in clear demarcated zones.
• Some trees species grow a thick bark in order to store enough water
for use during the winter season.
• Tree species shade –off their leaves when temperature drops below 6°
C in winter.
• Tree species especially the coniferous forests adapt themselves to the
climatic conditions by growing tiny needle-like leaves.
• Tree species become shorter and more dispersed towards the zonescontaining meadow.
6.7. Aquatic, marsh and Swamp vegetation
1. Mangrove vegetation grow in marshy, swamp areas along the coast
of East Africa specifically in Kenya and Tanzania, Deltas of the Ganga,
Mahanadi, Ganga Brahmaputra delta in India, and evergreen vegetation
grows along the coastal margins between 5o N and 5oS of the equator.
The characteristics of mangrove forests:
• Mangrove vegetation have broad branches and they are evergreen
• Characterized by mineral soils with poor drainage and by plant life
dominated by trees.
• The mangrove vegetation grows butters roots.
• This type of vegetation has a long gestation.
• They exist in areas with poor drainage and sufficient water supply to
keep the ground waterlogged, and they have a high enough supply ofminerals in the water to stimulate decay of organisms.
• High salinity, hypoxic (oxygen deficient) waterlogged soil strata, tidal
pressures, strong winds and sea waves.
• Mangroves forests species, surviving at temperatures above 66° F (19°
C), not tolerating fluctuations exceeding 18° F (10° C) or temperatures
below freezing for any length of time.
2. Aquatic plants : Refers to as hydrophytes or macrophytes. These plants
require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the
water’s surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is
saturated with water.
The following are Characteristics of aquatic plants:
• Roots are often reduced in submerged aquatic vegetation and their
only function is to anchor the plant to the ground.
• Plants that normally are submersed typically form their flowers raised
above the water surface.
• Floating plant with no attachment to the mud or bottom and with
inflated portions of leaves, stems, or special hairs that enable the plant
to remain floating.
• Plant rooted in the mud or muck with immersed leaves with
photosynthetic stems and relatively small leaves similar to typical
leaves of terrestrial plants living nearby.
• Plants that normally are submersed typically form their flowers raised
above the water surface.
• Arial roots that link with underground roots have numerous pores
over their surface that allow for gaseous exchange.
• Structures that anchor many seaweeds to the substratum, such as the
bottom layer or bedrock
3. Marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than
woody plant species. Marshes can often be found at the edges of lakes
and streams, where they form a transition between the aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems. Grasses, rushes or reeds often dominate them.
Familiar examples of marsh vegetation include cattails, sedges, papyrus
and sawgrass.
The following are characteristics of a marsh:
• The mash vegetation grows in poorly drained water.
• The mash vegetation is common characteristics of wetlands areas.
• The mash vegetation grows in both fresh and salty waters.• The mash vegetation is found along the rivers and lakes.
Swamp vegetation is a wetland that is forests. Many swamps occur along large
rivers where they are critically dependent upon natural water level fluctuations
and some swamps have hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic
vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodic inundation.
Characteristics of swamp vegetation are:
• There by characterized by mineral soils with poor drainage and by
plant life dominated by trees.
• The latter characteristic distinguishes a swamp from a marsh, in which
plant life consists largely of grasses.
• They exist in areas with poor drainage and sufficient water supply to
keep the ground waterlogged, and they have a high enough supply of
minerals in the water to stimulate decay of organisms and prevent the
accumulation of organic materials.
• They are often found in regions of low relief associated with rivers that
supply the water to some lakes.
• The number of plant species in swamps is few compared to the numbersthat grow on well-watered but not waterlogged land
A number of factors as indicated below influences vegetation distribution:
• Rainfall: Growth of vegetation depends on amount of rainfall. For
example, Equatorial rainforests have evergreen and dense vegetation.
On the other hand, places with low rainfall have scattered vegetation.
There is little vegetation in deserts.
• Temperature: Forests found in cool areas have fewer tree species.
Those in hot areas have more species. The cold mountain tops have
heath and moorland.
• Relief and altitude: It has been noticed that with a rise in the altitude,
the plants in the region show a stunted growth. Trees such as pine,
silver fir, birch, and juniper fall in this category of vegetation
• Slopes: Areas on the opposite sides of mountains have different
vegetation. Steep slopes have more runoff. Gentle slopes allow water
to sink into the soil. Plants use this water.
• Soil types provide basis for different types of vegetation. The sandy
soils in the desert support cactus and thorny bushes. Wet, marshy,
delta soils support mangroves and other deltaic vegetation.
• Human activities: These include settlement, mining, farming and
livestock keeping. For example, vegetation is cleared to create space
for building houses. Trees are cut for firewood and timber. New or
artificial vegetation is planted. In other areas, the ground is left bare.
• Drainage also determine the vegetation of a place, there are plants
grow best in areas of good drainage while others grow well in swampycondition for example papyrus which only grow in swampy area.
Natural vegetation plays a significant role in the development of countries
where they are found in the following ways:
• Source of food
Some plants that form the vegetation provide food. This is in form of fruits that
grow in tropical forests. Some tree roots and shoot are sources of vegetables
among the communities that live near these forests. Savannah woodland are
also habitats for bees that help in production of honey which is also collected
for food.
• Construction materials
Natural forests also provides construction materials; for example, trees provide
timber and poles for construction of buildings. These poles can also be used in
transmission of electric and telephone lines.
• Climate modification
Dense tropical rainforests help in influencing rainfall in the tropical region
through evapotranspiration process. They also cool the environment where
they are found
• Controlling soil erosion
Vegetation also provide a protective cover of the earth surface. This helps to
control the agents of erosion like wind and running water from eroding the
landscape. Besides, tree roots keep soil particles together and can withstand
any erosional agents.
• Soil formation.
When the vegetation decomposes, they lead to soil formation for example dense
vegetation leads to the formation of deep fertile soils that enhance agriculture.
Also, dense forests help in accelerating chemical and biological weathering
processes that help in soil formation.
• Protection of water catchment areas
Natural vegetation helps to protect water catchment areas like rivers and
streams. The forests and grasslands protect these areas from excessive
evaporation of water from the soil hence keeping constant flow of water as
streams in these areas.
• Purification of air in the atmosphere
The natural vegetation helps clean or purify air through harvesting carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere. Again, trees produce oxygen that human beingsand animals use for their survival
The vegetation also helps regulate the flow of numerous biogeochemical cycles
in the atmosphere, most critically those of water, carbon, and nitrogen. It also
contributes in the local and global energy balances.
The natural vegetation plays an important role in our ecosystem. Whereby,
plants are known as the primary producers since they can manufacture their
own food through the process of photosynthesis using sunlight.
• Supports industrialization
The natural vegetation is also a natural resource that provides a number of
uses to man; i.e. the products like ropes, rubber, gum, papers, and wood used
in the manufacturing of books, rope, tyres, and seats come from the natural
vegetation.
• Source of medicine
Some plants have medicinal contents. Herbs are used in the treatment of various
diseases that threaten human lives as well as those of domestic animals
• Promotes tourism.
The natural vegetation such as forests and grasslands attract tourists. These pay
(money) when they visit to see the animals and a variety of flora. The money is
used to develop the social facilities like schools, hospitals etc.
• Employment opportunities
Many people get jobs. They are employed as researchers, forest guards and
forest officers.
Vegetation has also negative influences to man that are the following:
• Vegetation are associated with some pests such as tsetse flies and tick,
such pests transmit animal and human diseases.
• Vegetation reduces mean annual temperature five feet, above ground
from 0.8 to 1.8 °F depending upon character of vegetation and locality
and affects man’s activity.
• Some plants are thorny – leafed and they harmful for human beings
and animals.
• Vegetation is a habitant for dangerous animals, which may attack or
harm human being.
• Some plants are poisonous and may kill human being and animalswhen eaten.
