Articles of category "Vegetation"

Geographical areas, characterized by distinct plant communities are called vegetation regions. Community composition, determined by climate, may be affected by factors such as geology, soil composition and erosion, water drainage patterns and human interference. The specific traits of tundra vegetation are: one-layer closed vegetation cover; predominance of perennial plants; high importance of dwarf shrubs, mosses and lichens; the lack of shrubs and trees.

Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region. It refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is the most abundant biotic element of the biosphere. The term Natural Vegetation characterizes those soils where vegetation grows without active and frequent intervention by people. Vegetation serves several critical functions in the biosphere. It regulates the flow of numerous biogeochemical cycles; affects soil characteristics and is a primary source of oxygen in the atmosphere.