Section 4 Soils & Vegetation Chapter 3 Section 4 Soils & Vegetation

I. Soil Regions Soil is a thin layer of weathered rock, humus, air, and water. It shapes human existence. Depth, texture, and humus content determine the type of vegetation that can be supported.

II. Vegetation Regions Vegetation regions are natural environments that provide the stage for farming, raising livestock, & producing timber. Vegetation patterns are identified by the ecosystems support. Ecosystem is an interdependent community of plants & animals. The ecosystem is refer to as a biome. Biome are further divided into forest, grassland, desert, and tundra.

Cont. II A: Forestlands they are categorized by the trees they support: Broadleaf & Needleleaf. Broadleaf trees include maple, oak, birch, & cottonwood & they also include rainforest. They are also called Deciduous trees because they shed their leaves. Broadleaf=Deciduous=shed their leaves Needleleaf=pine,fir=Coniferous=because there are cone bearing trees. Needleleaf include pine, fir, & cedar to form a mixed forest. They are also called Coniferous trees because they are cone bearing. Located in the northern regions. B. Grassland: mostly flat areas with few trees. They go by different terms. In the tropical grassland they are called savanna & in the Northern hemisphere Steppe or prairie. In the southern hemisphere they are called Pampas. C. Desert & Tundra: the plants in these extreme climates adapted to tolerate the dry or cold conditions. In the tundra plants hug the ground & in the desert plants conserve water & withstand heat such as the sagebrush or shrubs.

Biomes I. Forests: II. Grasslands: III. Desert and Tundra: A. Tropical Rainforest B. Temperate Rainforest C. Deciduous Trees D. Coniferous Trees II. Grasslands: A. Prairies B. Savanna C. Pampa D. Llandos E. Cerrado III. Desert and Tundra: A. Chaparral B. Tundra C. Taiga

Tropical Rainforest Forests represent a third of the earth's land, and are found in the four corners of the globe.  The major attribute of the forest biome is its trees.

Temperate Rainforest Temperate deciduous forest are a close relative of the Taiga biome, and can be found in areas with a milder, shorter winter season.  include maple, elm, oak, cedar and other trees which shed their leaves in the fall.  Richer soil.

Broadleaf trees include maple, oak, birch, & cottonwood & they also include rainforest. They are also called Deciduous trees because they shed their leaves.

Needleaf Trees include pine, fir, & cedar to form a mixed forest. They are also called Coniferous trees because they are cone bearing. Located in the northern regions.

B. Grassland: mostly flat areas with few trees. They go by different terms. In the tropical grassland they are called savanna & in the Northern hemisphere Steppe or prairie. In the southern hemisphere they are called Pampas. Grassland are generally semi-arid areas with little or no trees, and are inhabited by grazing mammals, ground-nesting birds, insects, and a few species of reptiles. 

Desert & Tundra Arid deserts generally occur at low latitudes, and can be found in North-America, South-America, Africa, and Southern Asia.  Seasons in the arid desert are generally dry and hot, with few occurrences of rain during the winter. Semi-arid deserts are found in North-America, Europe, Russia, and Northern Asia.  low rainfalls during the winter. Even if the rainfall is kept at a bare minimum, several species of animals and plants thrive in this climate The soil of the arctic  tundra is poor in nutrients, which accounts for the low amount of vegetation. There is an under-layer of soil called permafrost which remains completely frozen at all times, The alpine tundra biome exists on rocky mountaintops and is very similar to the arctic tundra except for a conspicuous lack of trees. 

C. Desert & Tundra: the plants in these extreme climates adapted to tolerate the dry or cold conditions. In the tundra plants hug the ground & in the desert plants conserve water & withstand heat such as the sagebrush or shrubs.

III. Human Impact on the Environment Human activities has taken its toll on the soil & vegetation. Human activities that has affected the environment include building dams or irrigation systems, planting food crops, or slashing and burning the vegetation.

Questions 1. Why is soil fertility important? Soil fertility is directly related to the amount of food it can produce. 2. Why is the depth, texture, and humus content of soil important? These factors determine what vegetation can grow in a region. 3. Besides soil, what other factor determines the vegetation in a region? Climate 4. What are the four main types of biomes? Forest, grassland, desert, & tundra

5. How are forest categorized? By the type of leaf they support—broadleaf or needleleaf. 6. Which types of plants thrive in the desert & tundra? Desert favors plants that can conserve water & withstand heat, such as cacti. Tundra favors plants that hug the ground, such as mosses and lichens. 7. What are two ways in which people interact with their environment? By adapting to it or by altering it 8. What are some ways in which people alter the environment? By building dams or irrigation systems, planting food crops, etc.