1. World vegetation

2. Climate Zones Tropical Polar Temperate Temperate Polar
You may remember that there are 3 major climate zones in the world: Tropical (Click) – which is the zone between the lines of latitude called the “tropics” – the Tropic of Cancer (Click) and the Tropic of Capricorn (Click). The equator (Click) is right in the middle of this tropical zone. This zone can be very hot and generally has lots of rainfall.
There are two temperate zones. (Click) (Click) One is between the Tropic of Cancer (Click) and the Arctic Circle. (Click) The other is between the Tropic of Capricorn (Click) and the Antarctic Circle. (Click) The temperate zones have a climate which is mild so it is generally warm in summer and cool in winter.
The polar zones are close to the North (Click) and South (Click) Poles and of course have a very cold climate.
Polar

3. Vegetation regions Vegetation in the world is affected by: location
temperature
rainfall.
Let’s take a look at types of vegetation in different regions of the world.
These major zones in the world are described as having particular types of climate. However, this does not mean that every country within that zone has exactly the same climatic conditions. There are many variations of temperature and rainfall within countries and between continents because of lots of other factors such as different types of landforms.
Just as climate varies within zones so does vegetation. The type of vegetation in a zone depends on where it is in the zone and how much heat, light and rainfall it receives.

4. World vegetation 1. Forest 2. Grassland 3. Desert 4. Tundra
Did you know there are several main vegetation types? Each of these can be broken down into subtypes.
Do you think you could recognise any of these vegetation types? Do you know where you might find any of these types of vegetation?
Let’s take a look.
1. Forest 2. Grassland 3. Desert 4. Tundra
When we talk about vegetation there are 4 main types: Forest, Grassland, Desert and Tundra. However, these main types of vegetation have sub-types themselves. There is more than one type of forest, grassland, desert and tundra.
Think about what you already know about these types of vegetation. Do you know where you might find some of these types of vegetation? (Pause for responses.) What would you expect to see with each type? (Pause for responses.)

5. Forests Tropical Temperate Taiga
Forests are dominated by trees and woody vegetation.
Three subtypes of forests are:
Tropical
Temperate
Taiga
Forests can occur in different regions of the world – some hot as in the tropics, some temperate and some in the colder regions such as taiga.

6. Tropical regions are generally hot depending on how close they are to the equator and they experience lots of rain. Because the vegetation is receiving lots of heat and water, tropical forests, which are also known as rainforests, tend to be very thick and stay green all year round.
There are 3 layers of vegetation in a tropical forest: very tall trees, tall trees with interlocking branches (called the canopy) and a lower layer which consists of bushes, small trees and ferns.
The trees generally have thin bark because they do not need to retain moisture. Some plants have leaves that are big, thick and leathery and shaped to allow the rain to drain off quickly. There are often other plants such as orchids and mistletoe growing up through and on the trees.
Tropical forests
These forests mostly occur in the tropical zone. They occur in hot and wet conditions.

7. These forests occur in the temperate zones.
Temperate forests do not receive quite as much rainfall as tropical areas but share some of the characteristics including three layers of vegetation, large and tall trees and wide leaves.
Temperate forests tend to be different in various parts of the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere depending on the weather. There are different species of trees such as evergreen conifers in cooler mountain areas (for example, fir and pine trees which stay green all year), broadleaf (such as oaks and maple trees in North America) and temperate rainforests found in the south-eastern parts of Australia.
In many temperate forests, trees are also often deciduous, which means that they lose their leaves in Autumn.
Temperate forest
These forests occur in the temperate zones.

8. Taiga has a climate which includes long, very cold winters and short, warm summers. This area may receive a little more than half the precipitation of tropical forests and much of that is through snowfall. Trees are evergreen and lots of leaves are needle shaped so that they do not lose too much moisture. These forests occur in the northern parts of the northern temperate zone and even extend into the Arctic polar zone in some countries.
Taiga Taiga is also known as ‘snowforest’ and is located south of the Tundra in Northern continents.

9. Grasslands Savannah Temperate
Grasslands are large areas covered with grass and occasional trees. They are dry areas.
Two subtypes of grasslands are:
Savannah
Temperate
Grasslands occur in the temperate zones of the world. There are two types: savannah and temperate.

10. Savannahs often occur between forest and desert.
Savannahs are broad belts of tropical grassland with scattered trees. Savannahs are hot and dry. They consist mostly of grass, scrub with occasional trees and are commonly used by grazing animals.
Savannah
Savannahs often occur between forest and desert.

11. Grass is the dominant vegetation.
Temperate grasslands are characterized as having grasses as the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs are absent. They have hot summers and cold winters. Rainfall is moderate. The amount of annual rainfall influences the height of grassland vegetation, with taller grasses in wetter regions.
They often have seasonal droughts, occasional fires and are grazed by large animals.
Temperate grassland
Grass is the dominant vegetation.

12. Deserts Hot desert Cold desert
Deserts have very low amounts of rainfall.
Very little vegetation grows due to the extreme temperatures.
Hot desert
Cold desert
When we think of deserts, we generally think of hot and dry areas but deserts can occur in very cold places as well.

13. Hot deserts occur in tropical and temperate zones.
Deserts are often too dry and hot for the survival of most plant species. If there are plants, they are usually short and woody and often prickly. Some of these plants have the ability to store water for long periods of time to withstand the hot weather. The only animals that can survive have the ability to burrow under ground. This is because they would not be able to live in the hot sun and heat. They only come out in the night when it is a little cooler.
Hot desert
Hot deserts occur in tropical and temperate zones.

14. Cold deserts are found in temperate regions at high latitudes.
Cold deserts have snow in winter and support little vegetation as it doesn’t get warm enough for most plants to grow. Vegetation may be a few grasses or moss. Animals in cold deserts such as rats and rabbits have to burrow to keep warm.
Cold desert
Cold deserts are found in temperate regions at high latitudes.

15. Tundra
Tundra surrounds the North and South Poles. These areas have an extremely cold climate and limited numbers of plants and animals can survive there.
Arctic
Alpine
Tundra vegetation mostly occurs in the polar zones. There are not many plants which can survive the cold temperatures.

16. Both the Arctic (Northern) and Antarctic (Southern hemisphere) tundra usually refers areas which have low temperatures and short growing seasons. The soil beneath the surface is permanently frozen - called permafrost. There are no trees in these regions because it is too hard for them to put down roots into the earth. The vegetation which does live in the tundra is small and low.
The climate is cold through all months of the year. Summer is a short period of time when it gets slightly warmer. There is not much rain here and yet the land is always quite wet because the rain and the melted snow are unable to drain away due to the frozen ground.
Arctic Tundra
The Arctic tundra occurs in the Northern Hemisphere, near the Arctic Circle, north of the Taiga.

17. Alpine tundra occupies high mountain summits, slopes and ridges.
The climate in Alpine tundra is cold, even in the summer. Precipitation occurs mainly as snow and with the high winds, this landscape is quite dry.
Because of the cold and the wind and the lack of soil, most plants are small and close to the ground. Taller plants or trees would get blown over and/or freeze.
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra occupies high mountain summits, slopes and ridges.

18. Vegetation – World distribution
What vegetation patterns can you see?
If we look at this map of some of the world vegetation types, we can see that there are patterns in their different locations. Most of the hot desert areas, for example, occur on or close to the lines of latitude called the tropics: the Tropic of Capricorn (Click) and the Tropic of Cancer (Click). The tundra areas are found in the very cold high latitude region of Europe and North America (Click) around the Arctic Circle.
(Click)
What vegetation patterns can you see? [Remember: Spatial distribution in Geography refers to the location and arrangement of geographical features across the Earth’s surface.]
For example: How would you describe the spatial distribution or pattern of tropical forests? (Pause for responses.) How would you describe the spatial distribution or pattern of grassland?

19. Reflection: How important is vegetation?
Vegetation is very important!
It produces the oxygen to breathe.
It protects land from erosion by water or wind.
It retains rainfall.
It provides habitat for animals.
It shelters other vegetation such as crops and it provides shelter for livestock.
It provides shade for people.
It cools urban places.
It produces medicines, wood and fibre.
It makes places appear more attractive.
Vegetation is a very important part of our world. It is significant for the environment and to people. Think about the ways vegetation helps people and the environment… Compare your list to the following:
(Click) It produces the oxygen to breathe. (Click) It protects land from erosion by water or wind. (Click) It retains rainfall. (Click) It provides habitat for animals. (Click) It shelters other vegetation such as crops and it provides shelter for livestock. (Click) It provides shade for people. (Click) It cools urban places. (Click) It produces medicines, wood and fibre. (Click) It makes places appear more attractive.
Can you add anything else to the list? (Pause for responses.)

20. Attributions http://pixabay.com/en/tree-desert-namib-dead-vlei-64310/
Brubaker, L.B., NOAA