Climate Controls Vegetation
Natural vegetation is plant life that grows on its own without human planting. Its type and distribution depend mainly on climate, especially temperature and rainfall. Wildlife then adapts to survive in the vegetation zone where it lives.
Key idea
Where it is hot and wet, forests are dense and evergreen; where it is dry or very cold, plants become sparse, short and specially adapted to harsh conditions.
Major Vegetation Zones
- Tropical rainforest: found near the equator (including Malaysia). Hot and wet all year, with tall evergreen trees in layers and very high biodiversity. Wildlife: orangutan, tapir, hornbill.
- Hot desert: very dry, with cacti and thorny shrubs. Animals such as the camel store water and are active at night.
- Tropical grassland (savanna): tall grasses with scattered trees. Home to grazing herds like zebra and their predators such as lions.
- Coniferous forest (taiga): cold northern regions with evergreen needle-leaf trees; wildlife includes bears and wolves.
- Tundra: very cold, treeless, with mosses and lichens; the reindeer and arctic fox live here.
Example
A desert cactus stores water in a thick stem and has spines instead of leaves to reduce water loss, an adaptation to long dry conditions.
Adaptation and Conservation
Plants and animals develop features that suit their environment, such as broad leaves in wet forests or thick fur in cold lands. Many habitats are threatened by deforestation, farming and climate change, so protecting these zones helps conserve the world's biodiversity.
Remember
- Climate (temperature + rainfall) decides vegetation type.
- Rainforest = hot, wet, evergreen, most biodiverse.
- Tundra and desert have sparse, specially adapted plant life.