Plant Geography

January 10, 2013

Ecosystems and Biogeography

• Biogeography – Examines the geographical distributions of organisms, their

habitats, and the environmental or historical factors that produce them

– Biogeography can be subdivided into:• Zoogeography –

• Phytogeography –

• Ecosystems are self-sustaining associations of living plants and animals and their nonliving environment

• Components of Ecosystems:

– Communities are subdivisions within an ecosystem. They include all things that are living.

Ecosystems and Biogeography

– Habitat – type of environment where an organism resides or is biologically adapted to live

– Niche – the function or occupation of a life form in a community

– Competitive exclusion principle –

Ecosystems and Biogeography

Relationships in Communities• Symbiotic – 2 or more species exist together in an

overlapping relationship

– Mutualistic –

– Parasitic –

Climate and Vegetation: The Character and Distribution of Global Biomes

• Most important factor influencing geographic distribution of vegetation is:

• Biomes are:

Climate and Vegetation: The Character and Distribution of Global Biomes

Forest Biomes

• Geographic regions where vegetation is dominated by trees

Forest Biomes• Tropical Rainforest

• Tropical Deciduous Forest and Scrub

• Midlatitude Deciduous Forest

Forest Biomes• Mediterranean Woodland and Shrub

• Midlatitude Coniferous Forest

• Boreal Forest

Grassland Biomes• Tropical Savanna

• Midlatitude Grassland

Desert Biomes• Hot and Dry Desert

• Semi-Arid and Cold Desert

Tundra Biomes

• Arctic Tundra

• Alpine Tundra

Local and Regional Influences on the Geography of Vegetation

Local and Regional Influences on the Geography of Vegetation

Local and Regional Influences on the Geography of Vegetation

• Plant succession refers to the natural changes that occur in a biome over time– Trend is towards more complexity– Occurs when newer communities replace older communities

of plants and animals– Primary succession

– Secondary succession

Plant Succession

Human Interactions: Human Influence on Vegetation Patterns

Deforestation• The process through which large tracts of land are

cleared of trees for commercial use or for agriculture

Deforestation

Human Interactions: Human Influence on Vegetation Patterns

Agriculture in midlatitude grassland

Overgrazing

Remote Sensing & the Biosphere