Basic
What is natural vegetation?
Plants which have not been planted by people but which have grown naturally by themselves
Why do forest are not found in the polar regions and deserts?
Forests require regular supply of sunlight and rainfall and this is not found in polar regions and deserts.
Grasslands are found in places that do not ....................... for many large tress to grow
do not receive enough rainfall
Describe the amount of rainfall received by a desert
Rainfall less than 250 mm per year
Give two values of tropical rainforests (in complete sentences)
Some species of plants may have medicinal value/properties
The rainforests form our water catchment areas
Provide people with a place to enjoy outdoor activities like trekking and jogging
Form parts of a country's national heritage.
Three major types of natural vegetation
Forests, grasslands and desert vegetation
Explain three characteristics of tropical rainforests
Evergreen as the trees do not shed all their leaves at a specific time
Waxy drip tip leaves to allow rainwater to flow off quickly
Have broad leaf surfaces to absorb as much sunlight as possible
Dense rainforests as the trees and other plants grow very close to one another
Tress have butress roots to support their tall trunks
Trunks are tall to compete for/get enough sunlight
Climate of grasslands
High temperatures and moderate rainfall
Two different types of desert
Hot desert and cold tundra
Give an example of a plant that have medicinal properties and briefly describe it's usage.
Quinine, used to treat malaria
Tropical rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, temperate coniferous forests
Explain three characteristics of temperate deciduous forests
Broad leaves from which water can be lost through transpiration
Shed their leaves in autumn, to minimise the loss water during winter
Consist of three layers, the top layer/canopy, the second layer and the forest floor
The appearances changes with seasons as the leaves turn from green to red and orange during autumn/due to chlorophyll production which slows down and eventually stops in autumn
Not very dense and trees do not grow closely together
Has only 3-4 varieties of tress growing within an area
Why are fires frequent in the savannahs?
Dry trees and grasses are easily set on fire when struck by lightning during thunderstorms
Compare the roots of the plants in hot desert and cold tundra.
Hot desert
- long roots to tap groundwater
- shallow but long roots that spread out over a wide area in search of water
Cold tundra
- Short roots so that it is not exposed to and damaged by the extreme cold
Example of three hardwood trees in tropical rainforest
Seraya, Meranti, Nemesu
How does climate influence the distribution of natural vegetation?
There is a climate-vegetation relationship, rainfall and temperature determine the type of natural vegetation found in a place.
Explain three characteristics of temperate coniferous forests
Cone-shaped tree which allows snow to slide off the tree branches easily
Small and needle like leaves to minimise water loss
Has only one variety of tree in any area due to the low rainfall
Consist of only one layer of vegetation due to the low rainfall
In the tropical savannah, the trees has large trunks to help them ..................... and thick barks to ................................
store water
Protect them against fire
Why does cactus leaves take the form of prickly needles?
To reduce loss of water through transpiration
Examples of three epiphytes
Bird's Nest Fern
Stag's Horn Fern
Orchids
What do forests refer to?
Large areas of land that are dominated by tress and a variety of other plants
The largest tropical rainforest in Malaysia is located in ...............
Pahang
Compare the characteristics of temperate grasslands and tropical savannah. (2 comparisons)
The grasses in temperate grasslands are shorter while the grasses in tropical savannah are tall.
Tropical savannah trees are scattered while temperate grasslands trees are scarce or even absent,there are flowers which bloom in spring and summer
Hot desert plants adapt to the harsh climate by having short life cycles. Explain the short life cycle.
The plants produce seeds which stay buried for months/years to survive the harsh condition. When rain falls, these seeds quickly grow into plants which flower and produce new seeds in a few weeks. These seeds are then scattered and remain in the ground, only to grow into new plants when rain comes again
When we visit the nature reserves, obey the Golden Rule: " Take ...................... but ......................., ......................... nothing but ..........................
Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footsteps