Vegetation provides food, shelter, habitat, and soil stabilization. Scientists classify biomes based on plant life, soil, climate, and land use. Vegetation loss contributes to environmental problems and food insecurity.
Vegetation is plant life, which can range from unexplored tropical forests to the cultivated plants of a farm or garden. Plant life is a topic of interest to many scientists and researchers because it plays an important role in the interconnected systems of life on Earth. Vegetation provides food, shelter, habitat, and a host of other services to the natural world, whether clinging to sand dunes in the desert or occupying abandoned properties in a settled temperate zone. People who study plant life on Earth include botanists, general biologists, ecologists, agronomists, foresters, and oceanographers.
Several scientific organizations have classified the world’s vegetation to create a series of biomes, areas on Earth with shared characteristics that can be defined by the plant life they contain. There are a number of classification systems in use, depending on where you are in the world, which describe biomes in terms such as the types of plants found there, soil conditions, climate, and historical land use. Some examples of vegetation biomes include tropical plants, high mountain plants, and desert plants.
An important function of vegetation is the stabilization and enrichment of the soil. Having plants around improves the soil, with plants trapping nutrients and water to improve the soil. Additionally, the roots and other structures of the plant work to hold the topsoil in so it is not lost. Vegetation also plays a role in flood control, as plants can help create buffer zones that keep floodwaters at bay, especially in marshes.
For animals, vegetation provides ample habitat along with food. Animals live in plants or use plant materials to build houses, and many plants are edible, at least for some species. Other animals in turn prey on animals that feed on vegetation. Gardeners, whether they’re growing food or ornamental plants, use plant life in a variety of creative ways, depending on the climate or area in which they grow.
In areas where vegetation is sparse or stunted, it can contribute to environmental problems. The loss of vegetation contributes to the loss of topsoil, making the soil less useful, and can also cause the area to become hotter because the plants don’t act as a heat sink to keep temperatures more moderate. The lack of plants also means a lack of food, a major problem in regions of the world experiencing desertification and consequently experiencing food insecurity.
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