“Vegetation” is a word that we use very frequently but, on many occasions, without being at all of the concrete meaning it implies. On a planet where a good part of the terrestrial territory is covered by plants of all kinds, and where the marine surface is also inhabited by aquatic plants, the variety of types of vegetation that can be found is enormous.
In this ecology article, we will see the main Types of vegetation existing, as well as the most important characteristics of each.
What is vegetation
We understand as vegetation the Flora cover that grows on land concrete, no matter if by culture or spontaneously. Logically, the species and characteristics of this vary greatly depending on the climate and the terrain in which it is found. “Vegetation“It is a very general term, in fact, it is one of the broadest both in botany and in geography and, within these sciences, it refers to any Taxon of the Plantae Kingdom in a specific area or environment.
So that you know more about it, we recommend you consult these other articles of Ecology Verde in which we talk about the Plantae kingdom: what is, characteristics, classification and examples and how the vegetation influences the climate.
Types of vegetation according to the medium in which it is
One of the most basic classifications that can be made of vegetation is according to the physical environment in which we can find it. Part of two large groups: Vegetation in the aquatic environment and in the terrestrial environment.
Aquatic vegetation
Aquatic vegetation is what we can find both submerged in aquatic environments, whether of fresh or salted water, as in areas of very high environmental humidity. It can be both fully submerged plants, and those that are only in part, and it is the one we find in areas such as swamps, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, rivers or in the sea itself.
Terrestrial vegetation
The land vegetation is the one that grows on the mainland, without being submerged totally or partially. Logically, the enormous variety of terrestrial environments causes a lot of subtypes of land vegetation such as, for example, the GipSophilic vegetationwhich is the one that develops in soils of clay type, or the halophile vegetationwhich grows in environments with a high concentration of salt.
Types of vegetation according to the bioma in which it is found
A much more concrete classification is according to the bioma or bioclimatic landscape In which we can find it. These are large areas that share characteristics of flora, fauna and climate, so the vegetation is within that first group. Let’s look at the most important:
Tundra vegetation
The vegetation of the tundra is of simple and low -height structure, adapted to be able to withstand the low temperatures and the short warm stations. They are plants without deep roots, with predominance of shrubs, mosses and grasses.
Taiga vegetation
The taigas are mainly coniferous forests of little variety. The forests of this bioma make up the largest forest mass on the planet, and give rise to a very dense and dense formations that resist the low temperatures well. There are also a lot of lichens and mosses.
Jungle vegetation
The jungle, rain forest or jungle has a huge variety of vegetation. They are warm and very humid areas, which greatly favor the development and growth of plant life, so they are extraordinarily rich in it, which is divided into different strata very differentiated.
Forest vegetation
There are many types of forests according to several classifications, but they all agree that they have large amounts of trees and a great diversity of both animal and plant life. There are deciduous forests and perennifolios according to their foliage, but they can also be classified by climate or predominant vegetation.
Learn more with this other article about the types of forests.
Desert vegetation
In the deserts the crays plants reign, usually small and with the ability to resist long periods of drought thanks to their ability to store water. In addition, plants with thorns are also common, necessary not to be preaded so easily.
We also recommend this other post on 25 desert plants.
Sabana vegetation
The savanna is mainly made up of prairies of great extension and amplitude, in which the trees are scarce or relatively distanced. Pastures of different types predominate, and there are a lot of shrubs. The vegetation tends to be out of decidue.
Meadow vegetation
The meadows are rich in pastures, with grasses and plants such as clovers or sunflowers. The density of its vegetation varies depending on whether it is temperate or tropical meadows.
Páramo vegetation
In the moors, which are at great altitude, the vegetation has needed really drastic adaptations to survive its low temperatures and strong winds. They are shrubs of strong and hard leaves, with the ability to grow in arid and resistant soils even to drought.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of vegetationwe recommend that you enter our biology category.
