Using specific examples, describe how each of the following factors affect the vegetation of Africa;...
Using specific examples, describe how each of the following factors affect the vegetation of Africa;
(a) Rainfall (b) Altitude (c) Soil type
Explanation
(a) Rainfall:Areas with heavy rainfall of over 150cm have dense forest. Rainfall throughout the year gives rise to evergreen vegetation, e.g tropical rainforest. Areas with winter, rainfall an dry summer have Mediterranean vegetation. When rainfall is less than 150cm and occurs mainly in summer the vegetation is often grass, e.g savanna and the veldts. Where rainfall is very low, less than 50cm, we have semi-desert and desert vegetation
(b) Altitude: Vertically zoned vegetation types and montane vegetation at high altitudes e.g Kenya Mountain and Cameroon Mountain, Short temperate grassland, dwarfed trees, and lowland forests.
(c) Soil Types:Limestone soil in the Mediterranean regions gives rise to low growing vegetation called garrigue. Clayey soils in areas of high rainfall gives rise to mangrove swamps e.g Niger Delta Areas with loamy soils and good rainfall gives rise to luxuriant vegetation e.g Rainforest belt. Sandy soils gives rise to poor grassland and desert, e.g Sahara desert