SS1 Biology Lesson Note on Forest; Grassland and Arid Lands

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CLASS: SS1

TOPIC: TERRESTRIAL HABITAT – FOREST, GRASSLAND AND ARID LANDS

CONTENTS:

FOREST

1. Characteristics of forest
2. Strata in a rain forest
3. Distribution of organisms in a forest
4. Adaption of plants and animals in a forest.

 GRASSLAND

1. Characteristics of grassland
2. Distribution of plants and animals in grassland
3. Some adaptation of grassland communities

 ARID LAND

1. Characteristics of arid lands
2. Types of arid lands
3. Distribution of the organisms to arid Lands
4. Some adaptations of organisms to Arid lands

FOREST

A forest is a plant community in which tree species are dominant. There are different kinds of forests, whose distribution is determined mainly by climate (particularly rainfall and temperature), but sometimes by elevation, soil factors and the activities of man, such as farming lumbering, cutting of firewood, bush burning, road construction and building construction. Forest used to cover most of southern Nigeria but the area covered by forest has been reduced by human activity. The rain forest is the major type of forest in Nigeria.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

1. The forest is rich in epiphytes and climbers.
2. The interior of the forest has high humidity, low light intensity and damp floor.
3. Tall trees with canopy strata.
4. Trees are mesophytes with broad leaves.
5. Leaves of all trees have long drip tips to facilitate dripping off of water.
6. The vegetation has a pattern of arrangement in storeys or layers.
7. The forest floor is usually open with little vegetation.
8. There is usually a large amount of leaf litter on the forest floor
9. Leaves of all trees have long drip tips to facilitate dripping off of water.
10. Rainfall is usually very high.

STRATA IN A RAIN FOREST

The plants in a forest may be classified into five storeys or layers which are briefly described as follows:

1. The Emergent layer
2. The Upper layer
3. The Middle layer
4. The lower layer
5. The Ground layer/forest floor

1. The Emergent Layer: This is the topmost layer or storey made up of the tallest trees, over 40m tall, called emergents. The crowns of the emergents do not normally touch one another.
2. The Upper Layer: this is the second storey or layer and is made up of tall trees, between 20m and 40m tall. Their crowns touch, forming a continuous canopy below the emergents.
3. The Middle Layer: The third layer is made up of small trees, less than 20m tall, which also form a continuous canopy below the second or upper storey.
4. The Lower Layer: Below the third layer of trees is the shrub layer.
5. The Ground Layer/forest floor: the ground layer consists of shade-tolerant plants, including mosses and ferns.

DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE RAINFOREST

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