Unit 5 - Natural vegetation

Question 1

What is natural vegetation?

Answer 1

Plants that grow naturally in an area. They are indigenous to the area.

Question 2

What are exotic plants?

Answer 2

Plants that people introduce from another area.

Question 3

Name three examples of trees that change according to SA’s seasons.

Answer 3

1. Deciduous trees
2. Fynbos
3. Coniferous trees

Question 4

How do deciduous trees change with the seasons?

Answer 4

The leaves change colour.
Summer = green
Autumn = yellow, red, brown
Winter = leaves fall off and are not actively growing. They look dead.
spring = new buds start to grow

Question 5

What does indigenous mean?

Answer 5

Natural vegetation of an area; plants that occur naturally in an area.

Question 6

How does fynbos change with the seasons?

Answer 6

To survive WC’s hot, dry summers, many fynbos flowers have bulbs instead of roots to store food and water. They have thick, waxy leaves to prevent water loss. E.g. Protea, Erica, Vygie.

Question 7

How do coniferous trees change with the seasons?

Answer 7

Their leaves are covered in a thick, waxy layer to prevent them from freezing. The shape of the tree and the needle-like leaves causes the snow to slide off easily.