Why Some Trees Don't Have Vegetation at the Bottom of Them - Biology Essay Sample

According to Chytry, Schaminee, and Schwabe, (2011), different plants have different adaptation characteristics. The characteristics will help identify a specific location or area where a plant or a tree can survive besides its effect on the environment. In a research carried out in LAVC campus, it was noted that some large trees do not allow other vegetation to grow underneath. There are some types of trees which cannot allow other vegetation to grow under them. This can be attributed to many different reasons. First, it can depend on the nature of acidity or alkalinity of a plant. Some plants cannot survive in a more acidic environment.

When such plants are planted under trees of high acidic nature, they will automatically dry up. Acidic mineral soils contain toxic concentrations of mineral elements, e.g., Al, of H+, and availability of a low mineral nutrient. Maarel, (1991) upholds that low nutrient concentration is brought about by either solubility, low reserves, besides impaired uptake at high H+ concentration. There are some trees which have long roots that are distributed across the area. The long roots absorb water and other important nutrients in the environment. Some vegetation that would grow in such an environment could not survive due to lack of water and other necessary nutrients. Apart from trees, other vegetation normally has shallow root systems, and hence it will affect the capacity of mineral nutrient acquisition. The vegetation will not withstand the risk of drought stress. Such vegetation should, therefore, use the strategy of avoidance to adapt to such environments of acid mineral soils. These involve; an increment of PH, releasing of chelators of Al, and also increase in the surface area of the roots through the mycorrhizae.

Large trees with broad leaves are also a major problem to the growth of vegetation in the bottom of them. Broad leaves bring about shadows which is very dangerous to other vegetation. Plants need sunlight for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants make their food by use of water and sunlight. Without either water or sunlight, photosynthesis will not take place implying that the plant will wither off due to lack of food. There are trees with some bacteria which are harmful to the vegetation which can grow underneath the tree. The bacteria can either kill the vegetation instantly or by introducing a disease hence killing it slowly by slowly.

Siomos, (2009) affirms that there is the need for vegetation to grow under the tree since they are helpful and also preserve the soil, thus the land is not being wasted. It is, therefore, necessary for us to check on the shortcomings hindering the growth of vegetation in such areas and identifying the possible solutions that when met, the growth of the vegetation will be encouraged. First I would recommend that we should check the type of trees growing in our locality and know whether characteristics will allow other vegetation to grow underneath. Siomos, (2009) reaffirms that the trees should be of low acidic nature that can favor the growth of other plants. The trees should not have much exaggerated long roots that can hinder other vegetation from growing in the environment.

Trees with broad leaves and branches can be avoided by providing shadows into the other vegetation by cutting some of their branches or cutting some of them in order provide sufficient space for penetration of sunlight. These strategies will help in curbing such problems that can hinder vegetation from growing under the trees.

References

Chytry, M., Schaminee, J. and Schwabe, A. (2011). Vegetation survey: a new focus for Applied Vegetation Science. Applied Vegetation Science, 14(4), pp.435-439.

Maarel, E. (1991). Vegetation mapping: vegetation science in need of a new handbook. Journal of Vegetation Science, 2(3), pp.421-424.

Siomos, M. (2009). Shaped by the environment - adaptation in plants. FEBS Journal, 276(17), pp.4705-4714.