Barren vegetation

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/barren-vegetation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the common ecoregions?Pine barrens, coastal barrens, and serpentine barrens
2. Why do plants grow so little in barren places?Plants grow little because the soil is poor or has toxic metals, and the weather can be very windy or salty. These harsh conditions stop most plants from starting to grow. Only the toughest plants can survive.
3. How do plants survive in soils with heavy metals?Some plants have deep roots to find water, small or waxy leaves to keep water, and can even store heavy metals like nickel inside their tissues. This lets them live in soils that would hurt other plants.

Edaphic factors: Environmental conditions related to the soil that affect plant growth and distribution.
Halophytes: Plant species that are adapted to grow in environments with high salt concentrations.
Endemic species: A species of plant or animal that is native to and found only in a specific geographic area.