Discuss the relative importance of physical and human factors in accounting for changes in vegetation over time in the British Isles
Discuss the relative importance of physical and human factors in accounting for the changes to vegetation over time within ecosystems in the British Isles.
With a temperate climate in the Northern Hemisphere, the British Isles bears a variety of trees and successions of plants, including deciduous trees. The main ecosystem of the country is made up from forest and lake biomes alongside heathlands and moorlands such as heather moorland. The changes to the vegetation over time can be affected by both physical and human factors which in some cases occur together or in causation of one another. Physical changes include; changes in climate, succession, disease and natural disasters. Human factors in change include; urbanisation, deforestation, cultivation and tourism. Which are arguably the most important factors in changes to vegetation. The British Isles were largely covered in deciduous forests, until around 5000 years ago when humans began to cut down these trees to build their homes, which can be seen as first stages of ‘urbanisation’. However the trees they cut down were put to use in firewood and fuel for cooking. Other clearances of these deciduous woodlands included for the growth of crops. The land was also used for agriculture and sheep grazing which starts to create a biodiversity. However this damaged the soil but allowed heather to grow and dominate the vegetation that was growing prior to disturbance. Moorland areas were thickly forested. In the Middle Ages, the population was concentrated within camps, this then meant that the nearby vegetation was used for resources and for firewood, this was also apparent in the Anglo – Saxon and Viking eras. This acts as a hugely significant factor as 75% of British land is used for agricultural purposes and therefore human activity has huge influences on future plant activity. Humans consequently cause the introduction and prevention of varies plants by the grazing of animals. In the 20th and 21st centuries,
With a temperate climate in the Northern Hemisphere, the British Isles bears a variety of trees and successions of plants, including deciduous trees. The main ecosystem of the country is made up from forest and lake biomes alongside heathlands and moorlands such as heather moorland. The changes to the vegetation over time can be affected by both physical and human factors which in some cases occur together or in causation of one another. Physical changes include; changes in climate, succession, disease and natural disasters. Human factors in change include; urbanisation, deforestation, cultivation and tourism. Which are arguably the most important factors in changes to vegetation. The British Isles were largely covered in deciduous forests, until around 5000 years ago when humans began to cut down these trees to build their homes, which can be seen as first stages of ‘urbanisation’. However the trees they cut down were put to use in firewood and fuel for cooking. Other clearances of these deciduous woodlands included for the growth of crops. The land was also used for agriculture and sheep grazing which starts to create a biodiversity. However this damaged the soil but allowed heather to grow and dominate the vegetation that was growing prior to disturbance. Moorland areas were thickly forested. In the Middle Ages, the population was concentrated within camps, this then meant that the nearby vegetation was used for resources and for firewood, this was also apparent in the Anglo – Saxon and Viking eras. This acts as a hugely significant factor as 75% of British land is used for agricultural purposes and therefore human activity has huge influences on future plant activity. Humans consequently cause the introduction and prevention of varies plants by the grazing of animals. In the 20th and 21st centuries,