Nigeria: Vegetation And Soils

VEGETATION OF NIGERIA

The vegetation of Nigeria can be grouped into three major zones and these are:

1. Forest zone/vegetation: This zone contains mainly trees and it is sub-divided into

            (a) Mangrove swamp forest: Salt and fresh water swamp.

            (b) Rain forest

• Savanna zone/vegetation: This zone is made up of mainly grasses and it is further sub-divided

into three which are

            (a) Guinea savanna

            (b) Sudan savanna

            (c) Sahel savanna

• Montane vegetation: This is mainly found in highland areas such as Jos and Adamawa.

EVALUATION

1. What is vegetation?
2. Describe the vegetation pattern of Nigeria

SOILS IN NIGERIA                                                                                                                                                          Soil is defined as the thin surface of the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust on which plants grow.

Soils in Nigeria can be grouped into four major zones which are:

1. Zone of laterite soil
2. Zone of forest soil
3. Zone of sandy soil
4. Zone of alluvial soil

ZONE OF LATERITE SOIL

These are found in the interior zone of Nigeria in places such as Jos, Markurdi, M inna, Enugu, Abuja etc. The soils are associated with guinea savanna and it is heavily leached due to rainfall. The soils are usually reddish in colour due to the presence of iron.

ZONE OF SANDY SOIL

These soils are found in the extreme northern part of Nigeria like Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Damaturu, Maiduguru etc. T he soils are associated with sudan and sahel savanna. These soils are formed due to dryness and depositing of sand by wind.

ZONE OF FOREST SOIL

This is found in the southern belt and south-western part of Nigeria in places like Ibadan, Akure, Benin City, Ogun, Anambra, Imo etc. The soil is associated with forest vegetation and it is rich in humus due to fallen and decayed leaves

ZONE OF ALLUVIAL SOILS

This is found around Ilorin, Lokoja, Niger-Delta areas of Warri, Port-Harcourt and Calaber. The soil is associated with fine alluvial soil deposits at the lower course of a river.

EVALUATION

1. List the zones of soils in Nigeria.
2. Describe laterite soil.
3. How is alluvial soil formed?

GENERAL EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Define soil.
2. Mention three types of soil.
3. Describe the zone of laterite soil.
4. Describe the solar system.
5. State the characteristics of Jupiter.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Essential Geography, O.A. Iwena Pages 243-247.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1.         The best soil for planting is ……..soil  (a) sandy (b) clayey (c) loamy

2.         Sandy soil is more dominant in which of the following areas? (a) Warri (b) Lagos

(c) Kano

3.         Laterite soil is more dominant in which of the following areas? (a) Makurdi (b) Lagos

(c) Kano

4.         Savanna vegetation is characterized with (a) trees (b) grasses (c) raffia palms

5.         Soil porosity is highest in ……… soil (a) sandy (b) loamy (c) clayey

THEORY

1. Define soil erosion.
2. Mention three areas of wind erosion in Nigeria.