Shrublands are a unique biome named for the many aromatic, semi-woody shrubs that thrive there. Shrublands are usually located between 30 and 40 degrees North and South latitude, in places such as southern California, Chile, Mexico, and southwest Africa and Australia. They have hot dry summers, and cool moist winters, so they are one of the biomes that have a wet and dry season. Rain is unpredictable, with periods of months between rain at some points, so there is not enough water for large trees. That is why grasses, shrubs and small trees dominate the environment.
There are many subsets for the shrubland biome. Xeric scrublands, dwarf shrubs, Mediterranean scrublands, interior scrublands and others all fall under the shrubland biome. Shrublands come in all shapes, sizes, and places, and these different names describe certain versions of shrublands around the world. For instance, xeric, or desert scrublands, are hot and dry, with little rainfall. Mediterranean scrublands are located around the Mediterranean Sea, and have a lot of short, soft-leaved shrubs. And interior scrublands occur in semi-arid locations, withnutrient-poor soil. |
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There are also different roles for shrublands. Some shrublands are temporary. They are the pioneers of empty areas, living in and helping the land grow until larger forests are able to grow and replace the shrublands. For that reason, they are sometimes considered the nurseries for forests. Other shrublands are permanent. They live in places too harsh for forests, and most of the plants live much longer lifespans and grow much more slowly than their counterparts.
Now that we've established what shrublands are, we're ready to look at the various factors that affect them. Click the "Next" button if you're ready to continue, or click the "Previous" button if you want to return to the "Home" page.
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