Nigeria Vegetation SS1 Geography Lesson Note

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 subdivided into:

 (a) Mangrove swamp forest: Salt and freshwater swamp.

 (b) Rainforest

2. Savanna zone/vegetation: This zone is made up of mainly grasses and it is further subdivided into three which are:

 (a) Guinea savanna

 (b) Sudan savanna

 (c) Sahel savanna 

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

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

1. ZONE OF LATERITE SOIL

These are found in the interior zone of Nigeria in places such as Jos, Makurdi, 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 due to the presence of iron.

2. ZONE OF SANDY SOIL

These soils are found in the extreme northern part of Nigeria like Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Damaturu, Maiduguri etc. The soils are associated with Sudan and Sahel savanna. These soils are formed due to dryness and depositing sand by wind.

3. ZONE OF FOREST SOIL

This is found in the southern belt and southwestern 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

4. ZONE OF ALLUVIAL SOILS

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

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 by  (a) trees (b) grasses (c) raffia palms

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

6. Define soil erosion.

7. Mention three areas of wind erosion in Nigeria.