The few candidates who attempted this question ranged between average and very poor scores,
some candidates correctly described the characteristic vegetation of the tropical rain forests and could state two types of savanna found in Nigeria but could not state where they were found;
Some candidates rather wrote on the climatic factors of the rainforest. Most of the candidates could not state how animals are adapted to drought and high temperature in arid habitats, some rather wrote on plant adaptation to arid regions.
Expected answer include:
Vegetation of Tropical rain forest.
- vegetation divided into 5 layers/strata;
- ground layer of non-woody plants/lichens/ferns/grasses;
- lower layer of shade-loving dwarf/tree/palm/shrubs;
- middle layer of small trees with elongated narrow crowns;
- upper layer of tall trees whose crowns form a continuous canopy;
- the emergent trees come above the canopy at intervals;
- the forest is very rich in species;
- trees have straight/slender trunks with branches mostly near the top.
- most of the trees are ever green;
- most of the trees have buttress.and prop roots that support tall stems;
- the leaves of the trees tend to be broad;
- the flowers ofthese1rees are usually small;
- epiphytes, climbers and parasitic plants are numerous and form close associations with the dominant plants;
- epiphytes have adaptations for storing water and absorbing moisture from the air.
Types of Savannah(h) and area Found
Guinea Savanna(h) - Kaduna, Ilorin, Bida/any other correctly named town.
Sahel Savanna (h) - Maiduguri and any other correctly named town.
Sudan Savanna(h) - Kano, Borno, Sokoto, Gongola, Bauchi and any other correctly named town;
Drought
- use of metabolic water;
- production of concentrated water/urine;
- living in burrows/hibernation;
- thick scales/skin to prevent -water loss by evaporation.
High Temperature
- Seeking shade to keep cool;
- nocturnal life.
