Barren vegetation
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Look up barren in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Barren vegetation (or just barren) describes an area of land where plant growth is sparse, stunted, or possesses little biodiversity. Poor growth may occur due to high winds, climate, salt spray, infertile or toxic soil, or heavy exploitation by humans.
Barrens may look poor—with shrubs or moss instead of trees—but they provide good environments for rare plant and animal species that can't compete in nutrient-rich environments. Many serpentine barrens host unique assemblages of plant species. Some barrens, such as pine barrens, are well-wooded with fairly tall trees, though the only smaller plants present are those adapted to a low nutrient supply.