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Concept
Groundcover
Summary
Groundcover or ground cover is any plant that grows over an area of ground. Groundcover provides protection of the topsoil from erosion and drought.
In an ecosystem, the ground cover forms the layer of vegetation below the shrub layer known as the herbaceous layer. The most widespread ground covers are grasses of various types.
In ecology, groundcover is a difficult subject to address because it is known by several different names and is classified in several different ways. The term groundcover could also be referring to "the herbaceous layer," "regenerative layer", "ground flora" or even "step over."
In agriculture, ground cover refers to anything that lies on top of the soil and protects it from erosion and inhibits weeds. It can be anything from a low layer of grasses to a plastic material. The term ground cover can also specifically refer to landscaping fabric, a breathable tarp that allows water and gas exchange.
In gardening jargon, however, the term groundcover refers to plants that are used in place of weeds and improves appearance by concealing bare earth.
The herbaceous layer is often overlooked in most ecological analyses because it is so common and contributes the smallest amount of the environment's overall biomass. However, groundcover is crucial to the survival of many environments. The groundcover layer of a forest can contribute up to 90% of the ecosystem's plant diversity. Additionally, the herbaceous layer ratio of biomass to contribution to plant productivity is disproportionate in many ecosystems. The herbaceous layer can constitute up to 4% of the overall net primary productivity (NPP) of an ecosystem, four times its average biomass.
Groundcover typically reproduces one of five ways:
Lateral growth
Side growth: Branches on the side of the plant extend outwards upon contact with the soil.
Base growth: New plants produced from the base of the origin plant.
Under/Above-ground growth: Produced from rhizomes and stolons
Roots
Like most foliage, groundcover reacts to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances.
Official source
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