Vegetation has several essential functions in the biosphere. It regulates the flow of numerous biogeochemical cycles, most critically those of water, carbon, and nitrogen;also it is of great importance in local and global energy balances.
Such cycles are important not only for global patterns of vegetation but also for those of climate. Furthermore, vegetation strongly affects soil characteristics, including soil volume, chemistry and texture, which feed back to affect various vegetational characteristics, including productivity and structure.vegetation serves as wildlife habitat and the energy source for the vast array of animal species on the planet (and, ultimately, to those that feed on these).
Vegetation is important to the world economy, particularly in the use of fossil fuels as an energy source, but also in the global production of food, wood, fuel and other materials.
Lastly, vegetation is psychologically important to humans, who evolved in direct contact with, and dependence on, vegetation, for food, shelter, and medicines.
