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Tropical Rain Forest
ByMUJAHIDAH
071404184
ICP 07
BIOLOGY DEPARTEMENT
SCIENCE AND MATHEMATIC FACULTY
MAKASSAR STATE UNIVERSITY
2010
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. BackgroundRainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions
setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 17502000 mm (68-
78 inches). The monsoon trough, alternately known as the intertropical
convergence zone, plays a significant role in creating Earth's tropical rain
forests. 40 to 75% of all species on the world's habitats are indigenous to the
rainforests. It has been estimated that many millions of species of plants,
insects, and microorganisms are still undiscovered. Tropical rainforests have
been called the "jewels of the Earth", and the "world's largest pharmacy",
because over one quarter of natural medicines have been discovered there.
Rainforests are also responsible for 28% of the world's oxygen turn over, often
misunderstood as oxygen production, processing it through photosynthesis
from carbon dioxide and storing it as carbon through biosequestration.
The undergrowth in a rainforest is restricted in many areas by the lack
of sunlight at ground level. This makes it possible to walk through the forest.
If the leaf canopy is destroyed or thinned, the ground beneath is sooncolonized by a dense, tangled growth of vines, shrubs, and small trees called a
jungle. There are two types of rainforest, tropical rainforest and temperate
rainforest.
Many of the world's rainforests are associated with the location of the
monsoon trough, also known as the intertropical convergence zone. Tropical
rainforests are rainforests in the tropics, found near the Equator (between the
Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn) and present in Southeast Asia
(Myanmar to Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northeasternAustralia), Sri Lanka, Sub-Saharan Africa from Cameroon to the Congo
(Congo Rainforest), South America (e.g. the Amazon Rainforest), Central
America (e.g. Bosaws, southern Yucatn Peninsula-El Peten-Belize-
Calakmul), and on many of the Pacific Islands (such as Hawai i). Tropical
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rainforests have been called the "Earth's lungs," although it is now known that
rainforests contribute little net oxygen additions to the atmosphere through
photosynthesis.
B. PurposeThe purpose of this report are:
1. To know what are tropical rainforests?2. To know where are rainforests located?3. To know what makes a rainforest?4. To knowstructure and character5. To knowwhy do rainforests have so many kinds of plants and animals?
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many seasonally flooded forests, which are annually replenished with fertile
silt.
Tropical rain forests have been subjected to heavy logging and
agricultural clearance throughout the 20th century, and the area covered by
rainforests around the world is rapidly shrinking.
Rainforests are also often called the "Earth's lungs," however there is
no scientific basis for such a claim as tropical rainforests are known to be
essentially oxygen neutral, with little or no net oxygen production.
Tall, broad-leaved evergreen trees are the dominant plants, forming a
leafy canopy over the forest floor. Taller trees, called emergents, may rise
above the canopy. The upper portion of the canopy often supports a rich flora
of epiphytes, including orchids, bromeliads, mosses, and lichens, who live
attached to the branches of trees. The undergrowth or understory in a rain
forest is often restricted by the lack of sunlight at ground level, and generally
consists of shade-tolerant shrubs, herbs, ferns, small trees, and large woody
vines which climb into the trees to capture sunlight. The relatively sparse
under story vegetation makes it possible for people and other animals to walk
through the forest. In deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, or forests where
the canopy is disturbed for some reason, the ground beneath is soon colonized
by a dense tangled growth of vines, shrubs and small trees called jungle.
The temperature ranges from 15 (59F) to 50C (122F) and 125 to
660 cm of rainfall yearly
C.LayersThe rainforest is divided into five different layers, each with different
plants and animals, adapted for life in the particular area. These are: the
ground layer, the shrub layer, the under storey layer, the canopy layer and the
emergent layer. Only the emergent layer is unique to tropical rainforests, while
the others are also found in temperate rainforests.
The emergent layer contains a small number of very large trees which
grow above the canopy layer, reaching heights of 45-55 m, although on
occasion a few species will grow up to 70 m or 80 m tall. They need to be able
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to withstand the hot temperatures and strong winds. Eagles, butterflies, bats
and certain monkeys inhabit this layer.
The canopy is the primary layer of the forest and forms a roof over
the two remaining layers. Most canopy trees have smooth, oval leaves that
come to a point. It's a maze of leaves and branches. Many animals live in this
area since food is abundant. Those animals include: snakes, toucans and tree
frogs.
Little sunshine reaches the understory layer, so the plants have to
grow larger leaves to obtain sufficient sunlight. The plants in this area seldom
grow to 12 feet. Many animals live here including jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs
and leopards. There is a large concentration of insects here.
The shrub layer and forest floor are very dark. Few plants grow in this
area, as a result. Since hardly any sun reaches the forest floor things begin to
decay quickly. A leaf that might take one year to decompose in a regular
climate will disappear in 6 weeks. Giant Anteaters live in this layer.
D. Humanuses1. Habitation
Tropical rainforests are unable to support human life. Food
resources within the forest are extremely dispersed due to the high
biological diversity and what food does exist is largely restricted to the
canopy and requires considerable energy to obtain. Some groups of hunter-
gatherers have exploited rainforest on a seasonal basis but dwelt primarily
in adjacent savanna and open forest environments where food is much
more abundant. Other peoples described as rainforest dwellers are hunter-
gatherers who subsist in large part by trading high value forest products
such as hides, feathers, and honey with agricultural people living outside
the forest.
2. Conversion to agricultural landWith the invention of agriculture, humans were able to clear
sections of rainforest to produce crops, converting it to open farmland.
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Such people, however, obtain their food primarily from farm plots cleared
from the forest and hunt and forage within the forest to supplement this.
Agriculture on formerly forested land is not without difficulties.
Rainforest soils are often thin and leached of many minerals, and the
heavy rainfall can quickly leach nutrients from area cleared for cultivation.
People such as the Yanomamo of the Amazon, utilise slash-and-burn
agriculture to overcome these limitations and enable them to push deep
into what were previously rainforest environments. However, these are not
rainforest dwellers, rather they are dwellers in cleared farmland that make
forays into the rainforest. Up to 90% of the typical Yanamomo diet comes
from farmed plants.
3. Cultivated foods and spicesCoffee, chocolate, banana, mango, papaya, macadamia, avocado,
and sugarcane all originally came from tropical rainforest and are still
mostly grown on plantations in regions that were formerly primary forest.
In the mid-1980s and 90s, 40 million tons of bananas were consumed
worldwide each year, along with 13 million tons of mangos. Central
American coffee exports were worth US$3 billion in 1970. Much of the
genetic variation used in evading the damage caused by new pests is still
derived from resistant wild stock. Tropical forests have supplied 250
cultivated kinds of fruit, compared to only 20 for temperate forests.
Forests in New Guinea alone contain 251 tree species with edible fruits, of
which only 43 had been established as cultivated crops by 1985.
4. Pharmaceutical and biodiversity resourceTropical rainforests are called "the world's largest pharmacy
because of the large amount of natural medicines discovered in rainforests
that are derived from rainforest plants. For example, rain forests contain
the "basic ingredients of hormonal contraception methods, cocaine,
stimulants, and tranquilizing drugs" (Banks 36). Curare (a paralyzing
drug) and quinine (a malaria cure) are also found there.
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5. Positive ImpactsOnset dates and prevailing wind currents of the southwest summer
monsoon. Despite the negative effects of tourism in the tropical
rainforests, there are also several important positive effects.
y An increase in tourism has increased economic support, allowing morerevenue to go into the protection of the habitat. Tourism can contribute
directly to the conservation of sensitive areas and habitat. Revenue
from park-entrance fees and similar sources can be utilised specifically
to pay for the protection and management of environmentally sensitive
areas. Revenue from taxation and tourism provides an additional
incentive for governments to contribute revenue to the protection of
the forest.
y Tourism also has the potential to increase public appreciation of theenvironment and to spread awareness of environmental problems when
it brings people into closer contact with the environment. Such
increased awareness can induce more environmentally conscious
behavior. Tourism has had a positive effect on wildlife preservation
and protection efforts, notably in Africa but also in South America,
Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific.
6. Ecosystem servicesIn addition to extractive human uses rain forests also have non-
extractive uses that are frequently summarized as ecosystem services. Rain
forests play an important role in maintaining biological diversity,
modulating precipitation, infiltration and flooding and by increasing
scientific knowledge.
E.Flora and faunaMore than half of the world's species of plants
and animals are found in the rainforest. Rainforests
support a very broad array of fauna including
mammals, reptiles, birds, and invertebrates. Mammals
may include primates, felids, and other families. Reptiles include snakes,
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turtles, chameleons, and other families while birds include such families as
vangidae and Cuculidae. Dozens of families of invertebrates are found in
rainforests. Fungi are also very common in rainforest areas as they can feed on
the decomposing remains of plant and animal life. These species are rapidly
disappearing due to deforestation, habitat loss, and biochemical releases into
the atmosphere.
1. Plant LifeBesides these four layers, a shrub/sapling layer receives about 3 %
of the light that filters in through the canopies. These stunted trees are
capable of a sudden growth surge when a gap in the canopy opens above
them.
The air beneath the lower canopy is almost always humid. The
trees themselves give off water through the pores (stomata) of their leaves.
This process, called transpiration, can account for as much as half of the
precipitation in the rain forest.
Rainforest plants have made many adaptations to their
environment. With over 80 inches of rain per year, plants have made
adaptations that helps them shed water off their leaves quickly so the
branches don't get weighed down and break. Many plants have drip tips
and grooved leaves, and some leaves have oily coatings to shed water. To
absorb as much sunlight as possible on the dark understory, leaves are
very large. Some trees have leaf stalks that turn with the movement of the
sun so they always absorb the maximum amount of light. Leaves in the
upper canopy are dark green, small and leathery to reduce water loss in the
strong sunlight. Some trees will grow large leaves at the lower canopy
level and small leaves in the upper canopy. Other plants grow in the upper
canopy on larger trees to get sunlight. These are the epiphytes such as
orchids and bromeliads. Many trees have buttress and stilt roots for extra
support in the shallow, wet soil of the rainforests.
Over 2,500 species of vines grow in the rainforest. Lianas start off
as small shrubs that grow on the forest floor. To reach the sunlight in the
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upper canopy it sends out tendrils to grab sapling trees. The liana and the
tree grow towards the canopy together. The vines grow from one tree to
another and make up 40% of the canopy leaves. The rattan vine has spikes
on the underside of its leaves that point backwards to grab onto sapling
trees. Other "strangler" vines will use trees as support and grow thicker
and thicker as they reach the canopy, strangling its host tree. They look
like trees whose centers have been hollowed out.
Dominant species do not exist in tropical rainforests. Lowland
dipterocarp forest can consist of many different species of
Dipterocarpaceae, but not all of the same species. Trees of the same
species are very seldom found growing close together. This bio diversity
and separation of the species prevents mass contamination and die-off
from disease or insect infestation. Bio diversity also insures that there will
be enough pollinators to take care of each species' needs. Animals depend
on the staggered blooming and fruiting of rainforest plants to supply them
with a year-round source of food.
2. Animal LifeMany species of animal life can be found in the rain forest.
Common characteristics found among mammals and birds (and reptiles
and amphibians, too) include adaptations to a life in the trees, such as the
prehensile tails of New World monkeys. Other characteristics are bright
colors and sharp patterns, loud vocalizations, and diets heavy on fruits.
Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in
tropical forests. They include brightly colored butterflies, mosquitoes,
camouflaged stick insects, and huge colonies of ants.
The Amazon river basin rainforest contains a wider variety of plant
and animal life than any other biome in the world. The second largest
population of plant and animal life can be found in scattered locations and
islands of Southeast Asia. The lowest variety can be found in Africa.
There may be 40 to 100 different species in 2.5 acres ( 1 hectare) of a
tropical rain forest.
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When early explorers first discovered the rainforests of Africa,
Southeast Asia and South America, they They were amazed by the dense
growth, trees with giant buttresses, vines and epiphytes . The tropical
vegetation grew so dense that it was difficult to cut one's way through it. It
was thought at the time that the soil of a rainforest must be very fertile,
filled with nutrients, enabling it to support the immense trees and other
vegetation they found.
A study in the Amazon rainforest found that 99% of nutrients are
held in root mats. When a rainforest is burned or cut down the nutrients are
removed from the ecosystem. The soil can only be used for a very short
time before it becomes completely depleted of all nutrients.
F. SoilsDespite the growth of vegetation in a tropical rainforest, soil quality is
often quite poor. Rapid bacterial decay prevents the accumulation of humus.
The concentration of iron and aluminium oxides by the laterization process
gives the oxisols a bright red color and sometimes produces minable deposits
such as bauxite. Most trees have roots near the surface as there are not many
nutrients below the ground; most of the trees minerals come from the top layer
of decomposing leaves (mainly) and animals. On younger substrates,
especially of volcanic origin, tropical soils may be quite fertile. If the trees are
cleared, the rain can get at the exposed soil, washing it away. Eventually
streams will form, then rivers. Flooding becomes possible.
Today we know that the soil of the tropical rainforests is shallow, very
poor in nutrients and almost without soluble minerals. Thousands of years of
heavy rains have washed away the nutrients in the soil obtained from
weathered rocks. The rainforest has a very short nutrient cycle. Nutrients
generally stay in an ecosystem by being recycled and in a rainforest are mainly
found in the living plants and the layers of decomposing leaf litter. Various
species of decomposers like insects, bacteria, and fungi make quick work of
turning dead plant and animal matter into nutrients. Plants take up these
nutrients the moment they are released.
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G.Effect on global climateA natural rainforest emits and absorbs vast quantities of carbon
dioxide. On a global scale, long-term fluxes are approximately in balance, so
that an undisturbed rainforest would have a small net impact on atmospheric
carbon dioxide levels, though they may have other climatic effects (on cloud
formation, for example, by recycling water vapor). No rainforest today can be
considered to be undisturbed. Human induced deforestation plays a significant
role in causing rainforests to release carbon dioxide, as do natural processes
such as drought that result in tree death. Some climate models run with
interactive vegetation and predict a large loss of Amazonian rainforest around
2050 due to drought, leading to forest dieback and the subsequent feedback of
releasing more carbon dioxide.
H.DeforestationTropical and temperate rainforests have
been subjected to heavy logging and agricultural
clearance throughout the 20th century and the
area covered by rainforests around the world is shrinking. Biologists have
estimated that large numbers of species are being driven to extinction (possibl
y more than 50,000 a year; at that rate, says E. O. Wilson of Harvard
University, a quarter or more of all species on Earth could be exterminated
within 50 years) due to the removal of habitat with destruction of the
rainforests.
Another factor causing the loss of rainforest is expanding urban areas.
Littoral rainforest growing along coastal areas of eastern Australia is now rare
due to ribbon development to accommodate the demand for seachange
lifestyles.
The forests are being destroyed at a rapid pace. Almost 90% of West
Africa's rainforest has been destroyed. Since the arrival of humans 2000 years
ago, Madagascar has lost two thirds of its original rainforest. At present rates,
tropical rainforests in Indonesia would be logged out in 10 years and Papua
New Guinea in 13 to 16 years.
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Several countries, notably Brazil, have declared their deforestation a
national emergency. Amazon deforestation jumped by 69% in 2008 compared
to 2007's twelve months, according to official government data. Deforestation
could wipe out or severely damage nearly 60% of the Amazon Rainforest by
2030, says a new report from WWF.
However, a January 30, 2009 New York Times article stated, "By one
estimate, for every acre of rain forest cut down each year, more than 50 acres
of new forest are growing in the tropics..." The new forest includes secondary
forest on former farmland and so-called degraded forest.
From a new recent report in September 2009, new opportunities are
beginning to discover they could save the rainforest. In Brazil, Environment
Minister Carlos Minc announced proudly that the rate of deforestation of the
Amazon fell by 46 percent last year. That means the lowest logging level since
the country began to keep annual statistics 21 years ago. But not only Brazil
has reduced deforestation as a whole also slowed the loss of forest down. The
annual decline is now over two thousand. Deforestation decreases in a country
as it becomes richer and more industrialized. Therefore, there are exceptions
in a group of countries where deforestation has become so profitable that it is
an important part in the growth of prosperity. New goal is to stop felling the
forest, but also in managing the forest long-term, which occurs on a larger
scale. More police officers guarding the rainforest, and stifle the illegal
logging.
I. Where Are The Rainforests1. Central America
This region was once entirely covered with
rainforest, but large areas have been cleared for
cattle ranching and for sugar cane plantations.
Like other major rainforests, the jungles and mangrove swamps of Central
America contain many plants and animals found nowhere else. Central
America is famous for its large number of tropical birds, including many
kinds of parrots.
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2. The AmazonThe Amazon jungle is the world's largest tropical
rainforest. The forest covers the basin of the
Amazon, the world's second longest river.
The Amazon is home to the greatest variety of
plants and animals on Earth. A 1/5 of all the world's plants and birds and
about 1/10 of all mammal species are found there.
3. AfricaCentral Africa holds the world's second largest
rainforest. To the south east, the large island of
Madagascar was once intensively forested, but now
much of it is gone.
Africa contains areas of high cloud forest, mangrove swamps and flooded
forests. The island of Madagascar is home to many unique plants and
animals not found anywhere else.
4. Southern AsiaThe rainforests of Asia stretch from India and Burma
in the west to Malaysia and the islands of Java and
Borneo in the east. Bangladesh has the largest area of
mangrove forests in the world.
In Southeast Asia the climate is hot and humid all year
round. In the mainland Asia it has a subtropical climate with torrential
monsoon rains followed by a drier period.
5. AustralasiaMillions of years ago, Australia, New Zealand and the
island of New Guinea formed part of a great forested
southern continent, isolated from the rest of the world.
Today these countries contain many different species
of animal that occur nowhere else.
Undergrowth in Australia's tropical forests is dense and lush. The forests
lie in the path of wet winds blowing in from the Pacific.
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CHAPTER III
DISCUSSION
A. What are Rainforests?Tropical rainforests are forests with tall trees, warm climate, and lots
of rain. In some rainforests it rains more than one inch every day.
Tropical rain forests have been subjected to heavy logging and
agricultural clearance throughout the 20th century, and the area covered by
rainforests around the world is rapidly shrinking.
B. Where are Rainforests Located?Rainforests are found in the tropics, the region between the Tropic of
Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer. In this region the sun is very strong and
shines about the same amount of time every day all year long making the
climate warm and stable.
Rainforests are found in Africa, Asia, Australia, and Central and
South America. The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon rainforest.
C. What Makes a Rainforest?Each rainforest is unique but there are certain features common to all
tropical rainforests.
1. Location: rainforests lie in the "tropics"2. Rainfall: rainforests receive at least 80 inches (200 centimeters) of rain per
year
3. Canopy: rainforests have a canopy which is the layer of branches andleaves formed by closely spaced rainforest trees. Most of the plants and
animals in the rainforest live in the canopy. The canopy may be 100 feet
above the ground.
4. Biodiversity: rainforests have a high level of biological diversity or biodiversity. Biodiversity is the name for all living things -- like plants,
animals, and fungi -- found in an ecosystem. Scientists believe that about
half of the plants and animals found on earth's land surface live in
rainforests.
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5. Symbiotic relationships between species: species in the rainforest oftenwork together. A symbiotic relationship is a relationship where two
different species benefit by helping each other. For example some plants
produce small housing structures and sugar for ants. In return the ants
protect the plants from other insects that may want to feed on the plant's
leaves
D. What is The Canopy?In the rainforest most plant and animal life is not found on the forest
floor but in the leafy world known as the canopy. The canopy, which may be
over 100 feet above the ground, is made up of the overlapping branches and
leaves of rainforest trees. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of life in the
rainforest is found in the trees making this the richest habitat for plant and
animal life. Many well-known animals including monkeys, frogs, lizards,
birds, snakes, sloths, and small cats are found in the canopy.
The environment of the canopy is very different from the
environment of the forest floor. During the day, the canopy is drier and hotter
than other parts of the forest and the plants and animals that live there are
specially adapted for life in the trees. For example, because the amount of
leaves in the canopy can make it difficult to see more than a few feet, many
canopy animals rely on loud calls or lyrical songs for communication. Gaps
between trees mean that some canopy animals fly, glide, or jump to move
about in the treetops.
Scientists have long been interested in studying the canopy but
because of the height of rainforest trees research has been difficult until
recently. Today there are special facilities with rope bridges, ladders, and
towers to help scientists discover the secrets of the canopy.
E. The Rainforest FloorThe leaves of the canopy makes the ground layer of the rainforest is
often a dark and humid place. However, despite its constant shade, the
rainforest floor is an important part of the forest ecosystem.
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The forest floor is where decomposition takes place. Decomposition
is the process by which decomposers like fungi and microorganisms break
down dead plants and animals and recycle essential materials and nutrients.
Many of the largest rainforest animals are found on the forest floor. Some of
these include elephants, the tapir, and the jaguar.
F. Structure And CharacterTropical rainforests across the world are quite diverse, but share several
defining characteristics including climate, precipitation, canopy structure,
complex symbiotic relationships, and diversity of species. Every rainforest
does not necessarily conform to these characteristics and most tropical
rainforests do not have clear boundaries, but may blend with adjoining
mangrove forest, moist forest, montane forest, or tropical deciduous forest.
1. GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATETropical rainforests lie in the "tropics," between the Tropic of
Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer. In this region sunlight strikes Earth at
roughly a 90-degree angle resulting in intense solar energy (solar energy
diminishes as you move farther north or south). This intensity is due to the
consistent day length on the equator: 12 hours a day, 365 days per year
(regions away from the equator have days of varying length). This
consistent sunlight provides the essential energy necessary to power the
forest via photosynthesis.
Because of the ample solar energy,
tropical rainforests are usually warm year
round with temperatures from about 72-93F
(22-34C), although forests at higher
elevations, especially cloud forests, may be
significantly cooler. The temperature may
fluctuate during the year, but in some
equatorial forests the average may vary as little as 0.5F (0.3C) throughout
the year. Temperatures are generally moderated by cloud cover and high
humidity.
Map showing world
distribution of rainforests
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2. PRECIPITATIONAn important characteristic of rainforests is apparent in their name.
Rainforests lie in the intertropical convergence zone where intense solar
energy produces a convection zone of rising air that loses its moisture
through frequent rainstorms. Rainforests are subject to heavy rainfall, at
least 80 inches (2,000 mm), and in some areas over 430 inches (10,920
mm) of rain each year. In equatorial regions, rainfall may be year round
without apparent "wet" or "dry" seasons, although many forests do have
seasonal rains. Even in seasonal forests, the period between rains is
usually not long enough for the leaf litter to dry out completely. During the
parts of the year when less rain falls, the constant cloud cover is enough to
keep the air moist and prevent plants from drying out. Some neotropical
rainforests rarely go a month during the year without at least 6" of rain.
The stable climate, with evenly spread rainfall and warmth, allows most
rainforest trees to be evergreenkeeping their leaves all year and never
dropping all their leaves in any one season.
Forests further from the equator, like those of Thailand, Sri Lanka,
and Central America, where rainy seasons are more pronounced, can only
be considered "semi-evergreen" since some species of trees may shed all
of their leaves at the beginning of the dry season. Annual rainfall is spread
evenly enough to allow heavy growth of broad-leafed evergreen trees, or
at least semi-evergreen trees.
The moisture of the rainforest from rainfall, constant cloud cover,
and transpiration (water loss through leaves), creates intense local
humidity. Each canopy tree transpires some 200 gallons (760 liters) of
water annually, translating to roughly 20,000 gallons (76,000 L) of water
transpired into the atmosphere for every acre of canopy trees. Large
rainforests (and their humidity) contribute to the formation of rain clouds,
and generate as much as 75 percent of their own rain. The Amazon
rainforest is responsible for creating as much as 50 percent of its own
precipitation.
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Deforestation and climate change may be affecting the water cycle
in tropical rainforests. Since the mid-1990s, rainforests around the world
have experienced periods of severe drought, including southeast Asia in
1997 and 2005 and the Amazon in 2005. Dry conditions, combined with
degradation from logging and agricultural conversion, make forests more
vulnerable to wildfire.
G. Why Do Rainforests Have So Many Kinds Of Plants And AnimalsTropical rainforests support the greatest diversity of living organisms
on Earth. Although they cover less than 2% of Earth's surface, rainforests
house more than 50% of plants and animals on Earth. Here are some examples
of the richness of rainforests:
y rainforests have 170,000 of the world's 250,000 known plant speciesy the United States has 81 species of frogs, while Madagascar which is
smaller than Texas, may have 300 species.
y Europe has 321 butterfly species, while a park in the rainforest of Peru(Manu National Park) has 1300 species.
Rainforests have an abundance of plants and animals for the following
reasons:
1. Climate: because rainforests are located in tropical regions, they receive alot of sunlight. This sunlight is converted to energy by plants through the
process of photosynthesis. Since there is a lot of sunlight that means there
is a lot of energy in the rainforest. This energy is stored in plant vegetation
which is eaten by animals. Because there is a lot of food there are many
species of plants and animals.
2. Canopy: the canopy structure of the rainforest means there are more places for plants to grow and animals to live. The canopy offers new
sources of food, shelter, and hiding places, provides another world for
interaction with between different species. For example there are plants in
the canopy called bromeliads that store water in their leaves. Animals like
frogs use these pockets of water for hunting and laying their eggs.
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CHAPTER IV
CLOSING
1. Tropical rainforests are forests with tall trees, warm climate, and lots of rain.In some rainforests it rains more than one inch every day.
2. Rainforests are found in the tropics, the region between the Tropic ofCapricorn and Tropic of Cancer. In this region the sun is very strong and
shines about the same amount of time every day all year long making the
climate warm and stable. Rainforests are found in Africa, Asia, Australia, and
Central and South America. The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon
rainforest.3. Each rainforest is unique but there are certain features common to all tropical
rainforests.
a. Location: rainforests lie in the "tropics"b. Rainfall: rainforests receive at least 80 inches (200 centimeters) of rain per
year
c. Canopy: rainforests have a canopy which is the layer of branches andleaves formed by closely spaced rainforest trees. Most of the plants and
animals in the rainforest live in the canopy. The canopy may be 100 feet
above the ground.
d. Biodiversity: rainforests have a high level of biological diversity or biodiversity. Biodiversity is the name for all living things -- like plants,
animals, and fungi -- found in an ecosystem. Scientists believe that about
half of the plants and animals found on earth's land surface live in
rainforests.
e. Symbiotic relationships between species: species in the rainforest oftenwork together.
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4. Tropical rainforests across the world are quite diverse, but share severaldefining characteristics including climate, precipitation, canopy structure,
complex symbiotic relationships, and diversity of species.
a. Geography and climateTropical rainforests lie in the "tropics," between the Tropic of Capricorn
and Tropic of Cancer. In this region sunlight strikes Earth at roughly a 90-
degree angle resulting in intense solar energy (solar energy diminishes as
you move farther north or south).
b. PrecipitationAn important characteristic of rainforests is apparent in their name.
Rainforests lie in the intertropical convergence zone where intense solar
energy produces a convection zone of rising air that loses its moisture
through frequent rainstorms.
5. Rainforests have an abundance of plants and animals for the followingreasons:
Climate: because rainforests are located in tropical regions, they receive a lot
of sunlight. This sunlight is converted to energy by plants through
the process of photosynthesis. Since there is a lot of sunlight that
means there is a lot of energy in the rainforest. This energy is stored
in plant vegetation which is eaten by animals. Because there is a lot
of food there are many species of plants and animals.
Canopy: the canopy structure of the rainforest means there are more places
for plants to grow and animals to live. The canopy offers new
sources of food, shelter, and hiding places, provides another world
for interaction with between different species. For example there are
plants in the canopy called bromeliads that store water in their
leaves. Animals like frogs use these pockets of water for hunting
and laying their eggs.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anonym1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforest. Accessed at June 2
th2010.
Anonym 2 . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest. Accessed at June 2th
2010.
Anonym3.http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/serve_home.htm
l. Accessed at June 2th 2010.
Anonym4. http://rainforests.mongabay.com/. Accessed at June 2
th2010.