tropical climates and ecosystems. the tropics are located between the tropic of cancer (23.4378...
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Tropical Climates and Ecosystems
The tropics are located between the Tropic of Cancer (23.4378 °N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.4378 °S)
In this belt, the sun will be directly overhead at least once per year.
Tropical Nations
Contrast with Temperate Zone
Areas where every month have mean temperatures above 18 °C (64 °F) are shown in blue below
Droughts may last for several months, and during this period trees will shed their leaves.
81°66°
82°70°
84°72°
86°73°
88°75°
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88°75°
88°73°
86°72°
82°68°
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Belize annual average : 85°/72°
OKC annual average : 72°/51°
5.4” 2.4” 1.5” 2.2” 4.3” 7.7” 6.4” 6.7” 9.6” 12.0” 8.9” 7.3”
Belize annual average : 74.4”
OKC annual average : 36.5”
Belize - Daylight
Belize City Sunrise Sunset
January 6:23-6:25 17:30-17:47
February 6:12-6:25 17:48-17:59
March 5:50-6:11 17:59-18:05
April 5:27-5:47 18:06-18:13
May 5:17-5:27 18:13-18:23
June 5:17-5:22 18:23-18:31
July 5:22-5:32 18:27-18:31
August 5:32-5:39 18:07-18:26
September 5:39-5:43 17:43-18:07
October 5:43-5:51 17:22-17:42
November 5:52-6:07 17:16-17:21
December 6:07-6:23 17:17-17:28
Habitats
Forested habitatsSubmontane broadleaf forest
Lowland broadleaf forest
Submontane pine forest
Lowland pine forest
Mangrove and littoral forest
Transitional habitatsScrub, low second growth
Savanna (pine, oak, calabash, palmetto)
Other habitats
Unforested habitatsAnthropogenic
Cities/towns, cultivated land, pastureland
Wetlands with emergent vegetationSedge savannas, wet meadows,
marshes, ricefields
Submontane Broadleaf Forest
The forest cover in most of the Maya Mountains, generally above 400 m (1300’) elevation
Dominated by evergreen trees 25-35 m (80-115’) tall, typically with buttressed trunks
Lots of epiphytes, lianas, substory dominated by tree ferns, palms, other shrubs
Sparse understory vegetation
Lowland Broadleaf Forest
Similar to, but less luxuriant than, submontane broadleaf forest
Contains more dry-season deciduous tree species; significant leaf litter accumulates by end of dry season
Not dominated by a tree species; may encounter dense stands of cohune palm
Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), cedar (Cedrela mexicana), sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), ramon (Brosimum alicastrum), and figs (Ficus spp.) are common
Trees are often >100 ft tall
Submontane Pine Forest
Dominated by Caribbean pine (Pinus caribea) which require periodic low-intensity fires for regeneration
Canopy may be closed, or semi-closed
~11% of Belize is covered by pines – 2% is closed canopy, 3% semi-closed, 6% savannah/lowland pine
Lowland Pine Forest
Typically found in lowland areas with low nutrient soils
Often soggy during wet season, very dry during dry season
Ground cover dominated by grasses and sedges
Tree species include Caribbean pine (Pinus caribea), calabash (Cresentia cujete), oak (Quercus spp.), craboo (Byrsonima crassifolia) and the plametto (Paurotis wrightii).
“Forest” is a bit of a misnomer, as the canopy is not closed
Mangrove and Littoral Forest
Only four species of mangrove in Belize
Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) is the pioneer species, has stilt roots
Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) is found at the junction of water and land, has pneumatophores
White mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) and buttonwood (Conocarpus erecta) grow further inland
Mangroves are the “nursery” of the sea