Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Plants
Animals
Climate
Southeast Asian Rainforests
The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches (125 to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly.
Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group. The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 °F (34 °C) or drops below 68 °F (20 °C); average humidity is between 77 and 88%; rainfall is often more than 100 inches a year. There is usually a brief season of less rain. In monsoonal areas, there is a real dry season. Almost all rain forests lie near the equator.
Rainforests now cover less than 6% of Earth's land surface. Scientists estimate that more than half of all the world's plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen.
A tropical rain forest has more kinds of trees than any other area in the world. Scientists have counted about 100 to 300 species in one 2 1/2-acre (1-hectare) area in South America. Seventy percent of the plants in the rainforest are trees.
About 1/4 of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. Curare comes from a tropical vine, and is used as an anesthetic and to relax muscles during surgery. Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. A person with lymphocytic leukemia has a 99% chance that the disease will go into remission because of the rosy periwinkle. More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants are thought to be potential cures for cancer.
All tropical rain forests resemble one another in some ways. Many of the trees have straight trunks that don't branch out for 100 feet or more. There is no sense in growing branches below the canopy where there is little light. The majority of the trees have smooth, thin bark because there is no need to protect the them from water loss and freezing temperatures. It also makes it difficult for epiphytes and plant parasites to get a hold on the trunks. The bark of different species is so similar that it is difficult to identify a tree by its bark. Many trees can only be identified by their flowers.
Despite these differences, each of the three largest rainforests--the American, the African, and the Asian--has a different group of animal and plant species. Each rain forest has many species of monkeys, all of which differ from the species of the other two rain forests. In addition, different areas of the same rain forest may have different species. Many kinds of trees that grow in the mountains of the Amazon rain forest do not grow in the lowlands of that same forest.
Animals
Climate
Southeast Asian Rainforests
The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches (125 to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly.
Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group. The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 °F (34 °C) or drops below 68 °F (20 °C); average humidity is between 77 and 88%; rainfall is often more than 100 inches a year. There is usually a brief season of less rain. In monsoonal areas, there is a real dry season. Almost all rain forests lie near the equator.
Rainforests now cover less than 6% of Earth's land surface. Scientists estimate that more than half of all the world's plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen.
A tropical rain forest has more kinds of trees than any other area in the world. Scientists have counted about 100 to 300 species in one 2 1/2-acre (1-hectare) area in South America. Seventy percent of the plants in the rainforest are trees.
About 1/4 of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. Curare comes from a tropical vine, and is used as an anesthetic and to relax muscles during surgery. Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. A person with lymphocytic leukemia has a 99% chance that the disease will go into remission because of the rosy periwinkle. More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants are thought to be potential cures for cancer.
All tropical rain forests resemble one another in some ways. Many of the trees have straight trunks that don't branch out for 100 feet or more. There is no sense in growing branches below the canopy where there is little light. The majority of the trees have smooth, thin bark because there is no need to protect the them from water loss and freezing temperatures. It also makes it difficult for epiphytes and plant parasites to get a hold on the trunks. The bark of different species is so similar that it is difficult to identify a tree by its bark. Many trees can only be identified by their flowers.
Despite these differences, each of the three largest rainforests--the American, the African, and the Asian--has a different group of animal and plant species. Each rain forest has many species of monkeys, all of which differ from the species of the other two rain forests. In addition, different areas of the same rain forest may have different species. Many kinds of trees that grow in the mountains of the Amazon rain forest do not grow in the lowlands of that same forest.
Where the Rainforests Are Found
The tropical rain forest can be found in three major geographical areas around the world.
Central America in the the Amazon river basin.
Africa - Zaire basin, with a small area in West Africa; also eastern Madagascar.
Indo-Malaysia - west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.
Toco ToucanGenus: PamphastosSpecies: toco
The Toco Toucan is the largest of the toucans. It can get to about twenty-four to twenty six inches in length. Its bill is brightly colored orange and black and can get to about eight inches in length. The Toco Toucan weighs about ten to seventeen ounces. The Toucan's massive bill is not as heavy as it looks; it has a hard outside and a hollow inside. A bright blue patch of blue skin surrounds the eye.
A Toco Toucan has strong feet and toes to support its weight. Two toes point forward and two point backward. Its tongue is almost feather like and is six inches long. Its wings are short and rounded and it has a long broad tail. It's generally black with touches of white, scarlet and yellow. The Toco Toucan likes to live in open areas,lowland rainforests and palm groves of South America.
The Toco Toucan will mate at different times, depending on where they live. They breed once a year and have two to four shiny white eggs in a clutch. The incubation period is sixteen days. The Toco Toucan nestlings are born without feathers and are blind. These babies stay in their nest for about seven weeks. Both parents care for their young, protecting and feeding them. Scientists do not know how long toucans live in the wild.
Toucans usually live in pairs or groups called flocks. Their nests are in holes in trees. They talk to each other using toad likes noises. They take turns cleaning each other's feathers with their beaks.
The Toco Toucan's feather-like tongue helps move food along its bill. Its strong toes help it get a good grip on branches. The Toco Toucan has a very wide tail. It helps him stay balanced in the trees. The Toco Toucan eats fruit, seeds, insects, and spiders; steals eggs and nestlings from smaller birds. The Toco Toucan is a predator. It hunts lizards and snakes and steals eggs and nestlings from smaller birds. I can't find any sources about what eats the toco toucan. The Toco toucan is not endangered because it's able to adapt to man made habitats when the rainforests are destroyed.
The Toco Toucan is the largest of the toucans. It can get to about twenty-four to twenty six inches in length. Its bill is brightly colored orange and black and can get to about eight inches in length. The Toco Toucan weighs about ten to seventeen ounces. The Toucan's massive bill is not as heavy as it looks; it has a hard outside and a hollow inside. A bright blue patch of blue skin surrounds the eye.
A Toco Toucan has strong feet and toes to support its weight. Two toes point forward and two point backward. Its tongue is almost feather like and is six inches long. Its wings are short and rounded and it has a long broad tail. It's generally black with touches of white, scarlet and yellow. The Toco Toucan likes to live in open areas,lowland rainforests and palm groves of South America.
The Toco Toucan will mate at different times, depending on where they live. They breed once a year and have two to four shiny white eggs in a clutch. The incubation period is sixteen days. The Toco Toucan nestlings are born without feathers and are blind. These babies stay in their nest for about seven weeks. Both parents care for their young, protecting and feeding them. Scientists do not know how long toucans live in the wild.
Toucans usually live in pairs or groups called flocks. Their nests are in holes in trees. They talk to each other using toad likes noises. They take turns cleaning each other's feathers with their beaks.
The Toco Toucan's feather-like tongue helps move food along its bill. Its strong toes help it get a good grip on branches. The Toco Toucan has a very wide tail. It helps him stay balanced in the trees. The Toco Toucan eats fruit, seeds, insects, and spiders; steals eggs and nestlings from smaller birds. The Toco Toucan is a predator. It hunts lizards and snakes and steals eggs and nestlings from smaller birds. I can't find any sources about what eats the toco toucan. The Toco toucan is not endangered because it's able to adapt to man made habitats when the rainforests are destroyed.
Chimpanzee:Common Name: ChimpGenus: PanSpecies: troglodytes
Chimpanzees are about 3 to 5 feet tall and weigh from 99 to 176 pounds. They have black hair. Adults are very often bald, usually a triangle on the forehead of the male, and more complete baldness in females. Their faces are hairless. Infants have pink faces which turn darker with age. Although chimpanzees have no tail, infants have a white tail tuft.
The favorite food of chimpanzees are fruits and young leaves, but they like many different types of food. In the dry season they will eat buds and blossoms, soft pitch, stems, galls, honey, bark and resin, seedsand nuts. Insects, like ants and termites are also in their diet. On rare occasions they will hunt small game like monkeys, pigs, and antelopes.
For the most part, chimps forage on the ground. While searching for food, troops will move around their territory, never staying long in one place. This allows the vegetation to recover before the chimps return to the area again. They do not compete for food with monkeys, who forage mostly in the canopy.
Chimpanzees reach puberty at about seven years. Females mature three to four years later. Females will not breed for three to four years after giving birth. They are capable of reproducing until the age of 40. The maximum life span in the wild is about 60 years.
The newborns are helpless at birth. After a few days it holds on to the mother's hair and at 5 to 7 months rides jockey style on the her back. By four years, the infant usually walks, but stays close to the mother for about five to seven years.
Chimp communities are made up of 15 to 100 members. Males tend to stay in the community they are born into, but females move between different communities during their adolescent years.
Chimps have developed several behavioral adaptations. At night chimps construct nests of leaves and branches 18-29 feet high in a tree. Males will hunt cooperatively for baby monkeys or bush pigs. Some groups have been observed to use thin twigs or blades of grass to extract termites from their nests. Some chimps in western Africa use wood and stone tools as hammers to open nuts.
Chimps are on the endangered species list. There may be as many as 35,000 chimps in the wild, but destruction of their habitats, hunting and commercial trapping for the animal trade had reduced their population.
Chimpanzees are about 3 to 5 feet tall and weigh from 99 to 176 pounds. They have black hair. Adults are very often bald, usually a triangle on the forehead of the male, and more complete baldness in females. Their faces are hairless. Infants have pink faces which turn darker with age. Although chimpanzees have no tail, infants have a white tail tuft.
The favorite food of chimpanzees are fruits and young leaves, but they like many different types of food. In the dry season they will eat buds and blossoms, soft pitch, stems, galls, honey, bark and resin, seedsand nuts. Insects, like ants and termites are also in their diet. On rare occasions they will hunt small game like monkeys, pigs, and antelopes.
For the most part, chimps forage on the ground. While searching for food, troops will move around their territory, never staying long in one place. This allows the vegetation to recover before the chimps return to the area again. They do not compete for food with monkeys, who forage mostly in the canopy.
Chimpanzees reach puberty at about seven years. Females mature three to four years later. Females will not breed for three to four years after giving birth. They are capable of reproducing until the age of 40. The maximum life span in the wild is about 60 years.
The newborns are helpless at birth. After a few days it holds on to the mother's hair and at 5 to 7 months rides jockey style on the her back. By four years, the infant usually walks, but stays close to the mother for about five to seven years.
Chimp communities are made up of 15 to 100 members. Males tend to stay in the community they are born into, but females move between different communities during their adolescent years.
Chimps have developed several behavioral adaptations. At night chimps construct nests of leaves and branches 18-29 feet high in a tree. Males will hunt cooperatively for baby monkeys or bush pigs. Some groups have been observed to use thin twigs or blades of grass to extract termites from their nests. Some chimps in western Africa use wood and stone tools as hammers to open nuts.
Chimps are on the endangered species list. There may be as many as 35,000 chimps in the wild, but destruction of their habitats, hunting and commercial trapping for the animal trade had reduced their population.
Bengal TigerGenus: PantheraSpecies: tigris tigris
The Bengal Tiger is a beautiful animal. The base color is orange/brown, and white on the cheeks, mouth, eyebrows, and stomach. The tiger also has long black stripes on it. The weight of the tiger can be up to 575 pounds. The Bengal tiger is not the biggest tiger in the world, Its cousin the Siberian tiger is the largest tiger. The body of the Bengal tiger is broad with legs that are slender. The fur of the tiger is very fine in texture. The Bengal tiger is very sneakyand quiet. The cubs look the same. The Bengal tiger can get up to ten feet long and three feet tall.
The Bengal tiger lives in the Sundarban regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia, and Indonesia. The tiger reaches maturity at the age of five, and the life span of the tiger is about 15 years. The Bengal tiger mates about any time of year. The Bengal tiger can have a litter of up to four cubs. The cubs don't hunt for themselves until they are at least 18 months old. Then they go hunting with their mother. The gestation period is about three months and ten days.
The Bengal tiger is a carnivore. It eats boars, wild oxen, monkeys, and other animals. The Bengal tiger can catch big animals, but prefers killing either young or old animals because they don't run as fast. The Bengal tiger is a nocturnal and greatly feared predator. It eats wild oxen and other animals, which eat plants , which are part of the food web. So it helps balance the web.
In the year 1900 there were 50,000 tigers on the earth, but now there is only 4,000 left in the world. So you can see that the population has decreased because of poachers and other cruel and selfish people. The Bengal tiger is protected in many places such as: The Nagarahole National Park 250 guards, and The Ranthambhore National Park 60 guards. The guards in the national parks are important because they know the kind of tools and weapons poachers use, so the guards can identify poachers. In India the Indian government made an effort to save the tigers. It was called "Project Tiger", and it was thought up in 1972 from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Under this protection from the government, hunting and trading tiger parts were banned. A sad thing happened 8 years ago when 850 pounds of tiger bones, which adds up to about 42 tigers were found in New Delhi, India hunted by poachers. The reason why poachers and other people hunt beautiful animals like tigers is because the eyes, bones, and even whiskers are very valuable to researchers who are making medicine to treat or cure human ailment, and to give people a longer life.
The Bengal Tiger is a beautiful animal. The base color is orange/brown, and white on the cheeks, mouth, eyebrows, and stomach. The tiger also has long black stripes on it. The weight of the tiger can be up to 575 pounds. The Bengal tiger is not the biggest tiger in the world, Its cousin the Siberian tiger is the largest tiger. The body of the Bengal tiger is broad with legs that are slender. The fur of the tiger is very fine in texture. The Bengal tiger is very sneakyand quiet. The cubs look the same. The Bengal tiger can get up to ten feet long and three feet tall.
The Bengal tiger lives in the Sundarban regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia, and Indonesia. The tiger reaches maturity at the age of five, and the life span of the tiger is about 15 years. The Bengal tiger mates about any time of year. The Bengal tiger can have a litter of up to four cubs. The cubs don't hunt for themselves until they are at least 18 months old. Then they go hunting with their mother. The gestation period is about three months and ten days.
The Bengal tiger is a carnivore. It eats boars, wild oxen, monkeys, and other animals. The Bengal tiger can catch big animals, but prefers killing either young or old animals because they don't run as fast. The Bengal tiger is a nocturnal and greatly feared predator. It eats wild oxen and other animals, which eat plants , which are part of the food web. So it helps balance the web.
In the year 1900 there were 50,000 tigers on the earth, but now there is only 4,000 left in the world. So you can see that the population has decreased because of poachers and other cruel and selfish people. The Bengal tiger is protected in many places such as: The Nagarahole National Park 250 guards, and The Ranthambhore National Park 60 guards. The guards in the national parks are important because they know the kind of tools and weapons poachers use, so the guards can identify poachers. In India the Indian government made an effort to save the tigers. It was called "Project Tiger", and it was thought up in 1972 from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Under this protection from the government, hunting and trading tiger parts were banned. A sad thing happened 8 years ago when 850 pounds of tiger bones, which adds up to about 42 tigers were found in New Delhi, India hunted by poachers. The reason why poachers and other people hunt beautiful animals like tigers is because the eyes, bones, and even whiskers are very valuable to researchers who are making medicine to treat or cure human ailment, and to give people a longer life.
African Forest Elephant:Common Names: Pygmy ElephantGenus: LoxodontaSpecies: cyclotis
It was always thought that there were two species of elephant in the world; the African savanna elephant,( Loxodonta africana) and the Asian elephant, (Elephas maximus). But now, through DNA testing, it has been discovered that there is a third species; the African forest elephant.
When a DNA identification system was set up to trace where poached ivory was coming from, scientists found that the African elephants consisted of two very different species. They expected slight variations in the genetic makeup of the savanna elephant, but were surprised to discover the two different species.
The new species, the forest elephant, was considered to be a subspecies of the African elephant, and was known as Loxodonta africana cyclotis. That means scientists thought that, although the elephants had adapted to their forest habitat, they were still savanna elephants. But DNA evidence shows that about 2.5 million years ago two genetically different strains of elephants evolved in Africa. The forest elephant, now known as Loxodonta cyclotis,found its niche in the equatorial forests of central and western Africa. Here they have lived hidden from view and practically forgotten.
Some scientists consider the two species as different as lions are from tigers, or horses are from zebras. Genetically the difference between the two species of elephant is more than half as big as the differences between the African elephant and the Asian elephant, or 58%.
When you think of the African elephant you probably picture the savanna elephant. It is a huge animal, standing almost 12 feet tall at the shoulders. It has large ears that come to a point at the bottom. The tusks are long and slightly curved. They live on large, dry grasslands with a few thorny acacias dotting the plains.
The forest elephants look very different from savanna elephants. For one thing, they are smaller and stockier than savanna elephants. Forest elephant males only get to be about 8 feet in height while large savanna elephants can reach 13 feet. Their ears are rounded and their tusks are straight and thin with a pinkish tinge to the ivory. The lower jaw is longer, giving the forest elephant a long, narrow face. Forest elephants also live in smaller family groups. Forest elephants are also darker than savanna elephants.
It was always thought that there were two species of elephant in the world; the African savanna elephant,( Loxodonta africana) and the Asian elephant, (Elephas maximus). But now, through DNA testing, it has been discovered that there is a third species; the African forest elephant.
When a DNA identification system was set up to trace where poached ivory was coming from, scientists found that the African elephants consisted of two very different species. They expected slight variations in the genetic makeup of the savanna elephant, but were surprised to discover the two different species.
The new species, the forest elephant, was considered to be a subspecies of the African elephant, and was known as Loxodonta africana cyclotis. That means scientists thought that, although the elephants had adapted to their forest habitat, they were still savanna elephants. But DNA evidence shows that about 2.5 million years ago two genetically different strains of elephants evolved in Africa. The forest elephant, now known as Loxodonta cyclotis,found its niche in the equatorial forests of central and western Africa. Here they have lived hidden from view and practically forgotten.
Some scientists consider the two species as different as lions are from tigers, or horses are from zebras. Genetically the difference between the two species of elephant is more than half as big as the differences between the African elephant and the Asian elephant, or 58%.
When you think of the African elephant you probably picture the savanna elephant. It is a huge animal, standing almost 12 feet tall at the shoulders. It has large ears that come to a point at the bottom. The tusks are long and slightly curved. They live on large, dry grasslands with a few thorny acacias dotting the plains.
The forest elephants look very different from savanna elephants. For one thing, they are smaller and stockier than savanna elephants. Forest elephant males only get to be about 8 feet in height while large savanna elephants can reach 13 feet. Their ears are rounded and their tusks are straight and thin with a pinkish tinge to the ivory. The lower jaw is longer, giving the forest elephant a long, narrow face. Forest elephants also live in smaller family groups. Forest elephants are also darker than savanna elephants.
Southeast Asian Climate: Tropical Moist Climate (Af)
Southeast Asia is a part of Asia. It consists a 3,100 mile long chain of about 20,000 islands strung between Asia and Australia. Winds called monsoons control much of the climate of Southeast Asia. The word monsoon comes from the Arabic word "mausim", meaning season. Southeast Asian rainforests have four different seasons; the winter northeast monsoon, the summer southwest monsoon and two intermonsoon seasons. The northeast monsoon season is from November to March and has steady winds from the north or northeast that blow from 10 to 30 knots. These winds originate all the way in Siberia and bring typhoons and other severe weather. Typhoons are the southern Hemisphere's version of hurricanes. The east coasts of the Southeast Asian islands get heavy rains during this time. The southwest monsoon season is from late May to September. The winds don't blow as hard and the weather is a little drier. This doesn't mean everything dries up, it still rains every day, just not as much. During the intermonsoon seasons the winds are light. All seasons are hot and humid, and there is very little seasonal variation in temperature.
Southeast Asia's rainforests were thought to be the most bio-diverse regions in the world. They found as many as 200 tree species in one single hectare. Recently the record has been beat by Peru. There are also a lot of endangered species in the Southeast Asian rainforest. Southeast Asia has 10 independent countries. They are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The letter code under Köppen's climate classification is Af. The A stands for a place that has a rainy, cool summer but a warm spring. The f stands for moist, fair rainfall in all months. Af climates are caused by consistent warmth in the temperatures. So, Af stands for the tropical rainforest climate. The Af climates have high humidities, which cause afternoon clouds and rain showers. These are some temperatures of the Af climate. The average temperature in the coldest month of the year is at least 18° C. The daily temperature range is 10° C to 25° C. The humidity is very oppressive! The vegetation for Af is a broad leaf evergreen forest. The location of the Af climate is low-lying areas near the equator.
Southeast Asia has uniform temperatures, high humidity and lots of rain. The average temperature per year is 80° F. Ninety five degrees Fahrenheit, however, is the high temperature for tropical rainforests. The climate is very humid and sticky because Southeast Asia is surrounded by oceans. The average humidity is from 70 to 90 %. The annual precipitation is heavy; 60 inches to over 100 inches.
The latitude range of this climate is 16° S to 20° N latitude, and the longitude range is 95° to 130° E.
Southeast Asia is a part of Asia. It consists a 3,100 mile long chain of about 20,000 islands strung between Asia and Australia. Winds called monsoons control much of the climate of Southeast Asia. The word monsoon comes from the Arabic word "mausim", meaning season. Southeast Asian rainforests have four different seasons; the winter northeast monsoon, the summer southwest monsoon and two intermonsoon seasons. The northeast monsoon season is from November to March and has steady winds from the north or northeast that blow from 10 to 30 knots. These winds originate all the way in Siberia and bring typhoons and other severe weather. Typhoons are the southern Hemisphere's version of hurricanes. The east coasts of the Southeast Asian islands get heavy rains during this time. The southwest monsoon season is from late May to September. The winds don't blow as hard and the weather is a little drier. This doesn't mean everything dries up, it still rains every day, just not as much. During the intermonsoon seasons the winds are light. All seasons are hot and humid, and there is very little seasonal variation in temperature.
Southeast Asia's rainforests were thought to be the most bio-diverse regions in the world. They found as many as 200 tree species in one single hectare. Recently the record has been beat by Peru. There are also a lot of endangered species in the Southeast Asian rainforest. Southeast Asia has 10 independent countries. They are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The letter code under Köppen's climate classification is Af. The A stands for a place that has a rainy, cool summer but a warm spring. The f stands for moist, fair rainfall in all months. Af climates are caused by consistent warmth in the temperatures. So, Af stands for the tropical rainforest climate. The Af climates have high humidities, which cause afternoon clouds and rain showers. These are some temperatures of the Af climate. The average temperature in the coldest month of the year is at least 18° C. The daily temperature range is 10° C to 25° C. The humidity is very oppressive! The vegetation for Af is a broad leaf evergreen forest. The location of the Af climate is low-lying areas near the equator.
Southeast Asia has uniform temperatures, high humidity and lots of rain. The average temperature per year is 80° F. Ninety five degrees Fahrenheit, however, is the high temperature for tropical rainforests. The climate is very humid and sticky because Southeast Asia is surrounded by oceans. The average humidity is from 70 to 90 %. The annual precipitation is heavy; 60 inches to over 100 inches.
The latitude range of this climate is 16° S to 20° N latitude, and the longitude range is 95° to 130° E.
Tropical Moist Climate: Tropical Moist Climates (Af)
In an average year in a tropical rain forest, the climate is very humid because of all the rainfall, which amounts to about 250 cm per year. The rain forest has lots of rain because it is very hot and wet. This climate is found near the equator. That means that there is more direct sunlight hitting the land and sea there than anywhere else. The sun warms the land and sea and the water evaporates into the air. The warm air can hold a lot of water vapor. As the air rises, it cools. That means it can hold less water vapor. Then as warm meets cold, condensation takes place and the vapor forms droplets, and clouds form. The clouds then produce rain. It rains more than ninety days a year and the strong sun usually shines between the storms. The water cycle repeats often along the equator. The main plants in this biome are trees. A lot of the rain that falls on the rain forest never reaches the ground. It stays on the trees because the leaves act as a shield, and some rain never gets past the trees to the smaller plants and grounds below. Trees in this climate reach a height of more than 164 feet. They form a canopy. The forest floor is called understory. The canopy also keeps sunlight from reaching the plants in the understory. Between the canopy and understory is a lower canopy made up of smaller trees. These plants do receive some filtered sunlight.
The tropical rain forest is classified as Af meaning tropical forest The A is given to tropical climates that are moist for all months which have average temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius. The f stands for sufficient precipitation for all months. The latitude range for rainforest climate is 15° to 25° North and South of the equator
The annual precipitation of a rain forest is greater than 150 cm. In only a month the rain forest receives 4 inches of rain. The rain forest is different from a lot of other climates. In other climates, the evaporation is carried away to fall as rain in far off areas, but in the rain forests, 50 % of the precipitation comes from its own evaporation.
The average temperature of a rain forest is about 77° Fahrenheit. The rain forest is about the same temperature year round. The temperature never drops below 64° Fahrenheit. Rain forests are so hot because they are found near the equator. The closer to the equator you are, the more solar radiation there is. The more solar radiation there is, the hotter it is. Rain forest are never found in climates which have temperatures 32° Fahrenheit and below because the plant life will not be able to live because they aren't adapted to frost. All the plants will die out if the rain forest is cooler.
The plants that make up the understory of a rainforest have adapted to the small amount of sunlight that they receive. Ferns and mosses do well, along with epiphytes. These are plants that grow on other plants. They can be found growing on branches of tall trees where they can get sunlight. There are many different plant species found in the rain forest.
In an average year in a tropical rain forest, the climate is very humid because of all the rainfall, which amounts to about 250 cm per year. The rain forest has lots of rain because it is very hot and wet. This climate is found near the equator. That means that there is more direct sunlight hitting the land and sea there than anywhere else. The sun warms the land and sea and the water evaporates into the air. The warm air can hold a lot of water vapor. As the air rises, it cools. That means it can hold less water vapor. Then as warm meets cold, condensation takes place and the vapor forms droplets, and clouds form. The clouds then produce rain. It rains more than ninety days a year and the strong sun usually shines between the storms. The water cycle repeats often along the equator. The main plants in this biome are trees. A lot of the rain that falls on the rain forest never reaches the ground. It stays on the trees because the leaves act as a shield, and some rain never gets past the trees to the smaller plants and grounds below. Trees in this climate reach a height of more than 164 feet. They form a canopy. The forest floor is called understory. The canopy also keeps sunlight from reaching the plants in the understory. Between the canopy and understory is a lower canopy made up of smaller trees. These plants do receive some filtered sunlight.
The tropical rain forest is classified as Af meaning tropical forest The A is given to tropical climates that are moist for all months which have average temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius. The f stands for sufficient precipitation for all months. The latitude range for rainforest climate is 15° to 25° North and South of the equator
The annual precipitation of a rain forest is greater than 150 cm. In only a month the rain forest receives 4 inches of rain. The rain forest is different from a lot of other climates. In other climates, the evaporation is carried away to fall as rain in far off areas, but in the rain forests, 50 % of the precipitation comes from its own evaporation.
The average temperature of a rain forest is about 77° Fahrenheit. The rain forest is about the same temperature year round. The temperature never drops below 64° Fahrenheit. Rain forests are so hot because they are found near the equator. The closer to the equator you are, the more solar radiation there is. The more solar radiation there is, the hotter it is. Rain forest are never found in climates which have temperatures 32° Fahrenheit and below because the plant life will not be able to live because they aren't adapted to frost. All the plants will die out if the rain forest is cooler.
The plants that make up the understory of a rainforest have adapted to the small amount of sunlight that they receive. Ferns and mosses do well, along with epiphytes. These are plants that grow on other plants. They can be found growing on branches of tall trees where they can get sunlight. There are many different plant species found in the rain forest.
JambuCommon Names: Jambu Ayer, Djamboe Aer, Watery Rose AppleGenus: SyzygiumSpecies: aqueum
Growing up as a child in Indonesia one of my favorite fruits to eat was jambu. Biting into the small, crisp and mildly sweet, watery fruit was thirst quenching and delicious.
Jambu grows naturally from southern India to eastern Malaya. A member of the myrtle family, this fruit is the smallest in a group of similar fruits of the Syzygium genus.
Jambu is a small tree or large shrub which grows on the averageof 10 to 20 feet in height. Branches grow close to the ground from a short, crooked trunk. The crown is open and non-symmetrical. It likes plenty of rain evenly spaced throughout the year.
The leathery leaves grow opposite each other on short, thick stems that clasp the twig. They are oblong in shape, narrower at the stem end. They are 2 to 10 inches long, 1 to 6 inches wide. They are pink when young and become dull, light-green above and yellowish-green beneath when mature. The flowers have a faint fragrance and grow in loose clusters of 3 to 7 at the end of branches. The petals are pale yellow, yellow-white or pink and the stamens are uni-colored. In Indonesia the tree blooms twice a year, in July and again in September. The fruits ripen in August and November.
The jambu fruit has a shiny, thin skin which varies from white to light red. About 1 inch long and 1-1.5 inches wide, they are shaped somewhat like a pear with a narrow neck and a wide apex. The fruit curves in and forms a concave indentation from which stiff sepals and the style protrude. The flesh is white or pink, slightly fragrant, crisp and juicy with a faint sweet flavor. The fruit has about 1-3 seeds which, together with the roots, are considered poisonous. Red and white jambu are found in Indonesia. The red jambus are the smallest fruit, sweet and juicy, with the white ones being very acidic. In Malasia there is a wide variety of color, ranging from palest green, delicate blush pink to deep crimson and a sort of brownish red. Green jambu are very crunchy but not as juicy.
Southeast Asian rainforest animals, like monkeys, gibbons and jambu fruit doves rely on jambu as part of their diet. Growing wild, the jambu is also cultivated throughout Southeast Asia and is not endangered.
Growing up as a child in Indonesia one of my favorite fruits to eat was jambu. Biting into the small, crisp and mildly sweet, watery fruit was thirst quenching and delicious.
Jambu grows naturally from southern India to eastern Malaya. A member of the myrtle family, this fruit is the smallest in a group of similar fruits of the Syzygium genus.
Jambu is a small tree or large shrub which grows on the averageof 10 to 20 feet in height. Branches grow close to the ground from a short, crooked trunk. The crown is open and non-symmetrical. It likes plenty of rain evenly spaced throughout the year.
The leathery leaves grow opposite each other on short, thick stems that clasp the twig. They are oblong in shape, narrower at the stem end. They are 2 to 10 inches long, 1 to 6 inches wide. They are pink when young and become dull, light-green above and yellowish-green beneath when mature. The flowers have a faint fragrance and grow in loose clusters of 3 to 7 at the end of branches. The petals are pale yellow, yellow-white or pink and the stamens are uni-colored. In Indonesia the tree blooms twice a year, in July and again in September. The fruits ripen in August and November.
The jambu fruit has a shiny, thin skin which varies from white to light red. About 1 inch long and 1-1.5 inches wide, they are shaped somewhat like a pear with a narrow neck and a wide apex. The fruit curves in and forms a concave indentation from which stiff sepals and the style protrude. The flesh is white or pink, slightly fragrant, crisp and juicy with a faint sweet flavor. The fruit has about 1-3 seeds which, together with the roots, are considered poisonous. Red and white jambu are found in Indonesia. The red jambus are the smallest fruit, sweet and juicy, with the white ones being very acidic. In Malasia there is a wide variety of color, ranging from palest green, delicate blush pink to deep crimson and a sort of brownish red. Green jambu are very crunchy but not as juicy.
Southeast Asian rainforest animals, like monkeys, gibbons and jambu fruit doves rely on jambu as part of their diet. Growing wild, the jambu is also cultivated throughout Southeast Asia and is not endangered.
Bengal BambooCommon Names: Spineless Indian Bamboo, Calcutta CaneGenus: BambusaSpecies: tulda
The Bambusa tulda can be found in the biome of the Southeast Asian rainforest. It often grows as an undergrowth scattered or in patches in the forest. It does very well in a moist environment with a lot of rainfall. It likes temperatures between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Rainforests get around 100 inches of rain per year. Rainforests are found mainly around the equator. They hold many varieties of plants and animals. The vegetation in rainforests grows in layers. Some of the layers get sunlight, but the bottom layers get little or no sunlight.
This particular bamboo can grow anywhere between 40 feet and 80 feet in height. It is approximately 3 inches in diameter at maturity. This bamboo has dark green straight stalky culms,which are the stems. The leaves are long and narrow and green in color. They grow alternately on opposing sides of the stem, in two rows. Usually the blades fall off when the leaves have matured. This leaves a sheath like base. Bamboo is a perennial plant. Believe it or not, bamboo is not a tree or a shrub, it is a grass. It is the largest grass. It is very fast growing. In two to three months it is full grown. The culms or stems never get thicker after they are full grown. They only flower once in their lifetime and die after they bloom. No matter where they grow, different plants of the same species flower at the same time. New plants grow from the seeds that resemble rice kernels. This species life span is 25 to 40 years.
Bambusa tulda is important to its environment. It can reduce soil erosion. It sucks up water from heavy rains that might cause flooding. It also provides shelter for many animals. A rainforest has plenty of water for this plant to grow. It physically adapts to its environment by growing tall fast so it gets a lot of rain and sunlight.
Bambusa tulda is mainly used by the Indian paper pulping industry. It is also used for furniture, making baskets and reinforcing concrete. This type of bamboo is used to make a sacred flute called the "Eloo". It is also used for fishing rods. It is one of the most useful species of bambusa.
Rainforests are disappearing at the rate of 80 acres per minute, which is a little over 1 acre per second. Bambusa tulda is not on the endangered species list. It is native to India, Burma, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. Although there is no formal conservation plan, some of the local people are trying to conserve it in their area. They do this in their homestead and settled forest areas by planting it and being cautious about how much they harvest.
The Bambusa tulda can be found in the biome of the Southeast Asian rainforest. It often grows as an undergrowth scattered or in patches in the forest. It does very well in a moist environment with a lot of rainfall. It likes temperatures between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Rainforests get around 100 inches of rain per year. Rainforests are found mainly around the equator. They hold many varieties of plants and animals. The vegetation in rainforests grows in layers. Some of the layers get sunlight, but the bottom layers get little or no sunlight.
This particular bamboo can grow anywhere between 40 feet and 80 feet in height. It is approximately 3 inches in diameter at maturity. This bamboo has dark green straight stalky culms,which are the stems. The leaves are long and narrow and green in color. They grow alternately on opposing sides of the stem, in two rows. Usually the blades fall off when the leaves have matured. This leaves a sheath like base. Bamboo is a perennial plant. Believe it or not, bamboo is not a tree or a shrub, it is a grass. It is the largest grass. It is very fast growing. In two to three months it is full grown. The culms or stems never get thicker after they are full grown. They only flower once in their lifetime and die after they bloom. No matter where they grow, different plants of the same species flower at the same time. New plants grow from the seeds that resemble rice kernels. This species life span is 25 to 40 years.
Bambusa tulda is important to its environment. It can reduce soil erosion. It sucks up water from heavy rains that might cause flooding. It also provides shelter for many animals. A rainforest has plenty of water for this plant to grow. It physically adapts to its environment by growing tall fast so it gets a lot of rain and sunlight.
Bambusa tulda is mainly used by the Indian paper pulping industry. It is also used for furniture, making baskets and reinforcing concrete. This type of bamboo is used to make a sacred flute called the "Eloo". It is also used for fishing rods. It is one of the most useful species of bambusa.
Rainforests are disappearing at the rate of 80 acres per minute, which is a little over 1 acre per second. Bambusa tulda is not on the endangered species list. It is native to India, Burma, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. Although there is no formal conservation plan, some of the local people are trying to conserve it in their area. They do this in their homestead and settled forest areas by planting it and being cautious about how much they harvest.
The Wealth of the Rainforests :
.The Amazon Rainforest covers over a billion acres, encompassing areas in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and the Eastern Andean region of Ecuador and Peru. If Amazonia were a country, it would be the ninth largest in the world.
.The Amazon Rainforest has been described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because it provides the essential environmental world service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen.
.More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.
More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rainforests. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
.One hectare (2.47 acres) may contain over 750 types of trees and 1500 species of higher plants.
.At least 80% of the developed world's diet originated in the tropical rainforest. Its bountiful gifts to the world include fruits like avocados, coconuts, figs, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including corn, potatoes, rice, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, tumeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews.
.At least 3000 fruits are found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the Western World. The Indians of the rainforest use over 2,000.
.Rainforest plants are rich in secondary metabolites, particularly alkaloids. Biochemists believe alkaloids protect plants from disease and insect attacks. Many alkaloids from higher plants have proven to be of medicinal value and benefit.
.Currently, 121 prescription drugs currently sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. And while 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less than 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
.The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified 3000 plants that are active against cancer cells. 70% of these plants are found in the rainforest. Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients in today's cancer-fighting drugs come from organisms found only in the rainforest.
.Vincristine, extracted from the rainforest plant, periwinkle, is one of the world's most powerful anticancer drugs. It has dramatically increased the survival rate for acute childhood leukemia since its discovery.
In 1983, there were no U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers involved in research programs to discover new drugs or cures from plants. Today, over 100 pharmaceutical companies and several branches of the US government, including giants like Merck and The National Cancer Institute, are engaged in plant research projects for possible drugs and cures for viruses, infections, cancer, and even AIDS.
.The Amazon Rainforest covers over a billion acres, encompassing areas in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and the Eastern Andean region of Ecuador and Peru. If Amazonia were a country, it would be the ninth largest in the world.
.The Amazon Rainforest has been described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because it provides the essential environmental world service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen.
.More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.
More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rainforests. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
.One hectare (2.47 acres) may contain over 750 types of trees and 1500 species of higher plants.
.At least 80% of the developed world's diet originated in the tropical rainforest. Its bountiful gifts to the world include fruits like avocados, coconuts, figs, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including corn, potatoes, rice, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, tumeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews.
.At least 3000 fruits are found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the Western World. The Indians of the rainforest use over 2,000.
.Rainforest plants are rich in secondary metabolites, particularly alkaloids. Biochemists believe alkaloids protect plants from disease and insect attacks. Many alkaloids from higher plants have proven to be of medicinal value and benefit.
.Currently, 121 prescription drugs currently sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. And while 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less than 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
.The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified 3000 plants that are active against cancer cells. 70% of these plants are found in the rainforest. Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients in today's cancer-fighting drugs come from organisms found only in the rainforest.
.Vincristine, extracted from the rainforest plant, periwinkle, is one of the world's most powerful anticancer drugs. It has dramatically increased the survival rate for acute childhood leukemia since its discovery.
In 1983, there were no U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers involved in research programs to discover new drugs or cures from plants. Today, over 100 pharmaceutical companies and several branches of the US government, including giants like Merck and The National Cancer Institute, are engaged in plant research projects for possible drugs and cures for viruses, infections, cancer, and even AIDS.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Where are the Rainforest?
The Amazon-the Amazon jungle is the world's largest tropical rainforest.The forest covers the basin of the Amazon,the world's second largest river.
Africa-Central 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.
Southern Asia-The rainforests of Asia strech from India and Burma in the west to Malaysia and the islands of Java and Borneo in the east.
Africa-Central 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.
Southern Asia-The rainforests of Asia strech from India and Burma in the west to Malaysia and the islands of Java and Borneo in the east.
Rain Forest
Plants-The tropical Rain Forest is a forest of all trees in a region of year -round warmth.An average of 50 to 260 inches of rain falls yearly
Climate- Rain Forests belongs to the tropical wet climate group.The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 degreass or drops below 68 degreass; average humidity is between77 and 88%; rainfall is oftenmore than 100 inches a year.There is usually a brief season of less rain.In monsoonal areas ,there is a real dry season.Almost all rain forest lie through the equator.
Climate- Rain Forests belongs to the tropical wet climate group.The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 degreass or drops below 68 degreass; average humidity is between77 and 88%; rainfall is oftenmore than 100 inches a year.There is usually a brief season of less rain.In monsoonal areas ,there is a real dry season.Almost all rain forest lie through the equator.
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