edited tropical rain forest group 7

7/31/2019 Edited Tropical Rain Forest Group 7

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TROPICAL RAINFOREST

Forest of tall trees in a

region of year-round

warmth.

The temperature- higherthan 93 F (34 C) ordrops below 68 F (20

C); average humidity is

between 77 and88%(highest); average of

50 to 260 inches (125 to

660 cm.) ofrain falls

yearly.

Rainforests now cover lessthan 6% of Earth's land surface.

Tropical rainforests produce40% of Earth's oxygen.

Has more kinds of trees than

any other area in the world.

About 1/4 of all themedicines we use come fromrainforest plants.


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Home to a huge number ofdifferent plants and animals.

All tropical rainforests areendangered.

There are four layers ofrainforest:

i. emergent,

ii. upper canopy,

iii. understory/lower canopy,

iv. forest floor)


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Tropical rainforests are found between latitudes 10 N and 10S.

This includes the Amazon Basin of South America, the Zaire

Basin of Africa and the islands and peninsulas of South-eastAsia.

In Southeast Asia, the tropical rainforests are found in India,Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Burma andPapua New Guinea.

Zaire basin in Africa contains the largest patch of TropicalRainforest in Africa and about one-tenth of the worldsrainforest.


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Hot with high

temperatures and fairly

continuous

precipitation.

Located right nearthe equator

Climate here is warm,

very wet and constant

Due to the position of

the sun over the

equator; it's always

directly overhead.


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South East AsiaAustraliaAfrica

NOTE : The distribution of T.R.F is indicated by green areas

distribution of the tropical rainforest in S.E.A, is indicated by the green areas

distribution of the tropical rainforest in S.E.A, is indicated by the green areas

The distribution of the tropical rainforest in S.E.A, is indicated by the green areas


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In Southeast Asia, the tropical rainforests are found in India,Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Burma and PapuaNew Guinea.

India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are in small patches and strips,

Indonesia contains one-tenth of the worlds rainforest and 40%of all Asian rainforests.

About four-fifths of Malaysia are covered by tropical rainforest.But now has lost about two third of its lowland forest to

plantations.

Papua New Guinea still has areas of rainforest yet to bedisturbed, due to its mountainous terrain. Papua New Guinea ishome to many amazing animals, one being the largestbutterfly in the world; the

Queen Alexandras birdwing.Its wing span can reach up to10 inches wide!


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About four-fifths of Malaysia are covered by tropical

rainforest. But now has lost about two third of its lowland

forest to plantations.

Rainforest Malaysia located near equator are blessed with

tropical rainforest.

Tropical Rainforest Malaysia also known as tropical moist

broadleaf forest

Lowland tropical rainforests, are forests which receive high

rainfall (more than 2000 mm, or 80 inches, annually) throughout

the year.

Tropical Rainforest Malaysia are mostly dominated by trees

from the Dipterocarpaceaefamily.


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rainfall occur along year

comprise about 160,000 of the estimated

250,000 species of plants on Earth

Mostly have buttress root, large leaves inlower layer & drip tips

Exceptionally thin bark 1 to 2 mm thick

Large fleshy fruits attract birds, mammals,

and even fish as dispersal agents


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Banyan tree Talipot palm Peacock plant

Giant bamboo


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Emergent Layer

Top layer

Tallest tree (200 feet above) with around 16 feet trunks

Small, pointed & waxy leaves more exposed to dryingwind

Shallow root system, buttress root to protect against

strong wind

Their seeds spread all over the forest


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Get greatest amount of sunlight but also must endure

high temperatures, low humidity & strong winds

Most of animal found never touch the ground

Kapok tree


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Canopy Layer

Umbrella shaped 60 to 130 foot trees

Accept 80% of sunlight & leaves are

dense Higher photosynthesis rate yield

more fruits, seeds, flowers & leaves

Bromeliads cup like plant providedrinking pool for animal & breeding

location for tree frogs


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Branches often densely covered with

other plants (epiphytes) & and tiedtogether with vines (lianas)

Leaves - smooth, oval leaves that cometo a point & form drip tips allow waterflow off the leaves to prevent mosses &fungi growth

Provides shelter under trees from harsh

weatherMost rainforests animal stay in thislayer


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Tree frog

Macaw

Spider monkey


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Understory Layer (low canopy)

Known as shrub layer 60 foot trees

Receiving only 2-15% of the sunlight

Have large broad leave to absorb light

BANANA TREE

The bananas that we eat grow on trees in

the understory layer rainforest. This tree has very

large

leaves. This is so the leaves can capture as

much sunlight as possible.


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Made up of the trunks of canopy trees, shrubs, plants,

small young trees and leafy herbaceous plants

Little air movement because have thick layer humidityis constantly high

Constant shade stage

Rely on insects & animals to pollinate their flower

Home to a number of birds, snakes and lizards as wellas predators such as jaguars, boa

constrictors and leopards


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Blue-tailed Iguana Boa Constrictor Coatimundi Fruit Bat

Green Tree Boa Leaf Cutter Ants Margay Tree Frog


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Forest Floor Layer

Lowest layer with mud & dirt, completely shaded Receives less than 2% of the sunlight less plant grow &

few bushes or herbs can grow

Person can easily walk through most parts of a tropical

rain forest Important part of the forest ecosystem

Decomposition leaves fall & dead animals (nutrient)


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Decomposers such as millipedes & earthworms use these

nutrients for food

Tree root absorb the nutrient

Many of the largest rainforest animals & thousand of

other plant & animal are found


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Great deal of competition for food, sunlight and space.

Specialized - adapted to eat a specific plant or animal that

few others eat.

Exp : and

-eat nuts

-developed big strong beaks

-cut small pieces 50 times their weight.

-Bury the leaf pieces.

-the leaves + ants' saliva: the growth of a fungus,

-food for these ants eat.


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between plants and animals.

spread the seeds of their fruit to distant parts of

the forest.

Problem : if one species becomes extinct, the

other is in danger too unless it can adapt in

time. Example :


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use camouflage to

'disappear' in the

rainforest. Examples : Stick insects,

butterflies whose wings

look like leaves.

three-toed sloth

-camouflage and slowness

Green algae growsin the sloth's fur, which

helps camouflage it in the

forest canopy


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Poisonous animals-use bright

colors to warn predators. Exp:

Brightly colored.

Special features : exp-

can do

wonderful acrobat which can leapsix metres from tree to tree. Has

a special tail that can be used like

a hand to hang from trees or to

reach out for fruit (called aprehensile tail).


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1. BARK

2. LIANAS

3. DRIP TIPS

4. BUTTRESSES5. PROP AND STILT ROOT

6. EPIPHYTES

7. BROMELIADS

8. MANGROVES9. NEPHENTES


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Thick bark helps to limit moisture evaporation from

the tree's trunk.

Most trees have a thin, smooth bark. smoothness of

the bark -difficult for other plants to grow on their

surface.


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Climbing woody vines that drape

rainforest trees.

Having their roots in the ground

and climbing high into the treecanopy to reach available

sunlight.

Start life in the rainforest canopy

and send roots down to theground.


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leaves have adapted tocope with exceptionallyhigh rainfall.

drip tips enable raindrops to run off quickly.

Plants need to shedwater to avoid growth offungus and bacteria in

the warm, wet tropicalrainforest.


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1. Logging- For their timber

- felling selected tree,

tears down with it

climbers, vines,epiphytes & Lianas.

- extreme soil

disturbance by building

of roads.

2. Agriculture shiftedcultivators

People moves into

rainforest & established

small-scale farming

operations.

3. Agriculture cashcrops & cattle Ranching

- Undisturbed and

logged rainforest areasare being totally cleared

to provide land for food

crops, tree plantations

or for grazing cattle

(Colchester &

Lohmann).

4. Fuelwood

- The United Nation's

Food and Agriculture

Organisation estimatesthat '1.5 billion of the 2

billion people worldwide

who rely on fuelwood for

cooking and heating are

overcutting forests'.

5. Large dams- Downstream ecosystems

are damaged by dams which

trap silt, holding back

valuable nutrients.

6. Mining & industry- Lead to direct forest loss

due to clearing of land to

establish projects.


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1. For all purposes forwhich tropical timber is

used, other woods ormaterials could be

substituted.

2. Land reform is essential ifthis problem is to be

addressed.

3.Reducing the demand forSouthern-produced

agribusiness crops and

alleviating the pressure fromexternally-financed

development projects andassistance

4. involve a return to localpeoples' control of theforests they depend on.

5. Aid organisations like theWorld Bank have traditionallyfavoured spectacular large-scale irrigation and hydro-

electric projects.

6. Local campaigns againstmining and industrialdevelopment, and the

campaigns to reform thelarge aid agencies which

fund such schemes, shouldbe supported.

Ways to preserve

and conserve


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Medicinal values


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TRF are called the world largest pharmacy

- Due to the large amount of natural medicines

discovered.

Examples:roots of climber (Chondrodendron

tomentosum)- muscle relaxant in surgery

leaves of Erythroxylum coca- cocaine

yam (Dioscorea)- diosgenin (steroid)


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roots of a shrub (Rauvolfia)- reserpine to reduce high BP and

treat mental illness

seeds of Moreton Bay Chestnut (Castanospermum australe)

from Australia TRF -discovered to contain drug that might

help combat AIDS.

Chemical (emitine) in Cephaelis ipecacuanha- induce

vomiting from swallowed poisonous or harmful substances.

More than 1400 varieties of TRF plants- potentially to cure

cancers.


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T.R.F : high biodiversity but poorsoil content

Soil of the tropical rainforests is thin,very low in nutrients

Decomposers like leaf-cutter ants,termites, bacteria, and fungi live on

forest floor.

They quickly turn falling leaves anddead organisms into nutrients.

Pl t t k th t i t th

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edited tropical rain forest group 7

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