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Tropical Forest!
by Paul Wittle.

Contents!

1. Location

2. Plants

3. Climate

4. Animals

Location

• In a belt around the equator where the climate is hot and wet. Examples are Amazonia, South America, in Western Africa around the river Zaire and in southeast Asia. Try to remember two of these examples as they usually ask for one in an exam.

Plants

• There are more plant species in the rainforest than in any other biome. The growth rate is also more rapid.

• The forest is dense and varied with many species, each widely spread.

• Rainforests have four layers of vegetation:

1. Emergents or forest giants, 50 metres or taller, such as Kapok. These trees are usually supported by buttress roots.

2. The canopy --- This is a dense layer of cover (almost complete) that is 20-30 metres high and includes many hardwoods such as mahogany.

3. The understorey --- This is between the canopy and the floor, it is dark and contains only saplings and creepers hanging from the larger trees.

4. The forest floor --- This is covered in deep litter (dead organic material) such as fallen trees, logs and leaves.

• The trees have no set growing season so the can grow all year round and may shed their leaves at any time.

The Climate

• Temperature remains hot all year (around 27⁰C).

• Rainfall is heavy and mainly convectional in origin (so it is due to the meeting of hot and cold air and not the shape [relief] of the land). It rains in the afternoon almost every day.

• There are no distinct months but there may be a drier period during the year. At Manaus it is between June and October.

Animals

• These forests support vast numbers of animals including mammals, birds and insects. There are more species in this biome than in any other in the world.

• Carnivores include snakes, tigers and birds of prey such as eagles.

• Herbivores include thousands of insects, birds, squirrels and monkeys.

• The rivers that run through the forests also teem with life. There many different species of insects, fish, alligators and crocodiles.

That is a brief overveiw of this diverse biome, I may add to it sometime soon!

If you are doing exams soon the GOOD LUCK!

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