Tropical rain forest - Research Paper Example

Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem Introduction Purpose of the Research The main purpose for choosing this research is to be able to identify the importance of tropical rainforests on the earth’s planet. According to Whitemore (206), knowledge on tropical rainforests helps individuals understand benefits of conserving environment which is a home to different species and human beings. University of Michigan (The Tropical Rainforest) further argues that Conservation of rainforests contributes to a wealth of resources for survival and well-being of human kind. Tropical rain forests ecosystems are forests in the tropics that receive 4-8 meters of rain each year (Newman, the Tropical Rainforest). Tropical rain forests are categorized into three: the monsoon, equatorial rain forests and the subtropical rainforests. They are characterized by very tall trees of different kinds and produce 40% of Earth’s oxygen. The trees form canopies which provide shelter to the plants and animals from the sun. Tropical rain forests host more than half of the estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects (Terashima, 49). The vegetation is ever green. The dominant species in the rain forests are plants, animals and insects. Location According to Newman (The Tropical rainforest), tropical rain forests are found on the earth’s surface between the tropic of cancer in the North and the tropical of cancer in the south around 23.5 degrees north and south of the equator. Areas around the equator receive a constant amount of sunlight and rainfall which favours the growth of rainforest. Tropical rain forests are mainly found in central and South America, South East Asia and islands near it and in West Africa. The largest tropical rainforest across the globe is the Amazon rainforest. Climate According to Terashima (52), ecosystem is usually very wet with the total rainfall between 1500 and 2500 mm per year. Most of the rains stays on the rain forest, evaporates, cools to form clouds and fall again. The rainforest soils are infertile since the nutrients are washed away by the rains. There are usually no dry seasons and the day temperatures are around 30-35 Degree Celsius (Terborgh, The midday sun is always near the vertical and is overhead twice a year at the equinoxes. This means there is more direct sunlight hitting the ground and the sea and much water evaporates into the air (Newman, 2002). At night the temperatures range between 20-25 degrees Celsius. Little difference exists between the warmest and coolest months. Tropical rainforests have a high humidity and the type of climate is known as the equatorial climate. Tropical rainforest climate is found at latitudes within five degrees North and South of the equator. The high humidity is due to the warm sunlight, rainfall and the tree canopies which help retain the moisture. Major interactions Among the Organisms that live in the Tropical rain forests Competition According to University of Michigan (The Tropical Rainforest) there is a wide diversity of animals in the tropical rain forests. The tropical birds such as Costa Rica, parrots, macaws and hornbills eat fruits, nuts insects, seeds and nectar. Monkeys such as gorilla and the Lar gibbon feed on leaves, fruits, leaves and bark while the orang-utan and spider monkey feed on leaves fruits, nuts, seeds and insects. Also in Whitemore (195), spiders which live on the canopies eat fruits and leaves hence competing with the birds and some mammal for food in the ecosystem. Both the birds, monkeys and spiders compete for the same food in the ecosystem. Predation The bats also prey on frogs which also prey on insects. Jaguar feeds on rodents and frogs the bats and the jaguar are the predators whereas the frogs and other rodents are the prey. Snakes which are also predators feed on other rodents (Terborgh, 121). Predators use poison, camouflage and strength to kill their prey. Man is another predator whose prey is edible animals and plants. Men use the animals and plants as food and medicine. Symbiotic relationship Mutual The tropical rainforest birds and insects pollinate the tropical rainforest trees. The insects and birds suck nectar and other substances from the trees and carry some pollen grains which in return pollinate the flowers they visit (Terborgh, 134). Animals such as mammals and birds are used to disperse the seeds from the rainforest plants. The plants which are the producers produce food for various animals in the forest while the animals which are mainly the consumers help in the pollination of the trees (Whitemore, 167). Therefore, birds, animals and other insects are pollinators and the trees are the plants There exists a symbiotic relationship between the Azteca ant and Cecropia tree (Terashima, 58). The Azteca ant lives in hollow stem of trees and feed from a sugary substance excreted by plant sacking insects. The Cecropia leaves produce rich protein substance which are food to the ants. As the ants feed on these substances they protect the Cecropia tree from other insects and climbing vines (Terborgh, 142). Cecropia tree needs sunlight for its growth and therefore the protection provided by the ants enables these trees to grow faster to counter the competition for sunlight with other trees. According to University of Michigan (The Tropical Rainforest), a mutual relationship exists between the Brazil nut tree and a rodent known as agouti. The Brazil nut tree future depends on the agouti which has strong teeth to break the grapefruit sized seed pods. The agouti which depends on these nuts for food breaks the nut and collects the pods and disperses them into different places where they are buried and later germinate to form new trees. Newman (The Tropical Rainforest) claims that the survival of Brazil nut tree depends on a scrupulous large bodied bee known as the Euglossine orchid bee. The Euglossine bee pollinates the Brazil nut tree and in turn the Euglossine is able to get a perfume which is a waxy secretion from the flower of the Brazil nut tree by rubbing all over the flower. This perfume helps the male bee compete effectively with the other males for mates. Some species of ants in the tropical rainforests have a symbiotic relationship with a caterpillar species (Whitemore, 192). The caterpillar produces sweet chemicals from “dew patches” on their backs which acts as food for the ants. On the other hand, the ants offer protection to the caterpillar. In Lowman and Moffett, (104) ants provide caterpillars with protection by sheltering them at night. Parasite and host According to Lowman and Moffett (106), several vines grow in the rain forest. The strangler fig Ficus Crassiuscula use trees to get their support and them later grow thicker and thicker as they reach the canopy and eventually strangle the host tree. The strangler vines are the parasites while the trees act as the host. Terborgh (113) adds that botflies which are parasites infest bird species and other animals in the forest. The birds and animals provide them with nutrients and shelter and they get nothing in return. Commensalism According to There exists a commensal relationship between epiphytes and the tree canopy system. The epiphytes only depend on the trees for support and do not draw any nutrients from the host tree (Terashima, 47). Once they reach to the top they are able to acquire sunlight which they need for growth and collect nutrients from their surroundings. Future outlook of the tropical rain forests According to Terashima (54), today only 5-10% of the tropical rainforests are remaining. The drop from 15-20% of tropical rain cover can be associated to human activities. University of Michigan (The Tropical Rainforest) argues that most of the tropical rain forest land has been used human beings as cropland, pasture, tree plantations, secondary forest or waste land. This has been occasioned by the need to meet the human needs such as food and land for the ever growing population. Some governments, multi-national logging companies and land owners perceive tropical forests as only important for their timber. The frequent logging of trees has resulted to deforestation. In Newman (The Tropical Rain Forest), the rainforests are also burnt and later used for farming activities. More than 200, 000 acres are being burnt every day and further destruction is anticipated. It is estimated that by 2050, the demand for wood could be double. Tropical rainforests are the major supply for wood to meet the growing demand. Conclusion As human beings realize the real importance of these forests more efforts are put in destruction of these ecological systems. According to experts within the next 40 years the remaining rainforests could totally consumed. Destruction of these ecosystems will threaten the live half of the world species such as plants, animals and microorganism. As the rainforests species disappear, there is a risk for life threatening diseases and destruction of the natural beauty. Works Cited Lowman, Margret and Moffett Mark. The Ecology of Tropical Rain Forest Canopies. Tree, 8(3), 1993; 104-106 Newman, Arnold. The Tropical Rain forest: A World Survey of Our Most Valuable Endangered Habitat: With a Blueprint for Its Survival. New York: Checkmark, 2002. University of Michigan. The Tropical Rainforest, Retrieved on 10th April 2013 from: http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/kling/rainforest/rainforest.html Terashima, Hideaki. The Relationship among Plants, Animals, and Man in the African Tropical Rain Forest. African Study Monographs, 2001; 43-60 Terborgh, John. Diversity and the Tropical Rainforest: Scientific American Library, New York, 1992; 56-176 Whitemore, Timothy. An Introduction to Tropical Rainforests, (2nd Ed). OUP Oxford: USA, 1998; 187-212 Read More