Tropical Forest versus Northeastern Forest - Term Paper Example

Forest Ecosystems There are two types of rainforests around the world, tropical and temperate. Tropical rainforests are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and on many of the Pacific Islands. Temperate forests, on the other hand cover a large part of the globe, but temperate rain forests only occur in few regions around the world. Most of these occur in Oceanic-Moist Climates such as the United States. There is great diversity in the structure of the tropical rain forests and the temperate forests and much of this is due to geological factors. Particularly, the ecological variables such as climate, water relations, geology and soil are pivotal in the mosaic of ecological regimes within these two kinds of forests. Tropical rain forest Climate factors  Climate – the average whether condition at a specific place - plays a huge part in the in the composition and structure of a forest primarily because of its control over biological activity. The impact of this ability in the forest is demonstrated in how it affects soil development in various ways. For example, as a tree grows, the sand beneath is altered via the actions of the roots, the microbe influx, plant debris and its extracts, as well as percolating water. (Perry 1994, p. 271) Over time, the organisms within the tropical forests and the soil became interlinked. The climactic variable is characterized by several other factors, including temperature and rainfall. Temperature, the degree of coldness or hotness in a region, is the most important factor for tropical rain forest. Constant high temperature is crucial in the tropical climates, and the coldest month average temperature is around 18oC. Rainfall, is the second most important factor for it, and which define different tropical climates. Due to minimum annual rainfall between 69 in and 79 in occurs in tropical rain forest climate, the tropical rainforests are considered a type of tropical wet forest.  Rain forest experiences varying periods of wet and dry season. It is from this climactic context wherein Walter and Lieth illustrated several major formations of tropical rain forest, namely: monsoon forest; semi-evergreen rain forest; lowland evergreen rain forest; lower motane rain forest; upper montane rain forest; subalpine forest; health forest; peat swamp forest; freshwater swamp forest.  Mosoon forest and semi-evergreen forest have a common factor with seasonal in climate. Monsoon forest, which have a long dry season followed by a season of heavy rainfall. The trees in a monsoon forest usually shed their leaves during the dry season and come into leaf at the start of the rainy season. Many lianas and herbaceous epiphytes are present. Monsoon forests are primarily in Southeast Asia and the typical plants are tall teak trees and bamboo. Semi-evergreen rain forest, on the other hand, is a distinct formation type, dominated by both evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved trees, which in 45m height. Examples are found on all the continents with tropical territory, but are especially extensive in central and South. America, Southeastern Asia, and northern Australia. Where there is a regular annual period dry season may last five months. Lowland evergreen rainforest refers to the majority of tropical rainforest, which grows on flat land at elevation less than 1,000 m. Lowland forests are characterized by the large number of tree species which is lofty, dense, evergreen forest more than 45m, this is all plant communities. This is usually taller and more diverse than montane forest. And all sites with this formation have no regular annual dry season. Therefore, more animals specially adapted to habitat in this form of site.Lower montane rainforest is forest that grows on mountains and an altitude between 1200-1500 m. The trees of lower montane forest are average 15-33m and which are typically shorter than lowland evergreen forest resulting in a less-developed canopy. Trees in places like the lower elevations of the Andes in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela; and Central America; the soil characterized by zonal (mainly oxisols, ultisols)  Soil and the Forests There are some evidence that forest formation or tree distribution is reliant on soil or its nutrient concentration. For instance, a study made by Oliveira-Filho et al. in 1994 showed that soil and topography are strongly correlated with the distribution of tree species. (Bonnell and Bruijnzeel 2004, p. 434) The conclusion made was that soil and topography promotes the coexistence of tree species in a community by helping produce spatial heterogeneity in the forest environment. Furthermore, with the addition of the water variable, the soil and topography becomes more and more essential. A study that measured daily variations in soil water tension found that it is responsible for the different forest types to a soil catena along which the following four factors seemed to be most influential: the degree of saturation in the very wet months, the degree and frequency of water deficit periods; the water retention capacity of the soil; and the root distribution of the soil. (Bonell and Bruijnzeel, p. 434) Heath forest, for instance, are found on well drained, sandy soils that developed from siliceous sand, either coastal alluvium or weathered sandstone. This form of forest is characterized by certain tree species have the natural ability for tolerating the poor, and acidic soil (Ph less than 4.0). The streams draining health forest are black. thus, Heath forests known as blackwater are drained by blackwater rivers and are found primarily in the Amazon Basin (the Rio Negro drainage).  Peat swamp forests, meanwhile, appear in per humid climate, the watertable high, and soil contains oligotrophic peats, which is the dead vegetation becomes waterlogged and accumulates as peat. it acts as a sort of sponge withholding moisture at times of little rainfall and absorbing monsoon rains. Peat forest is found in small parts of Africa, northeastern South America, and large areas in southeast Asia (especially Borneo and Sumatra).  Fresh water forests, seems like peat swamp forests these are prehumid climate and high water table with inland freshwater, the soil contains eutrophic. therefore, this form of forest with soils richer in plant nutrients than peat swamp forest, and higher Ph =6.0 or even more.  Rainforests are not only in tropical regions, but also in temperate regions like Canada, the United States, and the former Soviet Union. These forests, like tropical rainforests, receive abundant, year-round rainfall, and are characterized by an canopy and high species diversity, but lack the year-round warmth and sunlight associated with tropical rainforests.  With the previous discussion of factors affecting forest formation, one could also apply them to the temperate forest composition and locations. Temperate Forest Temperate rain forest grows between the tropics and the polar regions in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Temperate forests have a moderate climate and have four distinct seasons. This form of forest receives a different amount of precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Most forests get their precipitation in winter and spring. Annual precipitation in temperate forests ranges from 75-150 cm per year. The soil in temperate forests is rich in nutrients. Montane forests are a type of temperate rainforest. And montane forest is a type of forest in New England Region, such as New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts. There are similar in vegetation and natural disturbance regime, and cultural history. And the landscape patterns of soils, stream drainage, and topography are interactive. In comparison with the tropical rain forests’ various formations, New England is a primarily montane forest of altitude ranging from 200 to 500 m above sea level, and characterized by rich rainfall, warm summer and cold winter temperature, and the altitude and latitude largely drive the length of growing season. The annual temperature ranges from 11oC in southern Connecticut to 4oC in the northern highland of New England. Precipitation ranges from 88 to 125 cm and is distributed fairly evenly through the year. Tropical rain forest vs. Temperate rain forest  Both tropical and rain forests have humid climate. In the tropical rainforest it rains about 400 inches a year. In the temperate rainforest it rains about 100 inches a year in the form of rain and snow and have distinct four seasons. Because of this difference in climate, soil, topography and water levels, temperate rain forest includes a wider range of tree species such as deciduous trees, which use its leafs to protect itself during climate change, lose their leaves when the days grow shorter and the weather turns cold. The leaves grow back when the weather warms in the spring and the days grow longer. Trees like maples, oaks, and chestnuts, coniferous trees, evergreen trees such as pines, firs, and cedars. Fallen leaves create different consequences for tropical forest and temperate forest.  In tropical rain forest fallen leaves would form the thick layer so that no other plants or animal can survive, because of lack of the sunlight to process the photosynthesis and being dissolved, easily to form of the peat swamp forest. but leaf is one of the most important parts of the temperate forest. This is where the forest recycles most of its nutrients. All organisms help break the leaf litter into nutrients other plants and animals can use. Temperate forests provide people with many more resources than just wood and farmland. Clean air and clean water are direct benefits of a healthy forest. Protection of temperate forests is critical to maintaining clean water. therefore, conserving temperate forest and tropical forest are important and through the sensible conservation people would get the benefit for current and even for next generation.  An understanding of the dynamics behind the forest formation, one sees the numerous factors that are responsible for their sustenance. This allows for better appreciation of the effects of climate change or the clearing of trees. Within the biological community and structure found in the forest, it is easier to comprehend how taking away or destroying a component could have devastating effects on the health of the entire forest system. It appears that integrating this kind of information on forest conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem would make the entire effort stronger and effective, enlightening and awakening people to act in the process. References Bonell, MIchael and Bruijnzeel. Forests, Water and People in the Humid Tropics: Past, Present and Future Hydrological Research for Integrated Land and Water Management. Cambridge University Press, 2004. Perry, David. Forest ecosystems. JHU Press, 1994. Read More