...What is an ecosystem? Well, an ecosystem includes all living things, such as animals and plants, and non-living things, such as the climate, soil and weather in a given area. Some examples of an ecosystem could be a desert, coral reef, or a rainforest. The ecosystem that has and will still to this day amaze me is the rainforest ecosystem. The rainforest can be characterized by its dense growth of trees in a very wet climate. There are tropical rainforests and temperate rainforests. The largest and in my opinion the most beautiful rainforest is the tropical. The tropical rainforest is home to more species of plants and animals than any of the other ecosystems combined. A tropical rainforest can be located near the equator. This type of rainforest is mainly in Brazil, but can also be found in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and West Africa. On the other hand, temperate rainforest can be found by the coast, the largest being by the Pacific coast of North America. The Daintree rainforest in Australia is by far the most interesting tropical rainforest. It is located north of Australia near Daintree, Queensland by the coast. This rainforest contains 30% of frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia, and 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species. It also contains 20 % of bird species in the country. In the rainforest there are both abiotic components and biotic components. Abiotic components are the nonliving things, such as ware, air, temperature, wind and the sun....
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...Deforestation of Tropical Rainforests Gabriel Corbeil ENV/GEO 120 March 20, 2015 Introduction: Tropical rainforests represent an important percentage of the globes biodiversity. This ecosystem is estimated to house 50% of all plant, insect and animal life. Covering less than 7% of Earth’s surface, it nonetheless is attributed with producing 20% of our oxygen supply. This unique biome arcs like a green arrow along the equatorial line. Its primary locations are South America, Central Africa and South-East Asia. Each region is facing varying degrees of serious deforestation. The result being widespread loss of humid tropical forest “Between 1990 and 1997, 5.8 ± 1.4 million hectares of humid tropical forest were lost each year, with a further 2.3 ± 0.7 million hectares of forest visibly degraded.” (Achard et al. 2002) The heart of the problem lies beneath a tangled mess of socio-economic growth resulting in massive deforestation chiefly for the land. Commercial farmers using the land for cattle, soybeans, palm oil and monoculture tree farms take advantage of loose government regulations. The most common tactic for land for forest removal is “slash and burn” where existing vegetation is cut down and burned for fertilizer. This technique has major impacts on multiple cycles key to forest health. Most notably the hydrological cycle, the nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle. If this trend continues there will be major changes in precipitation and air quality, both locally and globally...
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...Tropical Rainforest Megan L. Cleveland SCI/256 JUNE 14, 2015 Mr. Davis Tropical Rainforest An ecosystem is a unique environment where every living thing is interdependent, and one of the most complex yet most interesting ecosystems in the world will be found in the rainforest. The dark and recessed thick plant growth make it one of the most moist places on Earth. If a person studies the plants and animals that compromise the rainforest ecosystem; a person can gain a basic understanding of why scientists and ecologists alike are concerned about the disappearing tropical jungles. Rain forests have the most complex and species rich ecosystems on Earth. A rain forest biome is very complex; including a myriad of different species or plants and animals that have all adapted to lots of rain. They have different levels of plants; the highest level are full of tall trees and they are for the closed canopy. Vines are the next level, such as orchids and epiphytes that grow high within the trees to reach more sun light. The lowest level belongs to the short trees and small plants, like ferns. At the base of it all is the forest floor; dark but full of life. Rainforests support more than eight thousand kinds of plant within their dense vegetation. Australian rainforests produce flowers that are not found in any other place in this world. At ground level of a rainforest, it is so dark it may seem like dusk at lunchtime because of the layers of leaves blocking the light....
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...Rainforest Ecosystem Functions Ben Barr, Melodie Ocampo, Marline Pierre, Martha Tejada BSBH/ENV100 October 17, 2011 Wendy Armstrong Rainforest Ecosystem Functions The rain forest can be believed to be a living organism; they are a forest categorized by the amount of rain that falls throughout the year. Rainforest are some of this planet’s most complex ecosystems. “They once covered 14% of the earth's land surface and now they cover a mere 6%” (RainTree, 2010). Nonetheless, more than half of plant and animal species make it their home. It is home to some magnificent creatures and even some unidentified species. The largest part of the plants and animals that exist in the rainforest are endemic, which means they do not live anywhere else in the world. For this paper, Team C will discover the different aspect of the rainforest; also, how it functions within itself. Rainforest Climate The rainforest climate is humid, and has rain most of the time. Michael, (2001),"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” (para. 1). When the warm meets, the cold vapor happens, clouds produced, and clouds make rain. Adapting to the climate the plants make up the underlining of the rainforest. Moreover, the rainforest is hot because of where it is to the equator. In addition, its plant life will die out if the temperature...
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...Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem The tropical rainforests, such as the Amazon Rainforest are some of the richest environments in the world. They get their name because of the high amount of rainfall they get per year. The climate of a rainforest is very hot and humid, so all types of species must learn to adapt. A rainforest can hold as many as 80,000 plant species. Forty thousand of the Amazon Rainforest species regulate the whole planet’s climate. Anywhere between 40-100 species of trees can be found in about 108,000 square feet of land. The rainforests are rich in diverse types of trees for example, mosses, vines, flowers, and shrubs. These trees and plants sometimes find a new way to grow other than the ground. One example of...
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...Tropical rainforests are an unbelievably diverse and fascinating biome of planet earth there are many different regions of these rainforests however, they only cover approximately 6% of the earth’s surface. The rainforests are estimated to be the location to where more than half of all the plants and animals in the world reside. These areas are all situated on or near the equator where the heat is the most dependable over the planet some of the location include: South & Central America, Africa, Australasia & Oceana are part of the eight major different rainforests in these regions. 57% of the world’s tropical rainforests are found in Latin America, the largest rainforests of the world are in: Brazil South America, Zaire Africa and Indonesia South East Asia....
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...over the present day characteristics of biomes of tropical regions. For some, they are seen as a natural response to the climate of the area, whereas for others they are regarded as a product of human interference. Discuss the statement in the context of the tropical biome you have studied. [40] A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator (in the equatorial zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn). This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall. In particular, I will be focusing on Borneo Rainforest, which is the oldest rainforest in the world. The island is divided among three countries (figure 1): Malaysia and Brunei in the north, and Indonesia to the south. Approximately 73% of the island is Indonesian territory. In the north, the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak make up about 26% of the island. Climate is the average weather the region receives over a 30 year period. Climate can be on a global scale or a local scale, for instance where it is mountainous more rainfall is generated therefore that region sees a different climate to perhaps a neighbouring region. Aspect and altitude also affects climate, which will be explored in greater detail. The purpose of this essay is to explore whether the natural, climatic factors have influenced the characteristics of the rainforest, or whether humans have had an influence on it. I...
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...Tropical forests A rainforest is a thick of tall trees which is found in tropical areas where there is a lot of rain. The largest rainforests are in the Amazon River Basin (South America), the Congo River Basin (western Africa), and throughout much of southeast Asia. Smaller rainforests are located in Central America, Madagascar, Australia and nearby islands, India, and other locations in the tropics. Due to human intervention, today more than 40% of the worlds original forests have gone, for example, In 1950, 30% of the earth was covered by tropical forest. By 1975, only 12% was left and in 2002 they now cover only about 6% of the earth land. Forests exploited for wood and new agricultural terraces. If deforestation process will not be stopped or controlled, it will lead to appearance of big problems for those who is living and working in forests, for all humans as well. Rainforests should be protected due to their big importance for all the world, and below are just several reasons for that: - For many indigenous and other forest-dependent people, forests are their livelihood. They provide them with edible and medicinal plants, bush meat, fruits and many other goods, as well as with cultural and spiritual values. Without forests those communities will die. - The US Cancer Institute has identified more than 2000 tropical rainforests plants with potential to fight cancer. And yet, as forests come down, such plants – and the hopes they embody – are destroyed. Besides, in rainforests...
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...that depend on trees for survival. Before getting to the root of the problem, we must know what deforestation is. According to, Andrea Becker, who writes for Seattle Pi, defines deforestation as “forest loss through urban sprawl, land clearing of agriculture, wildfire or timber harvest.” In other words, it can be described as the clearing of trees. It may not seem like an issue that is severe, but when it comes down to it, the clearing of trees tends to affect the ecosystem in a number of ways. It is important to keep in mind that deforestation does not only occur in the United States, it is a big problem in the Brazilian and Bolivian Amazons. In addition, deforestation threatens our climate as well as the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people that rely on forests for food and economic activity (Greenpeace). Forests also serve as habitats to rare and undiscovered animal and plant species and play a key role in providing water and preventing flooding and erosion (Greenpeace). Tropical rainforests are diverse ecosystems that are home to millions of species. These forests continue to shrink as they are exploited for wood and cleared...
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...and Energy Paper In most tropical countries, only one tree is being replanted for every 10 cut down (Iowa Public Television, 1995-2010). Tropical rainforests “cover about 2% of earth’s surface, but house over half of world’s plant and animal species…” (Iowa Public Television, 1995-2010). Rainforests are vanishing quickly off the earth; over half have been destroyed in the last 10 years. While undefined, there are effects on the tropical rainforest based upon growing human population. There are proper management practices for conservation of natural resources but it is still necessary to determine the risks and benefits of extracting energy. Throughout this essay these points will all be discussed. Effects of Human Population Human population growth directly impacts the natural environment, natural resources, and ecosystems. The majority of tropical rainforests are located in moderately developed and developing nations that are experiencing exponential population growth. Wright maintains that 95% of the world’s population growth is occurring in developing nations at a rate of 1.5% annually, adding 75 million in a year (2008). Population growth adds pressures to natural resources as the need for living space, agricultural land and, food supplies increases. The biggest and most devastating effect of population growth in the Tropical Rainforest is deforestation, causing loss of habitat for wild species and irreversible damage to ecosystems. According to Mongabay...
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...1“Describe how climate affects your selected ecosystem?” The tropical rainforest is extremely important to the earth's climate. It affects temperatures worldwide, since as the name suggests, there is a lot of rainfall as a result of the forest's existence. The tropical rainforest aids in maintaining a somewhat stable weather habit and reduced global warming effects. This is why the clearing out of the rainforest has been extremely detrimental to the earth's climate the forest's rainfall helps reduce global warming, and without it, temperatures will continue to increase. The climate of the tropical rainforest itself is typically humid, warm, and the temperature rarely changes from daytime to nighttime. The extreme humidity causes the average rainfall each year to be around 200 cm. This type of warm temperature that ranges anywhere from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for lush growth and is very supportive of life and growth. The fact that the tropical rainforest supports great growth and life is an extremely important reason for humans to not destroy it. Species continue to become endangered and even extinct, so it is our responsibility to protect their habitat and growth as much as possible, not only for their sake, but for our own too. 2 “Explain, based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, how energy flows through your selected ecosystem?” The Tropical Rain Forest, nowhere on earth, or ecosystem for that matter, has a richer and more blossoming...
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...The Congo rainforest is the second largest rainforest after the Amazon rainforest. Climate change is an issue for the Democratic Republic of Congo, with tropical deforestation being a serious environmental risk. Since the DRC has half of Africa’s tropical forest, it is important that the country values its rainforests. Carbon is stored in the branches, stems, leaves and roots of trees. When the forests are cleared, a large amount of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere. Deforestation has caused some concerns, as so much carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere during the burning of forests. About 1,200 square miles of the forest of Congo is lost every year as a result of deforestation (The Democratic Republic of the Congo, p. 1). The Democratic...
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...A biome is a group of ecosystems that share similar climates and organisms. In Miller and Levine Biology, 10 biomes are discussed. They are the Tropical Rain Forest, Tropical Dry Forest, Tropical Grassland, the Desert, Temperate Grassland, Temperate Woodland, Temperate Forest, Northwestern Coniferous Forest, Boreal Forest, and the Tundra. They all have a vast amount of differences between all of the biomes, and they will be discussed. Although not discussed in the book, the taiga is the biggest biome. The average temperature of the taiga is 32 degrees fahrenheit with about 12 to 33 inches of precipitation per year. There is little diversity in plant life. A few broad leaf tree species live in the taiga but mostly evergreen trees are the only ones that have adapted to really thrive in this environment. There are some animals that have adapted to live in the cold and snowy environment. A predator called the ermine has a thick coat of dark fur that turns white in the winter. The snowshoe rabbit also has a fur that turns white in the winter. The wolverine is able to mate during ideal conditions by delayed implantation in which they suspend dormant fertilized eggs until the conditions are ideal for bearing their young. Rainforests are the most diverse having more than 15 million species living in the biome. The rainforest biome is sometimes separated into two different biomes. They are referred to as tropical and temperate. The tropical rainforests are located between the Tropic...
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...Guam’s limestone forests is extremely limited. In order to account the number of species available in comparison to the Panama tropical rainforests, data gathered from of 20x20 plots were recorded. Throughout this study, factors for Guam’s limited species diversity may be generalized but not fully confirmed. Overall the main purpose is to get an idea of what type of species are available in the limestone forests, as well as provide data for researchers to pursue further studies as to why species are so limited here on this island. Introduction Tropical rainforests, along with temperate ones, are the most complex biomes on earth. This is due to the many ecosystems found within them. Although it is assumed that rainforest are fertile with plant species due to nutrient-rich soil, it is not. Most nutrients are either washed away from the soil due to heavy rainfall or recycled through the vegetation. Usually new growth within the forest greatly depends on decomposing organisms, such as bacteria and fungi (Tang et al.2011). Specie diversity varies within these rainforests depending on conditions surrounding and affecting each. Considering that species diversity is one of many crucial elements to nature conservation, thorough studies must be conducted to identify such conditions of limited rainforests. (Primack 1993). Categorized within Tropical forests are karst or limestone forests that consist of endemic plants and trees. Guam’s limestone forests are also the most important...
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...The tropical rainforest is earth’s most complex biome in terms of both structure and species diversity. It begins with optimal growing conditions: abundant precipitation and year round warmth. The tropical rainforest ecosystem is also-called a tropical wet forest or a tropical moist broad-leaf forest. The rain forest is made up of different vegetation. The ecosystem has a significant amount of rain. It rains at least anywhere from 70-80 inches per year. Rainforests are very delicate biomes. With respect to agriculture, a particular weakness is the very thin layer of soil in rainforests. When rainforests are stripped and converted to agricultural land, the soil cannot support sustained agriculture for very long. In time, the soil is blown away and the land becomes desert. The deforestation of rainforests contributes to the extinction and endangering of numerous species. The tropical rainforest ecosystem can be found in places near the equator in the countries of Asia, Australia, Africa, and South America. One example would be the tall trees. The trees grow high to reach more sunlight. The abiotic factors of this rainforest biome are-the amount of water and sunlight, climate, weather and precipitation. These things affect the trees and animals that live there. These are very important because without the right amount of water and sunlight the trees in the rainforest would not be able to grow and would die. These factors also affect the types of plants and animals that can...
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