How many people live in tropical forests? Flora of tropical forests. Plants of moist equatorial forests: photos, pictures of vegetation. Seasonal rainforests
LECTURE 11
Land biome types: tropical rainforests and equatorial forests
Plan
1. General characteristics.
2. Ecological characteristics of organisms and communities.
3. Regional characteristics of moist forests.
4. Biomass and orobiomes.
1. General characteristics. Tropical and equatorial forests occupy a subequatorial position on all continents except Europe and Antarctica. The zone of these forests is asymmetrical. Tropical and equatorial forests are associated with areas that receive heavy rainfall. Therefore, the zone is expressed on the side of the continents from which air masses bring precipitation. In South America - from the east, in Africa - from the west, in Asia - from the south, in Australia - from the east, from the Pacific Ocean.
Exist two types zonobiome of tropical forests.
1. Evergreen equatorial and tropical forests with a daily rhythm of moisture, which are called Hylaea(wilds, forests of the fog belt).
2. Tropical forests with falling leaves and a seasonal rhythm of development. They are called deciduous and semi-evergreen, since within this zonobiome there is a relatively dry season when trees shed their leaves.
Forests occupy a subequatorial position, both zonobiomes are tropical.
Genesis.In origin, hylaea and seasonal tropical forests are the most ancient zonobiomes on land. Their original communities emerged in a humid tropical climate. Since then, these conditions in the equatorial belt have changed little, only seasonality has increased and the proportion of deciduous forests has expanded (at the expense of evergreens).
The angiosperms that form the basis of these forests appeared back in the Cretaceous period. Subsequent changes in the planet's climate, its cooling, led to a narrowing of this zone, depletion of its floristic composition and isolation of the zonobiome of seasonal tropical forests. The structure of tropical forest ecosystems has also become somewhat simpler.
Climate. The climatic conditions for the development of tropical forests are the most favorable for plants. Throughout the year, high temperatures are observed, in the hylaia there is abundant moisture around the clock, in seasonal forests there is a relatively dry period that does not reach the level of water deficiency. Annual precipitation amounts are rarely below 1000 mm/year; they usually vary between 1500-4000 mm/year (maximum 12500 mm). The number of days with precipitation reaches 250. The average annual temperature is 25-26 0 C, and the average daily minimum temperature in the hylia is 22-23 0 C, in deciduous forests - 11-15 0 C.
Soilshave a number of features.
1. The unusually thick weathering crust in the tropics sometimes reaches more than 20 m.
2. Biochemical processes occur very quickly in soils.
3. Weathering products remain at the site of formation, since leaching is very weak. However, when land is used for plantations, the soil cover is quickly washed away (in 5-10 years) to the parent rock.
4. Characterized by the almost complete absence of litter, which is quickly decomposed by fungi and termites.
5. Genetic horizons of the soil are morphologically weakly expressed, acidity is pH 4.6-5.3.
6. Dominant soil types in the Hylaia – ferrallite red, and in deciduous forests - red soils. Both types belong to the lateritic series of soil formation.
7. The soils are very fertile: they usually contain 2.5-4.0% organic matter, but this is relatively little for the zone, since humus quickly dissolves and decomposes.
8. Soil color ranges from orange-brown to purple-brown to faded purple, depending on chemical processes.
9. The thickness of the soil layer is 250 cm or more.
10. Mud swamps predominate; peat soils are almost never formed, since peat quickly decomposes.
2. Ecological features of organisms and communities
Flora.The vegetation cover is dominated by hydro- and hygrophytes.
1. Dominate trees. So in Indonesia there are more than 2 thousand species, and in the Amazon, up to 400 specimens grow per 1 hectare. trees belonging to 87 species.
2. Trees are very large. The average height of the upper tier reaches 40 m, and Australian eucalyptus trees grow up to 107 m. In New Zealand, trees of the genus Agathis have a height of 75 m and a trunk circumference of 23 m. The trees grow quickly. So giant bamboo o. Java grows 57 cm per day.
3. For fixation, tall trees develop disc-shaped roots or support roots growing parallel to the trunk from lower shoots. Due to the high density, trees often die while standing.
4. Tree rings are absent in hylaea, but they are formed in tropical deciduous forests.
5. Phenological no phases: on one plant you can see buds, flowers, fruits, seeds. Some plants bloom and bear fruit without interruption all year round (prickly pears).
6. Communities in tropical forests, especially in hylaea, are multi-tiered - up to 22 tiers. The limiting factor is light. Since only 0.7% of light reaches the ground, fight for light manifests itself in different ways:
– vines have long stems up to 300 m;
– epiphytes – settle on the bark of trees closer to the light;
– macrophilia – the formation of large leaves growing even on the trunk, providing additional surface for photosynthesis;
–heterophily – variety of leaves: the upper leaves are smaller and stiffer than the middle ones;
– the crown is located very high and below 35 m there are almost no leaves, and there is no grass layer.
7.High species diversity plants. There are especially many palm trees: 2800 species. They have flexible trunks, often deep roots (coconut), and there are frost-resistant species (Chilean wine). The palm tree is fully used by humans (fruits, wood, leaves, fibers for clothing and ropes).
9. On the shores of the oceans, semi-submerged in salt water are formed mangroves - thickets. halophytic hygrophytes intertwined with lianas, gallery forests in river valleys form a tunnel in which the river flows.
Fauna.Animals lead an arboreal lifestyle. Some of them are active during the day, others at night. There are no large animals, but there are many invertebrates: termites, ticks, mosquitoes (they carry malaria), and many worms. The most common mammals are monkeys, and the most common birds are flowerbirds, parrots, and there are also many reptiles and amphibians.
3. Regional characteristics of rain forests
Green plants and mushrooms play a basic role in the food pyramid of Gila and deciduous forests.
In AfricaHylaea form tree ferns, palms, legume trees, and Asteraceae. Many edificatory species are exported: chlorophora, ocotea, etc. Tropical rain forests occupy 200 million hectares, and mangroves - up to 6 million hectares. In deciduous African forests are dominated by palms, arbutus, tree ferns and few epiphytes. Among the animals The following species should be noted: monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees, many rats, porcupines, mice, birds, reptiles, predatory mammals. Ground image lives: pygmy hippopotamus, wild pigs, bongo antelope.
In South Americahylaea have several varieties.
A) Flooded Hylaea. Hevea, ficus, chocolate tree, and many vines form difficult thickets. They are very swampy, with many piranhas, crocodiles, electric eels.
b) Unflooded Hylaea. They occupy flat spaces - these are zonal hylaea. The following trees grow here: milkweed, hevea, indigo, traveler tree (ravenala), etc. Of the coniferous trees in this group of forests, the main forest-forming species is araucaria. Some plants are widely used: hevea, Brazil nut, indigofera (produces a dye).
V) Shrub hylaea. Myrtles, tree lingonberries, and bush sage grow here.
G) Mountain Andean Hylaea. It has a depleted composition of plants compared to the plain. Cinchona tree, milk tree, vines, balsa, and palm trees grow.
Zonobiome is grown on plantations rice, corn, maize, tobacco, bananas, cotton, sugar cane, pineapples, which are of great economic importance.
Among animals In the unflooded gills of South America there are many birds (hummingbirds, parrots, cuckoos, etc.), monkeys (no apes), snakes (boa constrictor, anaconda), toads, frogs and bats.
Animal population Asian gils are very rich. First of all, monkeys: orangutans, gibbons, etc. In India, where deciduous forests dominate, there are large animals: Indian elephants, rhinoceroses, bateng bull, cheetahs, Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, antelopes, deer, many small predators and rodents, reptiles (including poisonous snakes), many birds: sunbirds, eagles, hawks, falcons, peacocks, pheasants. A lot of invertebrates - worms, spiders, leeches. Of the 25 thousand bird species, 24 thousand are found here, including 500 species migratory from the north.
Australian rainforests occupy a narrow strip on the Pacific coast along the coast and north of the continent. IN hylaea communities are formed by palm trees, tree peppers, ficuses, bananas, and agathis. All this is intertwined with vines. Eucalyptus trees dominate (94% of the total forest area), they are also edificators. There are extensive forests of araucaria. Australian hylaea are often swampy. To the south they pass into subtropical hylaea. This is an ecotone on the border with seasonal tropical forests, where, in addition to eucalyptus and acacia trees, rare Red tree. The fauna is represented by marsupials and many rodents.
3. Biomass and orobiomes
Biomassin tropical forests reaches above 400 t/ha. Growth varies significantly depending on the nature of ecosystems and regional characteristics of nature. in hylaea Africa it is 300-500 c/ha, and in deciduous forests – 380 c/ha per year. In unflooded gilei South and Central America the increase is 400 c/ha, and in the mountainous Andean Hylea – 100 c/ha. in hylaea South Asia increase - 380 c/ha, and in deciduous forests - 150-320 c/ha. In real gilles Australia this figure varies from 100 to 500 c/ha. It should be noted that 75% of the energy of the tropical forest phytomass is lost through respiration, while in the temperate zone it is only 43%.
Orobiomes. In the mountains of the tropical zone at absolute altitudes of 1000-2500 m there are forests of the fog belt, at the height of the cloud layer. With altitude, the period of biological drought decreases. Due to good drainage in the mountains, the swampiness of communities decreases and temperatures drop. Above the cloud layer humidity decreases and deciduous forests change coniferous or podocarpus. In the upper border of the forest, at a soil temperature of +15 0 C, tropical species disappear, and at a soil temperature of 7-8 0 C, other trees also disappear. Higher up, in the subtropical zone, forests give way to bushes, sometimes with creeping views. Above the subtropical belt are formed meadows, communities mountain xerophytes. With a large spatial scattering of mountains, the composition of orobiomes and the set of altitudinal zones changes in different regions.
Let's consider 3 characteristic height profiles.
1. Mountains of Central America. Up to a height of 800 m grow tropical deciduous forests of acacia and cedrella. Higher, up to 1500 m – dry savannas; higher, up to 2500 m - coniferous forests from fine-coniferous spruce and cypresses; higher, up to 3500 m – there is a belt raw mid-mountain forests of oak, juniper, spruce, Guatemalan fir... Above are thickets of Hartwich spruce and bushes.
2. In the equatorial Andes ordinary ones grow up to 1400 m equatorial forests above which, up to 2800 m - forests with cinchona(40 species), tree ferns, bamboos, wax palms. It is an isolated orobiome, home to 230 bird species, of which 109 species are endemic. Higher, up to 3600 m – belt alpine coniferous forests of podocarpus, and above the level of 3600 m - orobiomes puns and tols.
3. In the mountains of New Guinea up to a height of 300 m grow ordinary tropical rain forests; higher, up to 1600 m - foothill forest of complex composition: ficuses, archidendron, evergreen oaks. Then, up to a height of 2200 m - a belt mid-mountain forest from araucaria, evergreen oaks. In the range of 2200-3300 m in all the mountains of New Guinea, Malaysia there is a belt moss forests. These are mountain rain forests of trees with suppressed growth, twisted, no more than 6 m high: podocarpus, tree ferns with an admixture. bamboo. Above 3300 m, alpine forests grow with coniferous species, then – belt grasslands, swamps and undersized shrubs(mountain savanna).
Ecological state tropical forests is extremely difficult. In 1 hour, 30 hectares of tropical forest are cut down on Earth. Of the 16 million km 2 of forest, back in 1975 only 9.3 million km 2 remained, and in 1985 another 4.4 million km 2 were destroyed, therefore by now less than 5 million km 2 of tropical forest remained . In the Philippines and Malaysia, it is almost destroyed. The reasons for destruction are logging, road construction, and clearing of plantations. Through 175 years tropical forests will disappear. Given their role in the reproduction of atmospheric oxygen, their conservation is becoming a global environmental problem.
Review questions:
1. General characteristics of tropical and equatorial forests.
2. Types of zonobiome of tropical and equatorial forests.
3. Ecological features of organisms and communities.
4. Regional features of moist forests.
5. Biomass and orobiomes.
6. The role of tropical and equatorial forests for the biosphere.
Tropical forests grow in the humid equatorial, subequatorial and tropical zones of the Earth. The main condition for the emergence of tropical forests is high air temperatures and high humidity.
Typically, a tropical forest has several layers of trees (trees of different heights). The tallest trees have a straight trunk that stretches upward, and at the very top there is a wide crown. The leaves of such trees are dense and shiny (so that they do not burn in the sun and so that they are not so easily damaged by rain).
lower tiers (lower trees) have more delicate leaves, and they themselves are weaker. since there is not enough light for them, from which the crowns of the tallest trees cover them.
in such a forest there are many vines (they are like vines with a woody stem). they entwine everything in their path and make the rainforest impenetrable (jungle).
Due to an excess of moisture, the soil in such a forest is waterlogged. There are few herbaceous plants due to lack of light.
there are many colorful birds and animals that are able to move through the trees.
there are a lot of insects - after all, they love a humid and hot climate.
Where do tropical forests grow?
In areas located near the equator, it is always warm and humid. Here the seasons do not differ from each other, and eternal summer reigns with frequent showers. Such conditions are very favorable for the growth and life of plants, so tropical forests are lush, impenetrable thickets.
Vegetation in the rainforest is arranged in tiers. The tallest trees reach a height of 60 m. A little lower is the bulk of the plant crowns, even lower are the growing trees (they are called undergrowth), and under them are shrubs. It’s so gloomy near the ground that the plants don’t have enough light and there aren’t many of them there.
The grasses in the rainforest survive only if they live directly on tree trunks, receiving nutrients from rainwater. So orchids bloom their outlandish flowers on tree branches. Other plants - vines - cling to trees, entwining their trunks, trying to climb as high as possible towards the light. Lianas can spread to neighboring trees and reach a length of 100 m.
This lush plant kingdom is literally teeming with life; many animals have found refuge here. First of all, these are birds - colorful parrots, hummingbirds, toucans (almost half of all birds known to scientists live in the tropical forests of the Amazon basin in South America).
Most animals that inhabit the rainforest spend most of their lives in trees. These are monkeys, sloths, squirrels, jaguars, long-tailed cats.
Tropical forests are a special natural zone that is distinguished by a huge variety of species of flora and fauna. Forests of this type are found in Central and South America, Africa and Asia, Australia and some Pacific islands.
Climatic conditions
As the name suggests, tropical forests are found in the dry tropical climate zone. They are partly found in humid equatorial climates. In addition, tropical forests are also found in the subequatorial zone, where humidity depends on the circulation of air masses. The average air temperature varies from +20 to +35 degrees Celsius. The seasons are not observed here, because the forests are quite warm all year round. The average humidity level reaches 80%. Precipitation is distributed unevenly throughout the territory, but about 2000 millimeters falls per year, and in some places more. Tropical forests of different continents and climate zones have some differences. It is for this reason that scientists divide tropical forests into wet (rain) and seasonal.
Tropical rainforests
Subspecies of tropical rainforests:
Rain forests are characterized by enormous amounts of rainfall. In some places it can fall 2000-5000 millimeters per year, and in others - up to 12,000 millimeters. They fall out evenly throughout the year. The average air temperature reaches +28 degrees.
Among the plants in humid forests grow palms and tree ferns, the myrtle and legume families.
Epiphytes and creepers, ferns and bamboos are found here.
Some plants bloom all year round, while others have a short-term flowering. In there are sea grasses and succulents.
Seasonal rainforests
These forests have the following subspecies:
monsoon
Savannah
Seasonal forests have a dry and a wet season. 3000 millimeters of precipitation falls per year. There is also a leaf fall season. There are evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.
The seasonal forests contain palm trees, bamboos, teak, terminalia, albizia, ebony trees, epiphytes, lianas, and sugar cane.
Among the grasses there are annual species and cereals.
Bottom line
Tropical forests occupy a large area on the planet. They are the “lungs” of the earth, but people are too actively cutting down trees, which leads not only to environmental problems, but also to the extinction of many species of plants and animals.
RAINFORESTS
RAINFORESTS, dense forests with tall stands growing in hot, humid zones near the equator. The main tropical forests are found in Africa, Central and South America and Southeast Asia. They make up 50% of all forests on Earth, producing the largest amount of oxygen through the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Tropical forests account for 40% of all flora and fauna on Earth. Therefore, their destruction on a large scale (up to 20 million hectares per year) for timber and agricultural land is a serious problem today. Deforestation of tropical forests also leads to the GREENHOUSE EFFECT and GLOBAL WARMING. These forests contain a large number of species of broad-leaved EVERGREEN trees, sometimes reaching 60 m in height. The crowns of other trees, up to 45 m high, form the upper tier of the forest. The shorter trees form the lower tier. Climbing plants connect different levels, providing habitat for many species of birds, mammals and reptiles. Low-growing herbaceous plants grow in small quantities because little light penetrates to the base of the trees. Tropical trees provide people with a variety of useful materials and foods, such as Brazil nuts, cashews, figs and mangoes, as well as the fibrous kapok and the drugs quinine and curare.
Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary.
See what "TROPICAL FORESTS" is in other dictionaries:
Forests of the tropical zones of the globe. Depending on the degree of moisture, severity and duration of the dry season, they are distinguished: tropical rainforests, dry tropical deciduous forests, dry tropical semi-deciduous forests, monsoon forests,... ... Ecological dictionary
Distributed in the equatorial, subequatorial and tropical zones between 25° N. w. and 30° S. w. The richest in plant species and consist mainly of very tall trees (up to 60-70 and even 80 m) are humid tropical evergreens... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- ... Wikipedia
The forest shines with rich beauty. Like some new, wonderful world. Until now we have wandered through the desert and become familiar with the steppe; Let us now take a look at the forests of interior Africa, which can be called virgin forests. Many of them do not... ...Animal life
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Variably moist tropical forests are forests common in tropical and equatorial zones, in climates with a short dry season. They are located south and north of the humid equatorial forests. Variably moist forests are found in ... ... Wikipedia
Rainforests of the Atsinanana** UNESCO World Heritage Site ... Wikipedia
Primary tropical forests are natural forests located in the tropical zone that have not been influenced by human activity. K ser. 20th century On the globe, virgin tropical forests have been preserved only in limited areas.... ... Ecological dictionary
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Books
- Forests and Waters, J. Rodway Series: Modern Encyclopedia of Traditional Medicine (`AST`) Publisher: Librocom, Manufacturer: Librocom,
- Forests and Waters, J. Rodway. This book represents the most interesting notes of a naturalist who traveled to the tropical forests of South America. The book not only describes in detail and colorfully tropical ... Series: Mysterious worlds of nature Publisher:
About half of all forests on our planet are tropical forests (hylaea), growing in Africa, Southeast Asia, South and Central America. Tropical rainforests are located between 25° north latitude and 30° south latitude, where heavy rainfall occurs frequently. The rainforest ecosystem covers less than two percent of the Earth's surface, but is home to 50 to 70 percent of all life on our planet.
The largest tropical forests are found in Brazil (South America), Zaire (Africa) and Indonesia (Southeast Asia). Rainforest is also found in Hawaii, the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean.
Rainforest climate
The climate in the rainforest is very warm, characterized and humid. From 400 to 1000 cm of precipitation falls here annually. The tropics are characterized by a uniform annual distribution of precipitation. There is virtually no change in seasons, and the average air temperature is 28 degrees Celsius. All these conditions significantly influenced the formation of the richest ecosystem on our planet.
Soil in the rainforest
The soil of the tropics is poor in minerals and nutrients - there is a lack of potassium, nitrogen and other trace elements. Usually it has a red and red-yellow color. Due to frequent precipitation, beneficial substances are absorbed by plant roots or go deep into the soil. That is why the natives of the tropical forests used the slash-and-burn agricultural system: all vegetation was cut down in small areas, it was subsequently burned, and then the soil was cultivated. Ash acts as a nutrient. When the soil begins to turn barren, usually after 3-5 years, the inhabitants of tropical settlements moved to new areas for farming. It is a sustainable farming method that ensures continued regeneration of the forest.
Rainforest Plants
The warm, humid climate of the rainforest provides the ideal environment for a huge abundance of amazing plant life. The tropical forest is divided into several tiers, each characterized by its own flora and fauna. The tallest trees in the tropics receive the most sunlight, as they reach heights of over 50 meters. This includes, for example, the cotton tree.
The second tier is the dome. It is home to half of the rainforest's wildlife - birds, snakes and monkeys. This includes trees below 50 m in height with wide leaves, hiding sunlight from the lower floors. These are philodendron, strychnos poisonous and rattan palms. Lianas usually stretch along them towards the sun.
The third tier is inhabited by shrubs, ferns and other shade-tolerant species.
The last tier, the bottom, is usually dark and damp, since almost no sunlight penetrates here. It consists of rotted foliage, mushrooms and lichens, as well as young growth of plants of higher tiers.
In each of the regions where tropical forests grow, different types of trees are found.
Tropical trees of Central and South America:
- Mahogany (Sweitinia spp.)
- Spanish cedar (Cedrella spp.)
- Rosewood and Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa)
- Purple tree (Peltogyne purpurea)
- Kingwood
- Cedro Espina (Pochote spinosa)
- Tulipwood
- Gaiakan (Tabebuia chrysantha)
- Tabebuia rosea
- Bocote
- Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril)
- Guapinol (Prioria copaifera)
Tropical trees of Africa:
- Bubinga
- Ebony
- Zebrano
- Pink tree
Tropical trees of Asia:
- Malaysian maple
They are widespread in the tropical rain forest and feed on captured insects and small animals. Among them, Nepenthes (Pitcher Plants), sundew, butterwort, and bladderwort should be noted. By the way, the plants of the lower level with their bright flowering attract insects for pollination, since in these layers there is practically no wind.
Valuable crops are grown in places where tropical forests are cleared:
- mango;
- bananas;
- papaya;
- coffee;
- cocoa;
- vanilla;
- sesame;
- sugar cane;
- avocado;
- cardamom;
- cinnamon;
- turmeric;
- nutmeg.
These cultures play an important role in cooking and cosmetology. Some tropical plants serve as raw materials for medicines, in particular anti-cancer drugs.
Tropical Plant Adaptations for Survival
Any flora needs moisture. There is never a shortage of water in the rainforest, but there is often too much of it. Rainforest plants must survive in areas where there is constant rainfall and flooding. The leaves of tropical plants help deflect raindrops, and some species are armed with a drip tip designed to quickly drain precipitation.
Plants in the tropics need light to live. The dense vegetation of the upper layers of the forest allows little sunlight to reach the lower layers. Therefore, tropical forest plants must either adapt to life in constant twilight, or quickly grow upward in order to “see” the sun.
It is worth noting that in the tropics trees grow with thin and smooth bark, which is capable of accumulating moisture. Some plant species have leaves wider at the bottom of the crown than at the top. This helps allow more sunlight to reach the soil.
As for the epiphytes themselves, or air plants that grow in the rainforest, they obtain nutrients from plant debris and bird droppings that land on the roots and do not depend on the poor soil of the forest. In tropical forests there are such aerial plants as orchids, bromeliads, ferns, selenicereus grandiflora and others.
As mentioned, the soil in most tropical forests is very poor and lacks nutrients. To capture nutrients at the top of the soil, most rainforest trees have shallow roots. Others are wide and powerful, as they must support a massive tree.
Rainforest Animals
The animals of the tropical forests amaze the eye with their diversity. It is in this natural area that you can meet the largest number of representatives of the fauna of our planet. Most of them are in the Amazon rainforest. For example, there are 1,800 species of butterflies alone.
In general, the tropical forest is the habitat of most amphibians (lizards, snakes, crocodiles, salamanders), predators (jaguars, tigers, leopards, pumas). All animals of the tropics have bright colors, since spots and stripes are the best camouflage in the dense jungle. The sounds of the rainforest are provided by the polyphony of songbirds. The tropical forests have the world's largest population of parrots, and other interesting birds include the South American harpy, one of the fifty eagle species that is critically endangered. No less colorful birds are peacocks, whose beauty has long been the subject of legends.
The tropics are also home to a larger number of monkeys: arachnids, orangutans, chimpanzees, monkeys, baboons, gibbons, red-bearded jumpers, and gorillas. In addition, there are sloths, lemurs, Malayan and sun bears, rhinoceroses, hippos, tarantulas, ants, piranhas and other animals.
Disappearance of tropical forests
Tropical timber has long been synonymous with exploitation and plunder. The giant trees are the target of entrepreneurs who use them for commercial purposes. How are forests exploited? The most obvious use of rainforest trees is in the furniture industry.
According to the European Commission, around one-fifth of EU timber imports are from illegal sources. Every day, thousands of products from the international wood mafia pass through store shelves. Tropical wood products are often labeled as "luxury wood", "hardwood", "natural wood" and "solid wood". Usually these terms are used to disguise tropical wood from Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The main exporting countries of tropical trees are Cameroon, Brazil, Indonesia and Cambodia. The most popular and expensive types of tropical wood that are sold are mahogany, teak and rosewood.
Inexpensive species of tropical wood include meranti, ramin, and gabun.
Consequences of tropical deforestation
In most tropical forest countries, illegal logging is common and a serious problem. Economic losses reach billions of dollars, and environmental and social damage is incalculable.
The consequences of tropical deforestation are deforestation and profound environmental changes. Tropical forests contain the world's largest . As a result of poaching, millions of species of animals and plants lose their habitat and, as a result, disappear.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, more than 41,000 plant and animal species are threatened, including great apes such as gorillas and orangutans. Scientific estimates of species lost vary widely, ranging from 50 to 500 species per day.
In addition, logging equipment used to remove timber destroys sensitive topsoil and damages the roots and bark of other trees.
Mining for iron ore, bauxite, gold, oil and other minerals also destroys large areas of tropical forests, such as in the Amazon.
The Meaning of Rainforests
Tropical rainforests play an important role in the ecosystem of our planet. Deforestation of this particular natural zone leads to the formation of a greenhouse effect and, subsequently, to global warming. The largest tropical forest in the world, the Amazon, plays the most important role in this process. 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to deforestation. The Amazon rainforest alone stores 120 billion tons of carbon.
Tropical forests also contain enormous amounts of water. Therefore, another consequence of deforestation is a disrupted water cycle. This in turn could lead to regional droughts and changes in global weather patterns - with potentially devastating consequences.
The rainforest is home to unique flora and fauna.
How to protect tropical forests?
To prevent the negative consequences of deforestation, it is necessary to expand forest areas and strengthen control over forests at the state and international levels. It is also important to raise people's awareness of the role forests play on this planet. It is also worth encouraging the reduction, recycling and reuse of forest products, environmentalists say. Switching to alternative energy sources such as fossil gas can in turn reduce the need to exploit forests for heating.
Deforestation, including tropical deforestation, can be carried out without harming this ecosystem. In Central and South America and Africa, trees are cut down selectively. Only trees that have reached a certain age and thickness of the trunk are cut down, and the young ones remain untouched. This method causes minimal damage to the forest, because it allows it to recover quickly.
