Animals of the tropical forests. Plants of equatorial forests. Equatorial rainforests Tropical vegetation

The most useful plants tropical forests, Exotic fruits, medicinal plants. Encyclopedia of the 54 most interesting species plants that can be useful to humans in humid tropical forest. ATTENTION! I recommend that all unfamiliar plants be considered poisonous by default! Even those that you are simply not sure about. Tropical rainforests are the most diverse ecosystem on our planet, and therefore here I have collected only those plants that can be useful to humans in any way.

1) Coconut tree

Plant sea ​​coasts, preferring sandy soils. In a lot useful substances: vitamins A, C and group B; minerals: calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron; natural sugars, proteins, carbohydrates, fatty oils, organic acids. Coconut milk is often used as an alternative to saline. solution for its high content of various salts and microelements. Coconut milk will help you regulate the body's salt balance.

• Coconut palm has a reputation as a strong aphrodisiac and normalizes the functioning of the reproductive system. Milk and coconut pulp restore strength well and improve vision;
• Improves the functioning of the digestive system and liver;
• Normalize thyroid function;
• Relaxes muscles and helps with joint problems;
• Increase immunity and resistance to various infections, reduce the adaptability of bacteria to antibiotics;
• Coconut pulp and oil, thanks to the lauric acid they contain (this is the main fatty acid found in breast milk), normalize cholesterol levels in the blood;
• Help the body with flu and colds, AIDS, diarrhea, lichen and gallbladder diseases
• They have anthelmintic, antimicrobial, antiviral wound healing effects;
• Reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and other diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as cancer and degenerative processes.

ATTENTION! A fall coconut on the head can be fatal! This is the cause of death for many people!

2) Banana

If you want to quickly restore your body's low energy levels, there is no better snack than a banana. Studies have proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for 1.5 hours of vigorous work. Good food product, due to the high amount of carbohydrates it contains, it can be eaten instead of the potatoes we are used to. Helps with many diseases, such as anemia, ulcers, reduces blood pressure, improves mental capacity, helps with constipation, depression, heartburn. The peel helps get rid of warts. One banana contains on average 60-80 calories. Banana contains: chemical elements, like iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. By eating 2 bananas during the day, you will replenish the body's need for potassium and two-thirds for magnesium. In addition, bananas contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, E, PP. The substance ephedrine contained in bananas, when consumed systematically, improves the activity of the central nervous system. nervous system, and this directly affects overall performance, attention and mood.

3) Papaya

Papaya leaves, depending on their age, processing method and, in fact, the recipe itself, are used to reduce high blood pressure, treating kidney infections, stomach pain and intestinal problems. Papaya fruits are used in the treatment of fungal diseases and ringworm. Papaya fruits and leaves also contain the alkaloid carpaine, which has an anthelmintic effect, which can be dangerous in large doses. Papaya fruits are not only in appearance, but also in chemical composition very close to melon. They contain glucose and fructose, organic acids, proteins, fiber, beta-carotene, vitamins C, B1, B2, B5 and D. Minerals are represented by potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, iron.

4) Mango

Mangoes normalize intestinal function; two green mangoes a day will protect you from diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, and will also prevent bile stagnation and disinfect the liver. When eating green fruits (1-2 per day), the elasticity of blood vessels improves, due to the high iron content in the fruits; mango is useful for anemia. And the high content of vitamin C makes it an excellent remedy for vitamin deficiency. Eating more than two unripe fruits per day may cause colic and mucosal irritation. gastrointestinal tract and throat. Overeating ripe fruits can lead to intestinal upset, constipation, and allergic reactions. Mango contains a large number of vitamin C, B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, E, contains folic acid. Mango is also rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and zinc. Regular consumption of mangoes strengthens the immune system. Due to the content of vitamins C, E, as well as carotene and fiber, eating mango helps prevent colon and rectal cancer, and is a prevention of cancer and other organs. Mango is an excellent antidepressant, improves mood, and relieves nervous tension.

Rainforests located in the tropical, equatorial and subequatorial zones between 25° north latitude. and 30° S, as if “surrounding” the surface of the Earth along the equator. Rainforests are broken only by oceans and mountains.

The general circulation of the atmosphere occurs from a zone of high atmospheric pressure in the tropical region in the zone low pressure in the equator region, evaporated moisture is transferred in the same direction. This leads to the existence of a humid equatorial zone and a dry tropical one. Between them there is a subequatorial belt, in which moisture depends on the direction of the monsoons, depending on the time of year.

The vegetation of tropical forests is very diverse, depending mainly on the amount of precipitation and its distribution over the seasons. When abundant (more than 2000 mm), and relatively uniform distribution develop tropical humid evergreen forests.

Further from the equator, the rainy period gives way to a dry period, and forests are replaced by leaves falling during drought, and then these forests are replaced by savanna forests. At the same time, in Africa and South America there is a pattern: from west to east monsoon and equatorial forests are replaced by savanna forests.

Classification of tropical forests

Tropical rainforest, tropical rain forest these are forests with specific biomes located in equatorial (equatorial rainforest), subequatorial and humid tropical areas with a very humid climate (2000-7000 mm of precipitation per year).

Tropical rainforests are characterized by enormous biodiversity. This is the most conducive to life natural area. It is home to a large number of native, including endemic species of animals and plants, as well as migratory animals. Two-thirds of all animal and plant species on the planet live in tropical rainforests. It is estimated that millions of animal and plant species remain undescribed.

These forests are sometimes called " jewels of the earth" And " the largest pharmacy in the world” as a large number of natural medicines have been found here. They are also called " lungs of the Earth“However, this statement is controversial because it has no scientific basis, since these forests either do not produce oxygen at all or produce extremely little of it.

But it should be kept in mind that humid climate promotes effective air filtration due to moisture condensation on microparticles of contaminants, which has an overall beneficial effect on the atmosphere.

Understory formation in tropical forests is severely limited in many places due to lack of sunlight on the lower tier. This allows humans and animals to move through the forest. If for some reason the deciduous canopy is absent or weakened, the lower tier is quickly covered with a dense thicket of vines, shrubs and small trees - this formation is called a jungle.

The largest areas of tropical rain forests are located in the Amazon River basin ("Amazon rain forests"), in Nicaragua, in the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula (Guatemala, Belize), most of Central America(where they are called "selva"), in equatorial Africa from Cameroon to Democratic Republic Congo, in many areas South-East Asia from Myanmar to Indonesia and New Guinea, in the Australian state of Queensland.

For tropical rainforests characteristic:

• variety of flora,
• presence of 4-5 tree layers, absence of shrubs, large number of vines
• predominance evergreen trees with large evergreen leaves, poorly developed bark, buds not protected by bud scales, in monsoon forests– deciduous trees;
• the formation of flowers and then fruits directly on trunks and thick branches

Trees in tropical rainforests share several characteristics that are not seen in plants in less humid climates.

The base of the trunk in many species has wide, woody projections. Previously it was assumed that these protrusions help the tree maintain balance, but now it is believed that along these protrusions there is water with dissolved nutrients flows down to the roots of the tree. The broad leaves of trees, shrubs and grasses of the lower tiers of the forest are characteristic. Wide leaves help plants better absorb sunlight under the edges of the trees of the forest, and they are protected from the wind from above.

Tall young trees that have not yet reached the top tier also have wider foliage, which then decreases with height. The leaves of the upper tier, forming a canopy, are usually smaller in size and heavily grooved to reduce wind pressure. On the lower floors, the leaves are often narrowed at the ends so that this facilitates the rapid drainage of water and prevents the growth of microbes and moss on them, which destroy the leaves.

Tree tops are often very well connected with each other using vine or epiphytic plants, fixed on them.

The trees of the tropical rainforest are characterized by unusually thin (1-2 mm) tree bark, sometimes covered with sharp thorns or prickles, the presence of flowers and fruits growing directly on the tree trunks, and a wide variety of juicy fruits that attract birds and mammals.

In tropical rainforests there are a lot of insects, especially butterflies (one of the richest faunas in the world) and beetles, and in rivers there are a lot of fish (about 2000 species, approximately a third of the world's freshwater fauna).

Despite the lush vegetation, the soil in tropical rainforests is thin and has a small humus horizon.

Rapid rotting caused by bacteria prevents the accumulation of a humus layer. The concentration of iron and aluminum oxides due to laterization Soil dehydration (the process of reducing silica in the soil while increasing iron and aluminum oxides) turns the soil bright red and sometimes forms mineral deposits (such as bauxite). But on rocks of volcanic origin, tropical soils can be quite fertile.

Levels (tiers) of tropical rainforest

The rainforest is divided into four main levels, each of which has its own characteristics and has different flora and fauna.

Top level

This tier consists of a small amount of very tall trees, rising above the forest canopy, reaching a height of 45-55 meters ( rare species reach 60-70 meters). Most often the trees are evergreen, but some shed their leaves during the dry season. Such trees must withstand harsh temperatures and strong winds. Eagles live on this level, the bats, some species of monkeys and butterflies.

Crown level (forest canopy)

The crown level is formed by most tall trees, usually 30-45 meters high. This is the densest layer known in all of Earth's biodiversity, with neighboring trees forming a more or less continuous layer of foliage.

According to some estimates, plants of this tier make up approximately 40 percent of the species of all plants on the planet - perhaps half of the entire flora of the Earth can be found here. The fauna is similar to the upper level, but more diverse. It is believed that a quarter of all insect species live here.

Scientists have long suspected the diversity of life at this level, but only recently have they developed practical research methods. It was not until 1917 that the American naturalist William Beed declared that “another continent of life remains unknown, not on the earth, but 200 feet above its surface, extending over thousands of square miles.”

Real exploration of this layer only began in the 1980s, when scientists developed techniques to reach the forest canopy, such as shooting ropes into the treetops with crossbows. Forest canopy research is still in its early stages. Other research methods include travel on balloons or aircraft. The science of reaching treetops is called dendronautics.

Average level

Between the forest canopy and the forest floor there is another level called the understory. It is home to a number of birds, snakes and lizards. Insect life at this level is also very extensive. The leaves in this tier are much wider than at the crown level.

forest floor

In Central Africa, in the tropical primary forest of Mount Virunga, illumination at ground level is 0.5%; in the forests of southern Nigeria and in the Santarem region (Brazil) 0.5-1%. In the north of the island of Sumatra in the dipterocarp forest, the illumination is about 0.1%.

Far from the banks of rivers, swamps and open spaces where dense, low-growing vegetation grows, forest floor relatively free of plants. At this level, rotting plants and animal remains can be seen, which quickly disappear due to the warm, humid climate that promotes rapid decomposition.

Selva(Spanish: " selva" from lat. " silva"- forest) is equatorial rainforests in South America. Located in countries such as Brazil, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela, Guyana, Paraguay, Colombia, etc.

The selva is formed on vast low-lying areas of land under conditions of constant freshwater moisture, as a result of which the soil of the selva is extremely poor in mineral substances that are washed out tropical rains. Selva is often swampy.

Vegetable and animal world The jungle is a riot of colors and a variety of species of plants, birds and mammals.

The largest village in terms of area is located in the Amazon basin in Brazil).

In the Atlantic jungle, precipitation reaches two thousand millimeters per year, and humidity fluctuates at 75-90 percent.

The village is divided into three levels. The soil is covered with leaves, branches, trunks of fallen trees, lichens, fungus and moss. The soil itself is reddish in color. The first level of the forest consists of low plants, ferns and grass. The second level is represented by shrubs, reeds and young trees. On the third level there are trees ranging in height from twelve to forty meters.

Mangroves – evergreen deciduous forests, common in the tidal zone of sea coasts in tropical and equatorial latitudes, as well as in areas with temperate climate, where it is favorable warm currents. They occupy the band between the lowest water level at low tide and the highest at high tide. These are trees or shrubs growing in mangroves, or mangrove swamps.

Mangrove plants live in sedimentary coastal environments where fine sediments, often high in organic matter, accumulate in areas protected from wave energy.

Mangroves have an exceptional ability to exist and develop in a saline environment on soils deprived of oxygen.

Once established, mangrove plant roots create habitat for oysters and help slow water flow, thereby increasing sedimentation in areas where it is already occurring.

As a rule, fine, oxygen-poor sediments under mangroves act as reservoirs for a wide variety of heavy metals (trace metals), which are captured from sea ​​water colloidal particles in sediments. In those areas of the world where mangroves were destroyed during the development of the territory, the integrity of these sedimentary rocks gives rise to the problem of heavy metal pollution of sea water and local flora and fauna.

It is often argued that mangroves provide significant coastal value, acting as a buffer against erosion, storms and tsunamis. Although there is a definite reduction in wave height and wave energy as seawater passes through mangroves, it must be recognized that mangroves typically grow in those areas coastline, where low wave energy is the norm. Therefore, their ability to withstand the powerful onslaught of storms and tsunamis is limited. Their long-term impact on erosion rates is also likely to be limited.

Many river channels meandering through mangrove areas actively erode the mangroves on the outside of all river bends, just as new mangroves appear on the inside of the same bends where sedimentation occurs.

Mangroves provide habitat for wildlife, including a range of commercial fish and crustacean species, and in at least some cases the export of carbon stored by mangroves is important in the coastal food web.

In Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and India, mangroves are grown in coastal areas for inshore fisheries.

Despite ongoing mangrove breeding programs, More than half of the world's mangroves have already been lost..

Floral composition mangrove forests relatively monotonous. Mangrove forests of the eastern formation (the shores of the Malacca Peninsula, etc.) are considered the most complex, tall and multi-species.

Misty forest (moss forest, nephelogia) – tropical moist montane evergreen forest. Located in the tropics on the slopes of mountains in a zone of fog condensation.

The foggy forest is located in the tropics on the slopes of mountains in a zone of fog condensation, usually starting at altitudes of 500-600 m and reaching heights of up to 3500 meters above sea level. It is much cooler here than in the jungles located in low-lying areas; at night the temperature can drop to almost 0 degrees. But it’s even more humid here, one year a year square meter Up to six cubic meters of water falls. And if it doesn’t rain, then the moss-covered trees stand shrouded in fog caused by intense evaporation.

Foggy forest formed by trees with abundant lianas, with a dense cover of epiphytic mosses.

Tree ferns, magnolias, camellias are characteristic; the forest may also include non-tropical vegetation: evergreen oaks, podocarpus, which distinguishes this type of forest from lowland gils

Variable tropical rainforests- forests common in tropical and equatorial belts, in a climate with a short dry season. Located south and north of the wetlands equatorial forests. Variably humid forests are found in Africa (CAR, DR Congo, Cameroon, northern Angola, extreme south of Sudan), South America, India, Sri Lanka, and Indochina.

Variable rainforests are partly deciduous, dense tropical forests. They differ from humid tropical forests in lower species diversity and in the reduced number of epiphytes and lianas.

Dry tropical evergreen forest. Located in areas with an arid climate, while remaining dense and evergreen, they become stunted and xeromorphic.

HUMAN IMPACT ON TROPICAL FORESTS

Contrary to popular belief, tropical rainforests are not large consumers of carbon dioxide and, like other established forests, are carbon neutral.

Recent studies show that most rain forests are, on the contrary, intensively produce carbon dioxide, and swamps produce methane.

However, these forests play a significant role in the circulation of carbon dioxide because they are established reservoirs, and cutting down such forests leads to an increase in carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. Tropical rainforests also play a role in cooling the air that passes through them. That's why tropical rainforests - one of the most important ecosystems on the planet, the destruction of forests leads to soil erosion, a reduction in species of flora and fauna, and shifts in the ecological balance large areas and on the planet as a whole.

Tropical rainforests They are often used for plantations of cinchona and coffee trees, coconut palms, and rubber trees. In South America, tropical rainforests are also seriously threatened by unsustainable mining.

A.A. Kazdym

List of used literature

1. M. B. Gornung. Constantly humid tropics. M.: “Thought”, 1984.
2. Hogarth, P. J. The Biology of Mangroves. Oxford University Press, 1999.
3. Thanikaimoni, G., Mangrove Palynology, 1986
4. Tomlinson, P. B. The Botany of Mangroves, Cambridge University Press. 1986:
5. Jayatissa, L. P., Dahdouh-Guebas, F. & Koedam, N. A review of the floral composition and distribution of mangroves in Sri Lanka. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 138, 2002, 29-43.
6. http://www.glossary.ru/cgi-bin/gl_sch2.cgi?RSwuvo,lxqol!rlxg

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As a biogeographical unit of subdivision of living land cover at the global level, biome types are distinguished that are to a certain extent close to zonal types of vegetation and animal populations. The types of biomes formed under different hydrothermal conditions differ in the range of life forms and the most important features of the structure of the communities included in them. Each type of biome has its own variants of community structure, peculiar only to this type, and territorially and dynamically related series of biogeocenoses are formed. The main types of land biomes are presented in Fig. 60.

Tropical moist evergreen forests

These forests are distributed in humid areas with annual precipitation from 1500 to 12000 mm and above and a relatively even distribution throughout the year. Characterized by smooth annual course air temperatures: monthly averages fluctuate between 1 - 2 °C. The daily temperature amplitude is much greater and can reach 9 °C. Under the forest canopy, especially on the soil surface, daily amplitudes sharply decrease. Thus, the hydrothermal regime of the areas of humid evergreen tropical forests throughout the year is optimal for the development of living organisms.

Tropical evergreen or evergreen rain forests are concentrated in three large regions of the world: northern South America (including a large tract in the Amazon) and adjacent Central America, western equatorial Africa and the Indo-Malayan region.

Vegetation. Forests of this type are among the most complex plant formations on Earth. One of striking features- their amazing richness of species, enormous taxonomic diversity. On average there are from 40 to 170 tree species per hectare; There are significantly fewer herbs (10-15 species). Considering

Rice. 60. Zonal types of land biomes (G. Walter, 1985): I - evergreen tropical rain forests, almost without seasonal aspects; II - tropical deciduous forests or savannas; III - subtropical desert vegetation; IV - subtropical sclerophyllous forests and shrubs sensitive to frost; V - temperate evergreen forests, sensitive to frost; VI - broad-leaved deciduous forests, resistant to frost; VII - steppes and deserts of areas with cold winters, resistant to frost; VIII - boreal coniferous forests (taiga); IX - tundra, usually on permafrost soils; filled contours - alpine vegetation

diversity of lianas and epiphytes; the number of species in a relatively homogeneous forest area can be 200 - 300 or more. The predominant group of life forms are phanerophytes, represented by evergreen hygromorphic and megathermal crown-forming trees with slender and straight smooth trunks of light green or white color, not protected by bark, branching only in the uppermost part. Many are characterized by a shallow root system, which assumes a vertical position when the trunks fall. Over 70% of tropical rain forest species are phanerophytes.

The change of leaves in trees occurs in different ways: some plants shed them gradually throughout the year, while others are characterized by alternating periods of leaf formation and dormancy. The change of leaves at different times on different shoots of the same tree is also very remarkable. Leaves often lack bud scales and are sometimes protected by appressed petiole bases or stipules.

Tropical trees can bloom and bear fruit continuously throughout the year or periodically, several times a year, many species annually. Among the important ecological and morphological features, the phenomenon of cauliflory should be noted - the development of flowers and inflorescences on the trunks and large branches of trees, especially those located in the lower tiers of the forest.

Perennial herbs and groups of plants, often called extra-tiered or inter-tiered, are also represented: lianas, epiphytes, semi-epiphytes. Each of these groups of life forms is distinguished by its own unique ecological adaptations.

Among the lianas and climbing plants, mainly woody ones are developed, but herbaceous forms are also found. Many of them have rather thick trunks (up to 20 cm in diameter), which, climbing the trunks of supporting trees, wrap around them like ropes. As a rule, the leaves of vines are developed at the level of tree crowns. Lianas are diverse in the way they climb onto support trees. They can climb on them, clinging with their antennae, wrapping around a support, or leaning on the trunk with shortened branches. Among the large vines there are species comparable in height to

the tallest trees. They sometimes grow so quickly and develop such a mass of branches and leaves in the upper part of the trunks that they destroy the trees that support them. Often the vines are so intertwined with the branches of the crowns of several trees that the dead tree does not fall, supported for a long time by the vines. Dense crowns of vines sharply reduce the amount of light penetrating under the forest canopy. Lianas grow in abundance along the edges, along river banks, and in cleared areas.

Equally diverse are epiphytes, which use trunks, branches and even leaves of trees as a substrate for settlement, but do not absorb water and mineral nutrients from living organisms. All of them are saprophytes, receiving nutrients from dead organic matter, sometimes with the help of mycorrhiza.

Based on their growth forms, epiphytes with cisterns, nesting epiphytes, and sconce epiphytes are distinguished.

Epiphytes with cisterns accumulate water in leaf rosettes and use it with the help of adventitious roots that penetrate them. In the rosettes, peculiar microcenoses of the second order arise, with algae and numerous aquatic invertebrate animals. This group of epiphytes includes representatives of the bromeliad family, living in the forests of Central and South America.

Nesting epiphytes and sconce epiphytes are characterized by the ability to accumulate nutrient-rich soil between roots that form a "nest", such as the bird's nest fern.

Semi-epiphytes evolved from vines that climb with the help of roots, through a gradual loss of connection with the soil as a necessary condition for existence. Hemiepiphytes remain alive if all the roots connecting them to the soil are cut.

Epiphytes play an important role in the life of tropical rainforests: they accumulate up to 130 kg/ha of humus and intercept up to 6000 l/ha of rainwater, more than tree leaves absorb.

The number of families (as well as species) of herbaceous plants is much smaller than that of woody plants. Among them, Rubiaceae are well represented, a small number of grasses are constantly present, and Selaginella and ferns are common. Only in clearings in the forest does the grass cover acquire a closed character; usually it is sparse.

A huge variety of trees and interlayer plants determines the complex structure of the forest. The height of the tree canopy varies different types forests from 30 to 50 m, the crowns of individual trees rising above the general canopy, reaching a height of more than 60 m, these are the so-called emergents. The trees that form

the main canopy from its upper to lower boundaries is numerous, and therefore the tiers in the vertical structure are poorly expressed.

The shrub layer is practically absent. At the corresponding height, woody plants with a main trunk, the so-called dwarf trees, and tall grasses are represented. Among the latter are species of herbaceous phanerophytes, i.e. herbs with perennial stems.

The herbaceous cover of a tropical rainforest consists of representatives of two groups: shade-loving, living in a significant degree of shade, and shade-tolerant, normally developing in areas with sparse stands and oppressed under a closed forest canopy.

The structure of the forest is further complicated by numerous vines and epiphytes, the vegetative organs of which are located at different heights.

Animal population. The fauna of tropical rainforests is as rich and diverse as the flora. Here, complex in territorial and trophic structure, rich polydominant animal communities are formed. As with plants, it is difficult to identify dominant species or groups among animals on all “floors” of the tropical rainforest. In all seasons of the year, environmental conditions allow animals to reproduce, and although the reproduction of individual species may be associated with any period of the year, in general this process occurs constantly in the community. The polydominant structure of communities and year-round reproduction correspond to the smooth dynamics of animal numbers, without sharp peaks and declines.

In the structure of the animal community, soil, litter and ground layers can be clearly distinguished; above is a series of intersecting tree layers.

The abundance of animals in tree layers is ensured by the mass of green food, the presence of a “hanging” layer of soil under epiphytes and many “above-ground reservoirs” in their rosettes, leaf axils, hollows and all kinds of depressions on tree trunks. Therefore, various semi-aquatic and soil animals widely penetrate into tree layers: crustaceans, centipedes, nematodes, leeches, and amphibians. Based on their functional role in tropical forest biocenoses, a number of leading trophic groups can be distinguished, some of them noticeably predominate in one or another layer of the forest. Thus, with the general abundance and diversity of saprophages - consumers of dead plant mass- the dominance of these animals is strongly expressed in the soil-litter layer, where leaf, branch and stem litter is abundant, coming from all the upper layers. Various groups of phytophages - consumers of living plant mass -

distributed mainly in the middle and upper “floors” of the forest.

The leading group of saprophages in the tropical forest are termites. These social insects build nests both on the soil and on tree branches. The size of ground termite nests in forests is much less impressive than the well-known termite buildings in savannas. Often, terrestrial termite mounds have a mushroom shape - a kind of roof that protects insects from daily tropical downpours. Termite nests located in trees are located at the base of a thick branch near the trunk. Such a high placement of termite nests is a protection against waterlogging. However, no matter how the nests are placed, the main food tier of termites is soil and litter. These layers are literally penetrated by their feeding passages. They eat plant litter, dead wood, animal excrement and wood from growing trees. Digestion of fiber in the intestinal tract is carried out with the help of unicellular flagellates, which decompose it into simpler carbohydrates - sugars, which are absorbed by termites. The flagellates themselves, whose body weight is up to a third of the host's body weight, can only exist in the intestines of the termite. Termites lacking flagellates cannot cope with the digestion of food and die. Thus, a relationship of obligate (obligatory) symbiosis develops between termites and flagellates. In a humid tropical forest, the number of termite mounds per 1 hectare can reach 800-1000, and the termites themselves number from 500 to 10 thousand individuals per 1 m 2.

The processing of plant litter is also carried out by a variety of insect larvae (diptera, beetles, aphids), adult forms (imagoes) of various small beetles, hay beetles and aphids, larvae of herbivorous millipedes, and the nodule millipedes themselves. Earthworms are also abundant in the litter. In the tropical forests South Africa and Australia is home to giant soil earthworms, reaching several meters in length, which are rare everywhere and are included in the International Red List of Endangered Animals.

The tree layer contains a variety of phytophages: beetles, butterfly caterpillars, stick insects, gnawing leaf tissue, as well as cicadas,

sucking juices from leaves, leaf-cutter ants. A feature of the tropical forest are anthills built from tree leaves, not only in the natural forest, but also on citrus, hevea, and coffee plantations.

Adult forms of beetles: beetles, weevils, and longhorned beetles feed on pollen and nectar of flowers, along with leaves. Many of them simultaneously act as plant pollinators, which is especially important in conditions of a closed forest canopy, where wind pollination is practically excluded.

A large group of consumers of green plant matter, as well as flowers and fruits of trees, is formed by monkeys living in trees. In the African rain forest, these are brightly colored colobus monkeys, or gwerets, and various monkeys. In the South American Hyla, plant foods are consumed by large howler monkeys, and in South Asia by langurs, gibbons and orangutans.

In the forests of New Guinea and Australia, where there are no monkeys, their place is taken by arboreal marsupials - cuscus and tree kangaroos, and in Madagascar - various lemurs.

Other representatives of the group of arboreal phytophages are two-toed and three-toed sloths that inhabit the forests of South America, and frugivorous fruit bats, widespread in the tropics of the eastern hemisphere.

In the humid tropical forests of South America in the ground layer, the largest herbivorous animal is the lowland tapir, whose mass reaches 250 kg. Here you can find boar-like peccaries, as well as several species of small, primitive, spoked-horned Mazama deer. In the terrestrial layer of the South American Gila, large rodents are common, ecologically replacing ungulates here. Nai large sizes reaches the capybara (length up to 1.5 m, weight up to 60 kg). These long-legged rodents live in large herds, swim beautifully and often graze in riverine marshy meadows.

Gorilla apes live in the ground layer of the African rain forest. Their food is mainly bamboo shoots, shoots of various herbaceous plants, and less often - tree fruits. Ungulates in the African tropical forest are few in number. Among them, the brush-eared pig, large forest pig, bongo antelope and pygmy hippopotamus stand out in size.

Birds of the tropical rainforest, consuming plant foods, inhabit all layers of the forest. Typical consumers of fruits in the African Hyla are turacos, or banana-eaters, from the order Cuckoo-shaped.

Large, with a huge thick beak, often equipped with an outgrowth on top, hornbills are found in the tropical forests of the eastern hemisphere. They, like banana eaters, are poor flyers and

They collect fruits from the terminal branches using a long, powerful, but hollow beak inside.

In the Amazonian Hyla, a similar ecological niche is occupied by toucans from the order Woodpeckers. These birds also have a long and thick beak, but without outgrowths on the beak. Their main food is the fruits of trees, but on occasion they also eat small animals. Toucans nest in hollows abandoned by woodpeckers or in natural hollows, but do not hollow them themselves.

Big-footed, or weedy, chickens inhabit the tropical forests of Northern Australia, New Guinea and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. These birds hardly fly; they stay under the forest canopy, collecting seeds, fruits and small invertebrates.

In the tropics of the Old World, small bright birds that feed on the nectar of flowers - sunbirds from the order passerines - are common. The Amazon rain forest is home to hummingbirds from the order Long-winged, which are distant relatives of swifts and look similar to them.

A variety of pigeons, which are usually green in color to match the color of the foliage, feed on the fruits and seeds of trees. There are many colorful parrots in the tropical forests.

The dominant group of predators in tropical rainforests are ants, most of which feed primarily or exclusively on a variety of animal foods. Pronounced predatory ants belong to the subfamily of bulldog ants. The basis of their diet is termites. Bulldog ants live in ground nests and actively protect them from any enemy. Constantly wandering, destroying all living things in their path, stray ants - dorilins. During the day they travel, and at night they cling together in a large ball, inside of which are placed larvae, pupae and the ancestor of the family - the female queen. Tailor ants are common in Africa and South Asia. They build nests in the crowns of trees from several green leaves glued together at the edges with a thin sticky thread. Ants receive this thread from their larvae.

Amphibians in tropical rainforests inhabit not only the ground layer, but also the tree layers, and move far from bodies of water due to high air humidity. Even their reproduction sometimes takes place far from water. The most characteristic inhabitants of the arboreal layer are the bright green, bright red or blue tree frogs, common in the Amazon and tropical forests of South Asia.

Marsupial tree frogs live in South America, the females of which carry eggs in a special brood pouch on their back. In Africa, where tree frogs are absent, as well as in Southeast Asia, copepods are widespread. Some species are capable of making gliding jumps up to 12 m long thanks to the widely spread membranes between their toes. In

All large regions of tropical forests are inhabited by legless amphibians - caecilians, slowly rummaging through the litter and soil in search of food. In South America and Africa, unique reptiles are found - legless and almost blind amphisbaenas, or two-year-olds. Some of them (for example, the South American Ibijara) settle in termite mounds or anthills and collect a constant “tribute” from their population, and the special secretions of amphisbaena reliably protect them from ant bites. The most characteristic lizards of the tropical forest canopy are the gecko family. The toes of geckos are equipped with expanded discs with many microscopic hooks, with which these lizards easily cling to the surface of trunks and even smooth leaves.

Chameleons have developed unique adaptations to life in the forest canopy. There are especially many of these amazing animals in Africa and Madagascar. The sizes of chameleons range from a few centimeters to half a meter. The diet of chameleons changes according to their size: from ants, termites, small flies and butterflies to lizards, large cockroaches and even birds.

The ground layer of the tropical rainforest is inhabited by large snakes that prey on rodents, reptiles, amphibians, and small ungulates. In the reservoirs of the Amazon lives the largest snake in the world - the anaconda, reaching a length of 5 - 6 m. Snakes of tree tiers are especially diverse, usually painted in different shades of green and completely invisible among the foliage. Tree snakes have a thin, whip-like body; they skillfully camouflage themselves by hovering among the branches, becoming like vines or thin branches.

Birds that consume animal food occupy all its floors in the rain forest, especially many of them in the upper, sparse tiers. Insectivorous birds belong to various families: flycatchers, drongeaters and larva-eaters in the tropics of the Old World, trogons living on all continents, tyrants and wood warblers of South America. Coraciiformes are diverse in all regions - kingfishers, bee-eaters. Some kingfishers are associated with bodies of water and hunt for fish and other aquatic inhabitants, but many live away from water and feed on lizards, insects, and small rodents.

There are many real birds of prey in tropical forests that hunt large rodents, snakes, and monkeys. In the forests of the Amazon lives the monkey-eating harpy, whose name indicates its food specialization. However, in addition to monkeys, this large, up to 1 m long, predator catches sloths, agoutis, opossums, and sometimes birds.

Among tropical forest mammals, many species consume ants and termites. In the African Hyla and Southeast

In Asia, they are eaten by the pangolin, which is covered with large horny scales instead of fur. The arboreal anteater lives in the Amazon forests. These animals have powerful front paws with strong claws, with which they destroy the walls of termite mounds.

Large predators are represented by cats: in the Amazon these are jaguar and ocelot, in Africa and South Asia - leopard. In the tropics of the Old World, there are numerous representatives of the civet family - genets, mongooses, civets. All of them lead an arboreal lifestyle to one degree or another.

Thus, the animal population of tropical evergreen forests is extremely diverse, with representatives of different taxonomic groups in each of the above three large regions convergently adapting to similar environmental conditions, forming a complex system of territorial and trophic relationships.

Ecosystems of tropical rainforests in different regions, despite sharp differences in floristic and faunal composition, are very similar in structure and represent the richest and most saturated communities within the Earth's biosphere. With a significant diversity of tropical forest communities, its biomass is represented by values ​​of the same order of magnitude. It is usually 350 - 700 t/ha in primary forests (mountain rainforests of Brazil), in secondary forests - 140 - 300 t/ha. Of this biomass, which is the most significant compared to the biomass of all terrestrial communities, the predominant part is in the above-ground organs of plants, mainly trees, and the smallest part is in the root systems. The main part of the root systems of trees is located in the soil at a depth of 10 - 30, rarely more than 50 cm. The leaf area ranges from 7 to 12 hectares for each hectare of soil surface. Annual production values ​​vary greatly among different forest types. Net production can be 6 - 50 t/ha, or 1 - 10% of biomass.

Despite the apparent abundance of animal organisms, the latter constitute an insignificant part of the total biomass, approximately 1000 kg/ha, or 0.1% of its reserves, and, as in temperate forests, approximately half of the zoomass consists of earthworms.

Tropical rainforests, although they have a strong and balanced structure, are easily destroyed by anthropogenic influence. In the place of cleared tropical forest, secondary forest communities arise, significantly different from the primary ones in species composition and inferior to them in biomass, productivity and structural complexity. It takes several centuries for the primary forest to recover under favorable conditions.

Have you adapted to his bath conditions?

How have the leaves adapted?

Throughout life, some have leaves tropical plants change shape. Young trees, while they are still covered by the crowns of the trees of the upper tier, have wide, soft leaves. They are adapted to catch the slightest rays of light breaking through the upper canopy. They have a yellowish or reddish tint. This is how they try to escape from being devoured by animals. Red or yellow may seem inedible to them.

When the tree grows to the first tier, its leaves decrease in size and seem to become covered with wax. Now there is a lot of light and the leaves have a different task. Water should drain completely from them without attracting small animals.

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The leaves of some plants can regulate the flow of sunlight. To avoid overheating in bright light, they stand parallel to sun rays. When the sun is shaded by a cloud, the leaves turn horizontally to capture more solar energy for photosynthesis.

Pollination of flowers

For pollination, flowers must attract insects, birds or bats. They attract with their bright color, smell and delicious nectar. To attract their pollinators, even the plants of the upper tier decorate themselves with beautiful flowers. Moreover, during flowering they even shed some of their leaves so that their flowers stand out more noticeably.

To attract insects, orchids secrete nectar, which makes bees drunk. They are forced to crawl on the flower, pollinating it. Other types of orchids simply slam shut, showering the insect with pollen.

But it’s not enough to pollinate the flowers; you also need to spread the seeds. Seeds are dispersed by animals. To attract them, plants offer them tasty fruits with seeds hidden inside. The animal eats the fruit, and the seed comes out along with excrement, fully capable of germination.

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Sometimes plants reproduce with the help of only one type of animal. So the American walnut reproduces only with the help large rodent agouti. Although agoutis eat all the nuts, they bury some of them in the ground. Our proteins also make such a reserve. Forgotten seeds sprout.

Eating animals in the tropics

Among the abundance of food, there is not enough food for animals. Plants have learned to protect themselves with thorns, poisons, and bitter substances. Over the years of evolution, animals have found their own way of adapting to living in tropical forests. They live in a certain place and lead a life that ensures its survival.

It happens that a predator eats beetles a certain type. He learned to catch beetles quickly, spending a minimum of time and effort on hunting. The predator and his prey got used to each other. If the beetle disappears, the predator that eats them will also die out.

Adaptation of animals to living in the subtropics

In the tropics food grows and flutters all year round, but it's not enough. All conditions have been created for invertebrates in the forest, and they grow to large sizes. These are centipedes, snails and stick insects. Mammals are small. There are few herbivores in the forest. There isn't enough food for them there. This means there are few predators feeding on them. There are no animals here that have long horns. They are difficult to navigate in the tropics. Mammals move quietly. Thus, they are saved from overheating.

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Agile monkeys live well in the tropics. They quickly move through the forest, looking for places where a lot of fruit has grown. The monkey's tail replaces its fifth limb. The anteater and the quilled porcupine also have a grasping tail. Animals that could not climb well learned to fly well. They plan easily. They have a leathery membrane that connects the front and back legs.

Union of a tree with ants

In the tropics there are trees that have hollow branches. Ants live in the cavities of branches. They protect their tree from herbivores. Ants provide the tree with enough light. They eat the leaves of vines in nearby trees that block the light for their host tree. Ants eat all leaves that do not resemble the leaves of their native tree. They even remove all organic matter from its crown. The tree stands well-groomed, as if from a gardener. For this, insects have dry housing and safety.

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How did frogs adapt?

High air humidity allows toads and frogs to live far from the river. They live well, living in the upper tiers of the forest. The frogs chose tree hollows for the pond. They coat it with resin from the inside and wait for it to fill with rainwater. The frog then lays eggs there. Dart frogs make holes in moist soil for their offspring.

The male remains to guard the clutch. Then it transfers the tadpoles to the resulting pond formed between the leaves of the bromeliad. Some frogs lay their eggs in a foam nest. They make a nest on branches hanging over the river. The hatched tadpoles immediately fall into the river. Other frogs lay eggs in wet ground. They come out of there as young individuals.

Animal disguise

Animals in the forest try to become invisible to their predators. Under the forest canopy there is a constant play of light and shadow. Okapis, antelopes, and bongos have such spotted skins. The spotting blurs the contours of their body and makes them difficult to distinguish. It can be very successfully disguised as leaves. If the animal looks like a leaf and does not move, it is difficult to see. That's why many insects and frogs are green or Brown. Plus they don't move much. And stick insects disguise themselves as twigs.

Tropical forests are the “lungs” of our planet, the most precious treasure, “the great pharmacy of the Earth.” For many years it was believed that they produce colossal amounts of oxygen, but this turned out not to be the case, but the humid climate contributes to excellent air filtration and purification of contaminants. A lot of medicinal plants grow in this area, which are used in folk and official medicine. Where a huge number of birds, predators, artiodactyls, and amphibians live, they all somehow coexist in the same territory, surprising travelers with their large numbers.

Distribution of tropical forests

It will immediately become clear where tropical forests grow if you explain that they seem to “encircle” the planet along the Equator. They are located in humid equatorial, dry tropical, temperate, presenting a clear line, interrupted only by mountains and oceans. Vegetation changes depending on air temperature and precipitation. Rainy areas are covered with evergreen flora, drier regions are characterized by deciduous plants, and then there are savanna forests. In both South America and Africa, monsoon forests are located in the west, savanna forests in the east, and equatorial forests in the middle.

Forest levels

The description of the tropical forest will be more understandable if it is divided into tiers. Four main levels can be distinguished. The topmost ones are evergreen trees up to 70 m tall; they mostly have green caps only on top, but underneath there are bare trunks. These giants can easily withstand hurricanes and temperature changes, sheltering the remaining tiers from bad weather. The main hosts here are eagles, butterflies, and bats. Next comes the forest canopy, consisting of 45-meter trees. The canopy level is considered the most diverse, containing approximately 25% of all insect species. Scientists agree that 40% of the species of all plants on the planet are located in this layer, although it has not been fully studied.

Next comes the middle level, called the undergrowth, where snakes, birds, lizards live, and the number of insects is also huge. The forest floor contains animal remains and rotting plants. Such stratification is more typical for the humid tropics. For example, the selva - the forests of South America - is divided into only three levels. The first is grass, low plants, ferns, the second is reeds, low shrubs, young trees, the third is 40-meter trees.

The species of flora and fauna that predominate in them depends on where tropical forests grow. For example, mangroves are common in equatorial and tropical latitudes in the tidal zones of sea coasts. Plants grow here that are accustomed to doing without oxygen and thrive in salty soil. Their roots create an excellent habitat for oysters, crustaceans, and commercial fish species. On mountain slopes in areas of fog condensation, moss or fog forests grow, characterized by low night temperatures.

Arid regions are dominated by savannah and tropical forest, but are dry. The plants here are evergreen, but xeromorphic and stunted. In the equatorial and tropical zones With a variable climate, variable-humid forests grow, characterized by deciduous crowns and a small number of vines and epiphytes. They are found in South America, Africa, Sri Lanka, India and Indochina.

Rainforest climate

In tropical rainforests, the air temperature ranges from 20°C to 35°C, it rains here almost every day, so the humidity remains at 80%, and in some regions reaches 100%. Not in the subtropics pronounced seasonality, temperature is characterized by stability. On the mountain slopes, where fog is observed, it is warm during the day, but at night a sharp cooling down to 0°C is possible. The climate of tropical forests varies depending on the zone. In the tropics there is high temperature and low humidity, at the equator there is a lot of moisture and very hot, and in the subequatorial belt the weather depends on the monsoons.

Trees of the tropics

Trees in tropical forests differ significantly from trees in temperate forests. climate zone. The peculiarities of their development are influenced weather, because there is no seasonality at the equator, it rains almost every day, and the air temperature is 25-35°C. If in Russia giants grow in several centuries, then 10-15 years are enough there. Each type of tree sheds its leaves at a strictly defined time, this can be once every six months, once every 2-3 years. They also bloom when they want; many representatives of the flora delight with flowers once a decade. The trees mostly have large, leathery leaves that are strong enough to withstand heavy rainfall. More than 600 species of bamboo, chocolate cola, marang, jackfruit, mango, etc. grow in the tropics.

Exotic shrubs

The question of whether a shrub layer exists in tropical forests remains quite controversial. In subtropical and temperate zones it exists, but in the equatorial region it does not. Of course, there are representatives of shrubs there, but there are very few of them and own level they won't create. Along with them grow herbaceous phanerophytes, which retain their trunk for one to several years, and low-growing trees. This includes representatives of the scytamine, marataceae, and banana families. Most shrubs belong to dicotyledonous species; their leaves are large but tender.

Rainforest grasses

IN virgin forests live incredibly beautiful, bright, with unusual appearance birds. Each separate part Sveta can boast of some of its own species of birds. For example, in the tropics of Asia live turrets; in appearance they resemble partridges, only slightly larger. They run fast, so in case of danger they do not take off, but run away as best they can. The forests are also home to bush chickens, pheasants, and royal peacocks. In the American tropics you can find the tinamous - a poorly flying bird with short, but very strong legs. Well, how can we not remember the bright, cheerful and talkative parrots, without which the tropics are not tropics. In addition, motley pigeons, trogons, woodpeckers, flycatchers, and hornbills live on the equator. The Amazon forests are home to hummingbirds, tanagers, cock of the rocks, cotingas and many others.

Animals

The fauna of tropical forests amazes with its diversity and richness of species. The largest number is represented by a group of monkeys that live high in trees and in impenetrable thickets. The most interesting of them are the cebids, marmosets and arachnids of the family. Marmosets are characterized by a very small size; they reach no more than 15 cm in length; cebids can boast long tail, with which they cling to branches, and spider monkeys have flexible and long limbs.

But the fauna of tropical forests is not limited to monkeys; anteaters, sloths, and porcupines also live here. Among the predators, the predominant representatives are felines - jaguars, jaguarundi, ocelots, panthers, and from the canine family - bush dogs. There are also ungulates - tapirs, horned deer. Tropical forests are also rich in rodents - opossums, marsupial rats, bats, agouti.

Amphibians of the tropics

Large and reptiles are also characteristic of the tropical forest. Photos of exotic snakes, frogs, crocodiles, chameleons, lizards are no longer considered rare. Amphibians are found in all parts of the world, but they are found in greatest numbers in tropical rainforests because they are attracted to warmth and moisture. At the equator, they live not only in water, but also on trees, in leaf axils, and in hollows. Salamanders live in the tropics, many poisonous snakes, widespread received water anacondas and land boa constrictors.

Insects

Looking at what animals live in the tropical forest, we can assume that the insects here are no less colorful, unusual and dangerous. These small creatures are attracted to the tropics by their warmth, high humidity and a wide variety of food - animal remains, numerous plants. At the equator you can find bees and wasps that are familiar to us, only here they are larger in size and have a bright, shiny color. Among them there are representatives with long legs, blue wings and a large body; they are able to tame large beetles and spiders. On many shrubs there are swollen trunks - these are ant nests. Ants in the tropics protect plants by eating leaf-eating insects.

Beetles do not play a significant role in the life of tropical forests, but every traveler will be fascinated by their diversity and diversity. These insects are a natural decoration of this forgotten by God terrain. Of course, we cannot help but recall tropical butterflies; in South America alone there are more than 700 species of these beautiful creatures. Animals and plants of tropical forests represent a special world unknown to people. Researchers annually make their way deep into the thickets to lift the veil of secrets that this area holds and to find new representatives of flora and fauna.