TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

Tropical rain forest, or often also written as a tropical rain forest is a forest biomes are always wet or damp, which can be found in the region around the equator; ie approximately at latitude 0 ° -10 ° north and south of the equator. These forests are found in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and the Pacific Islands. In English terminology, this forest formation known as the Lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest, Tropical Lowland evergreen rainforest, or briefly called the tropical rainforest.

Tropical rain forests are home to half the species of flora and fauna throughout the world. Tropical rainforests also dubbed as the "world's largest pharmaceutical" because nearly one quarter of modern medicines come from plants in this rainforest.

Ecological characteristics

Tropical rain forests are formed in tropical regions, with a minimum annual rainfall ranges between 1750 millimetre (69 in) and 2,000 millimetre (79 in). While the average monthly temperature is above 18 ° C (64 ° F) throughout the year

This wet forest grows in the lowlands to an altitude of about 1,200 m above sea level., On the fertile lands or relatively fertile, dry (not flooded in a long time), and has no real dry season (number of dry months <2)

Tropical rain forest is the richest vegetation, both in terms of total number of species that shape it, and in the high value of land resources (soil, water, sunlight) has. Lowland forest is dominated by large trees that form a canopy layers (layering), at least the top canopy height averaged 45 m (high compared to most other woods average), meetings, and green throughout the year. There are three layers in the forest canopy above it:

* Layer of trees is higher, appear here and there and stand on the roof of the canopy (canopy forest) and became known as "sembulan" (emergent). Sembulan can individually or sometimes gather, but not much. Tallest trees may have a branch-free trunks more than 30 m, and with a trunk circumference of up to 4.5 m.

* Layers of forest canopy on average, a height between 24-36 m.

* Under the canopy layer, which is not always connect. This layer is composed of young trees, the trees are depressed growth, or other types of shade-tolerant trees.

Forest canopy supports many other life, such as various kinds of epiphytes (orchids included), bromeliads, mosses and lichens, which live attached to the branches and rerantingan. Upper canopy is so dense and tight, has consequences for life on the layer underneath. Plants in the lower layer is generally limited to its existence because of the lack of sunlight that can reach the forest floor, so that people and animals walking freely enough in the forest floor.

There are two layers of canopy again in the cedar forest floor, the layer shrubs and ground cover vegetation layer. The forest floor is less light, so that only those species tolerant of shade plants that survive here; in addition to other types of climbers (lianas) are wrapped around the trunk or branch attaches to the roof canopy. However, life is not so need a light, as well as various fungi and decomposing organisms (decomposers) more abundant grows. The leaves, fruits, twigs, and even a fallen tree trunk, soon became foul earlier described by various organisms. Giant ant eaters also live here.

At certain moments when uncovered or open canopy for whatever reason (a fallen tree, for example), which has rich forest floor to sunlight immediately invaded by different types of terna, shrubs and tree saplings; forming a kind of dense jungle.

Geographical spread

Lowland tropical rain forests are found both in the region in Malesia and tropical America; but probably not formed in Africa. Outside Malesia region, these forests are in Asia found a little bit around Assam and Burma, along the narrow lane in the Western Ghats (India), Andaman Islands, on the Thai border with Cambodia, in southern China, Hainan and Taiwan, as well as in Pacific Islands, Melanesia and Micronesia also possible.

Biodiversity

This rainforest is the richest biodiversity in the other forest types. In Sarawak and Brunei have estimated there are between 1800-2300 species of trees with a trunk diameter ≥ 10 cm.