Adaptations in the Rainforest

The ecosystem of a tropical rainforest is comprised of different functions and structures. There are abiotic and biotic components that make up the ecosystem along with the biogeochemical cycle. There will be an investigated look on 1 natural and 1 human cause of disturbance to the tropical rainforest ecosystem and how sustainability can be applied and humans can act as good stewards to support in the reclamation efforts of the tropical rainforest.

The Interdependence of plants, animals, and humans is integral in the Amazon Rainforest ecosystem of the tropical rainforest biome. The key features of the Amazon Rainforest is the Amazon River. The Amazon Rainforest goes through Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and many other countries. Colombia has 10%, Brazil has 60%, and Peru has 13%. 80-90 degrees during the day and 50 degrees at night is the temperature of the Amazon Rainforest. There are dry and wet seasons. it gets 9 to 10 feet of rain a year. The terrain is in the Amazon Rainforest are rocky mountains, wetlands , plains, valleys, rivers, streams, and highlands. The dirt is poor with very few nutrients and it is very muddy. It is also dense with trees and rotting logs. The thin topsoils, made of decaying vegetable and animal parts, take up all the nutrients. In the Amazon Rainforest there 's the Congo River, the Rio Negro, and the Amazon River.

Rainforests are known to be critically important for human wellbeing and are often referred to as the lungs of the planet. This is because, rainforests not only absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen that all animals depend on for survival but due to the fact they also help stabilize climate, provide a home to many plants and animals, maintain the water cycle, protect the human population against flood, drought & erosion, and are a source for medicines and foods. Rainforest also happen to support tribal people and are known to be an interesting place to visit. Abiotic factors are referred to as non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems (Dictionary.com, 2017). Some examples of abiotic factors in the Amazon forest include water cycle, temperature and carbon cycle. Additionally, the living components of an ecosystem also referred to as the biotic factors (Dictionary.com, 2017) are elements of the Amazon forest. This includes the organisms living in the ecosystem and the present food chain. Altogether, these are factors and components that are seen in the Amazon forest, despite the deteriorating status of the rainforest due to human activities within the ecosystem. With these activities currently occurring, the amazon rainforest could potentially be eliminated if action is not taken.

Below the understory there is a woody shrub layer and non-woody herb layer (citation). An adaptation present in many trees native to this area is the “drip-tip”. This is advantageous because if water is allowed to sit on leaves and then the hot sun returns - it can easily burn the leaves causing the trees to be stressed and often defoliate. The other limiting factor that determines the type of vegetation present in the tropical rainforest is soil.

Tropical rainforests are the Earth?s oldest, richest, most productive, and most complex living ecosystems. They are located throughout many of the world?s continents including South America, Africa, and Asia and are defined by a few specific factors. Their location must be within the regions of the tropics and they must receive between 4-8 meters of rain per year (compared to about 1-2 meters in the United States). These forests also have no ?seasonality?, which means that they lack a definite dry or cold season of slowed growth.

Did you know that the rainforest is a fantastic biome? It has three parts that make it special. The forest is also home to more plant life than any other. It’s pretty big. Rainforests have a climate and appearance, producers, and consumers specific to the ecosystem.

The beauty, majesty, and timelessness of a primary rainforest is indescribable. It is impossible to capture on film, to describe in words, or to explain to those who have never had the awe-inspiring experience of standing in the heart of a primary rainforest. Rainforests have evolved over millions of years to turn into the incredibly complex environments they are today. Rainforests represent a store of living and breathing renewable natural resources that for eons, by virtue of their richness in both animal and plant species, have contributed a wealth of resources for the survival and well-being of humankind. These resources have included basic food supplies, clothing, shelter, fuel, spices,

Tropical Rainforest make up a total of 6% of all of earth’s land surface. Not surprisingly though, it produces 40% of all of earth’s oxygen. There are 4 levels to the tropical rainforest; emergent, upper canopy, understory, and forest floor. The rainforest received it’s name because of it’s self-watering system. Plants release water into the atmosphere through transpiration. This moisture usually has no place to go which creates a thick cloud cover over the rainforest causing the humid, hot, atmosphere. In the the rainforests are large rivers that branch off into smaller rivers that help to provide water for the entire forest.

During my search for a project in which the World Bank , or the IMF, created and then led it being more problematic than resolving, I found many that were positive in a sense. . but have noticed a constant lack of responsibility when it came to concerns of natural habitats and historical landmarks.

The Joshua tree has two ways of obtaining and saving water through its root systems, it has a shallow system that runs just beneath the ground and it has a deeper system that goes about 30 feet under the earth and is larger in

Tropical rainforests have long been home to indigenous peoples who have shaped civilizations and cultures based on the environment in which they live. Great civilizations like the Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs developed complex societies and made great contributions to science. Living from nature and lacking the technology to dominate their environment, native peoples have learned to watch their surroundings and understand the intricacies of the rainforest. Over generations these people have learned the importance of living within their environment and have come to rely on the countless renewable benefits that forests can provide.

Depletion of tropical forests is becoming one of the many worldwide dilemmas facing our planet. The rapid rate of deforestation is reaching disastrous limits as the demands for resources far exceed supplies. Rainforests provide a home to many species of plants, both known and unknown. Our dependencies on tropical plants are vast ranging from the daily essentials of food and shelter, to cures for cancer and possibly AIDS. As destruction of the rainforest continues, the effects on plants are immense through the loss of genetic diversity and the disappearance of species. Plant species extinction is reaching critical levels. With this extinction comes a cascade of effects on the ecosystems in which plants play a vital role. New

Biologists suggest competition for sunlight and nutrients resulted in the evolution of vegetation in the rainforest biome. Rainforest adaptations appear in leaves, roots/trunks and parasitic plants. These adaptations include: fan palms; utilised to absorb as much sunlight as possible, drip tips and grooved leaves; to quickly move water so they aren't pressured and weighed down and to prevent rotting, waxy cuticles; which repel water and buttress roots; providing additional support to vegetation in shallow wet soils. These features encourage productivity as they prevent weakened and decreased productivity. (Leaving Certificate Geography, 2018)

Finally, the Brazilian government and the rest of the world must come to realize that the increasing destruction of the rain forest threatens the delicate balance between humans, plants, and animals. The Kayapo have successfully maintained this balance for thousands of years. We have an obligation to ensure they are able to continue to maintain this balance.

In the heart of Brazil you will find The Amazon Rainforest. Covering an immense 1.7 billion acres, this broad-leafed rainforest is the largest of its kind in the world (McLendon). Forests alone cover a third of all land on our planet, contributing essential natural infrastructure to both humans and wildlife (Adams). Along with providing materials like timber, fruits, and fibers, each individual tree works to clean the air, soil, and water while keeping the Earth cool and its inhabitants sheltered. Unfortunately since early European Industrialization four hundred and fifty years ago, the Amazon rainforest has been subjected to rapid deforestation. Not only does this preface a very grim prediction for those depending on the ecosystem’s sensitive balance, it will not be long before the mass effects of deforestation impact the lives of everyone on Earth.