The wet jungle It is the vegetation of the intertropical zone in which a high rainfall promotes the dominance of trees with abundant plants climbing or living on them. The form that the vegetation takes in these jungles is complex, with 4 to 5 tree heights, including some with great height that protrude from the roof of the jungle..
In these ecosystems the nutrients are concentrated in the vegetation and in the layer of fallen leaves, being scarce in soils that are relatively shallow. While the relief in which the humid forests develop ranges from plains, valleys and mountainous areas.
The humid forests are located in the intertropical zone of the planet, which determines their high availability of water and their relatively high temperatures, moderated only by the altitude.
The rainforest is one of the ecosystems with the greatest biological diversity in the world, given its climatic conditions. It is enough to point out that an example of a humid forest is the Amazon jungle, with a great diversity of life.
This type of jungle has a series of characteristics:
In the largest rainforests, such as the Amazon and the Congo, the terrestrial environment is closely combined with the aquatic environment. They are jungles crossed by large rivers with highly diversified basins that are periodically flooded, which forms a complex system of areas of land and swamps..
Rainforests are the habitat of most of the world's terrestrial and freshwater species. These make up complex food webs, with high efficiency in the use of matter and energy..
Rainforests are characterized by a complex arrangement of plant components. Usually there are several layers of trees, plus a lower part with juvenile trees, grasses and shrubs.
They can occur up to 4 or 5 tree heights, from relatively low with 4 to 12 meters, to emerging trees with more than 60 meters. Emergent trees are giants that occasionally protrude from the canopy or roof of continuous tree canopies of the jungle..
The soils of the humid forests are not very fertile, since almost all the nutrients are found in living beings, especially in the mass of trees and their fallen leaves. Decomposers such as fungi and bacteria process them and the roots absorb them again, forming a cycle.
In humid jungles, as in most jungles and forests on the planet, an underground system of fungi forms that form extensive filaments or threads. These fungi connect with the roots of the trees, creating a gigantic system through which nutrients circulate between the trees of the jungle..
The humid forest has a warm and humid tropical climate, with rainfall ranging from 1,500 mm to more than 9,000 mm per year. While temperatures are between 23 and 29 ° C average, depending on the altitude above sea level.
Therefore, in humid plains forests, such as the Amazon rainforest, the highest temperatures occur. While in the humid mountain forests the temperatures tend to be more moderate.
A characteristic element of the humid forest is the high humidity in the air, which can reach up to more than 80%. This is due both to the high rainfall (rains), and to the abundant vegetation that is generated, which forms a climate of its own within the jungle..
The lower part of the humid forest is dark and warm, usually provided with water courses, very often with large rivers.
The humid forests develop in the intertropical strip, that is to say between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, especially near the equatorial line. They are located in Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Oceania.
In America they range from southern Mexico to northern Argentina and Paraguay. While in Africa they especially occupy the Congo River basin, areas of East Africa and the island of Madagascar.
In Asia they are found in southern Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and the Philippines. While in Oceania there are rainforests in New Guinea, New Zealand and northeastern Australia.
Most of the species of flowering plants inhabit the humid forests of the planet. Among the most common plant families in rainforests are moraceae, legumes, lecithidaceae, palms, as well as ferns..
Within the family Moraceae, the figs of the genus Ficus they are very frequent. Just like the Ficus benghalensis in Africa, the Ficus watkinsiana in Australia and the Ficus amazonica In America.
Among the lecitidaceae, the lids stand out (Couroupita guianensis) and the monkey coconut (Lecythis ollaria) of the American rainforests. While there are numerous species of palms, such as the Bangalow Palm or the King Palm (Archontophoenix cunningamiana) in the Australian jungles.
Like the wax palm of Quindío in America (Ceroxylon quindiuense) and the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Among the plants that climb or live on trees are various herbs, vines and lianas of the araceae, orchids, legumes and ferns.
A high proportion of the world's fauna inhabit these ecosystems, especially with regard to insects, arachnids, amphibians, birds and freshwater fish. Similarly, mammals and reptiles are abundant.
Among the insects are large ants such as the bullet ant or 24 (Paraponera clavata). While among the arachnids there are huge spiders such as the Goliath tarantula or aviary tarantula (Theraphosa blondi).
The rainforests of America are the habitat of animals such as the jaguar (Panthera onca) and the tapir or tapir (Tapirus spp.). In addition to various species of peccary or wild pigs (Tayassuidae family).
Similarly, large birds of prey such as the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and colorful fruit-eaters such as macaws (Ara spp.) and toucans (family Ramphastidae).
While among the reptiles there are various species of lizards, turtles, snakes and alligators. Among the latter the caiman yacaré (Caiman yacare) and the alligator (Melanosuchus niger). Among amphibians there are many poisonous arrowhead or dart frogs (family Dendrobatidae).
In the humid African forests the jungle elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), as well as the great primates related to human, chimpanzees (Bread spp.) and gorillas (Gorilla spp.). Like large predators like the leopard (Panthera pardus) and large ungulates such as the okapi (Okapia johnstoni).
While among the birds are the White-winged Kingfisher (Alcedo leucogaster), the spotted ibis (Rare bostrychia) and the hornbill hornbill (Bycanistes subcylindricus).
In the humid forests of Asia you will find the tiger (Panthera tigris), the Indochinese leopard (Panthera pardus delacouri) and the orangutan (I put spp.). As well as a great diversity of birds, including the Indochinese bearded or Annam bearded (Psilopogon annamensis) and the allidious charlatan (Trochalopteron ngoclinhense).
In the humid forests of this part of the world you will find birds such as cassowaries (Casuarius spp.) and the birds of paradise (family Paradisaeidae). Like bush turkeysLathami reading) and rainbow parrots (Trichoglossus haematodus).
As well as marsupials such as the tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi), flying squirrels (Petaurus breviceps) and crustaceans such as red and blue lobster (Euastacus sulcatus).
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