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Forest Life
When people think of animals that live in forests, creatures such as bears, eagles, gorillas, tigers are usually what come to mind. Forest plants, other than trees, are often ignored. And many people are unaware of the fact that organisms such as bacteria and fungi are just as important to the forest as the trees themselves.Inorganic materials are also crucial to the living organisms. Green plants--everything from trees to the most delicate ferns--form the base of all forest ecosystems. These plants require clean air, soil, water, and sun to grow and support the fragile network of life in a forest.
An enormous variety of creatures inhabit the forest. Some are spectacular, others are hidden somewhere beneath the canopy of countless billions of leaves. The web of interactions between individuals and species is intricate and complex; nothing about a forest is simple, and humans are only just beginning to understand any part of these ecosystems.Forests are some of the most diverse habitats on the planet. Biodiversity* is not simply something that's "nice" to have. All species, including humans, are dependent on all other species for survival. The extinction of even one organism--a monkey, a flowering plant, a water flea--will have unpredictable and often disastrous consequences.
Tropical rainforests are the richest ecosystems in the world. Because of the great diversity of plants and animals, there are actually relatively few individuals of most species. This makes them especially susceptible to habitat loss and other stresses.
While many temperate species have tropical equivalents, there is a greater range of habitats in tropical forests. The warm, moist climate also contributes to the great numbers of species. There are complete groups of tropical rainforest organisms that are absent from areas with cooler climates. One example are the epiphytes -- smaller plants that actually grow in the branches of larger trees.Epiphytes can make up over 50 percent of the plant species in a tropical rainforest. In the temperate zone, all orchids are found on the ground, while in the tropics there are 20,000 species of epiphytic orchids alone! Epiphytes come in all shapes--hanging, sprawling vines, bushy clumps of water-catching leaves, even cactus-like plants. In some temperate coastal forests, trees are carpeted with layers of epiphytic moss and lichens, but there is nowhere near the variety of plant shapes and sizes as in the tropics.
Forest Life
When people think of animals that live in forests, creatures such as bears, eagles, gorillas, tigers are usually what come to mind. Forest plants, other than trees, are often ignored. And many people are unaware of the fact that organisms such as bacteria and fungi are just as important to the forest as the trees themselves.Inorganic materials are also crucial to the living organisms. Green plants--everything from trees to the most delicate ferns--form the base of all forest ecosystems. These plants require clean air, soil, water, and sun to grow and support the fragile network of life in a forest.
An enormous variety of creatures inhabit the forest. Some are spectacular, others are hidden somewhere beneath the canopy of countless billions of leaves. The web of interactions between individuals and species is intricate and complex; nothing about a forest is simple, and humans are only just beginning to understand any part of these ecosystems.Forests are some of the most diverse habitats on the planet. Biodiversity* is not simply something that's "nice" to have. All species, including humans, are dependent on all other species for survival. The extinction of even one organism--a monkey, a flowering plant, a water flea--will have unpredictable and often disastrous consequences.
Tropical rainforests are the richest ecosystems in the world. Because of the great diversity of plants and animals, there are actually relatively few individuals of most species. This makes them especially susceptible to habitat loss and other stresses.
While many temperate species have tropical equivalents, there is a greater range of habitats in tropical forests. The warm, moist climate also contributes to the great numbers of species. There are complete groups of tropical rainforest organisms that are absent from areas with cooler climates. One example are the epiphytes -- smaller plants that actually grow in the branches of larger trees.Epiphytes can make up over 50 percent of the plant species in a tropical rainforest. In the temperate zone, all orchids are found on the ground, while in the tropics there are 20,000 species of epiphytic orchids alone! Epiphytes come in all shapes--hanging, sprawling vines, bushy clumps of water-catching leaves, even cactus-like plants. In some temperate coastal forests, trees are carpeted with layers of epiphytic moss and lichens, but there is nowhere near the variety of plant shapes and sizes as in the tropics.
Forest Life
Forest Life
Forest Life
Forest Life
Forest Life
Forest Life
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