Evergreen tropical rain forests. Plants of equatorial forests

At the equator there is a wide strip rain forests. It passes through Central and South America, Central Africa, South-East Asia and Northern Australia. These forests are the most complex ecosystem on Earth, containing the most diverse and abundant resources. However, despite all their importance, rainforests are destroyed and disappearing at an alarming rate. Rainforests grow in areas where the weather is constantly high and there is a lot of precipitation. Over millions of years, rainforests have become the most populated habitat on our planet. They account for less than 10% of the land area, but are home to 50 to 70% of all earthly plant and animal species. The largest rain forests grow in the Amazon (Brazil). We will tell you about them on these pages. Local Indians hunt with special blowpipes. The number of Indians in Brazil over the past 400 years has decreased from 5 million to 200 thousand people. Many of these huge trees send out additional shoots for support, since their own roots are empty inside and weak. The soil in the forests is covered with a layer of fallen leaves several centimeters thick. In this layer, necrophages actively process organic matter, and plant roots quickly absorb minerals. This process is so active that very few mineral substances remain in the lower layer of soil: the bulk of them are found in all kinds of vegetation. When forests are cleared and burned, the minerals contained in plants turn into ash. The root system is destroyed and the surface layer of soil is washed away heavy rains. becomes infertile, and areas where life was just recently in full swing turn into... It will take many centuries to reforest such lands.

tiers

All rain forests have a similar structure with five main layers. Each tier has its own plant and animal life. Often the tiers merge. Sometimes one of the tiers (or more) is missing. The top tier is the most tall trees, rising 10-15 m above the main mass of vegetation. From here American harpy eagles and other raptors stalk their prey. The second tier (canopy) is a strip about 10 m wide at a height of 30-40 m. This is a continuous green roof made of intertwining branches and leaves of tree tops. Most plants and animals make their home here, attracted by the abundant sunlight. Undergrowth - consists of the tops of small trees that receive less light, such as palms, and young trees tending to. It is much more sparse than the second tier, and its own community of plants and animals lives here. The undergrowth is shrubs and small trees that receive diffused sunlight breaking through the branches and crowns of the upper tiers. Where the sun hardly penetrates, shrubs and herbs grow very sparsely. When more sun penetrates through the gaps in the second tier, shrubs and grasses grow faster. Ground vegetation includes ferns and grasses. They live here single species mammals, such as the tapir, and many insects.

Tropical rainforest model

If you have a large aquarium, you can create a miniature model of a rainforest. Place a layer of gravel and charcoal on the bottom of the aquarium, and a few centimeters of fertile compost on top of it. Lightly compact it so that the gravel pebbles show through. Plant various exotic plants. Cover with a glass lid and place in warm place, but not in the sun. Plants will begin to develop rapidly. will be moist and will constantly circulate between the compost, plants, air and aquarium. Add a little water every few months. Plant exotic plants. You can buy them in the store. Small flowering plants such as orchids add colorful variety. Plant plants at some distance from each other: they need space.

Forest people

Wet forests are home to many natives who live in harmony with the outside world. Their experience of living in the forest is very valuable for us if we want to learn how to use forest resources wisely. However, these days, the natives are constantly being expelled and forced from their lands against their will and basic human rights. With the destruction of forests, wild tribes also die, taking with them their invaluable experience.

Importance of rainforests

Tropical rainforests play vitally important role in regulating the climate on our planet: they occupy a special position in the oxygen, carbon and water cycles. In addition, tropical forests are a valuable source of raw materials for medicine and one of the main sources of new types of food (about 1,650 species of plants growing in them are edible). People have already begun to actively use the enormous resources of rainforests. However, this needs to be done more thoughtfully: it is necessary to find a balance (equilibrium) between large-scale use forest resources- such as timber, rubber and nuts - and the conservation of the forests themselves.

More than 50% of rainforests on our planet have already been destroyed, and their destruction continues. As a result, in the countries where these forests grow, the population quickly becomes poor, and the vacated lands are distributed unequally (see article ““). The reason for massive deforestation is the constant demand for wood in developed countries and ineffective reforestation programs. It is necessary to significantly change the approach to solving all these problems.

Tropical rainforests stretch over large areas on both sides of the equator, but do not go beyond the tropics. Here the atmosphere is always rich in water vapor. Lowest average temperature about 18°, and the highest is usually no higher than 35-36°.

With abundant warmth and moisture, everything here grows with remarkable speed. In these forests spring and autumn are invisible. All year round, some trees and shrubs bloom in the forest, while others fade. It is summer all year round and the vegetation turns green. There is no leaf fall in our understanding of the word, when the forest is exposed for winter.

The change of leaves occurs gradually, and therefore it is not noticed. Young leaves bloom on some branches, often bright red, brown, and white. On other branches of the same tree, the leaves were fully formed and turned green. A very beautiful range of colors is created.

But there are bamboos, palm trees, and some types of coffee trees, which all bloom on the same day over an area of ​​many square kilometers. This amazing phenomenon makes a stunning impression with the beauty of its blooms and aromas.

Travelers say that in such a forest it is difficult to find two neighboring trees belonging to the same species. Only in very rare cases do tropical forests have a uniform species composition.

If you look at the tropical forest from above, from an airplane, it will appear surprisingly uneven, sharply broken, not at all similar to the smooth surface of the forest of temperate latitudes.

They are not similar in color either. When viewed from above, oak and other forests of ours appear uniformly green, only with the arrival of autumn they dress up in bright and variegated colors.

The equatorial forest, when viewed from above, appears to be a mixture of all tones of green, olive, yellow interspersed with red and white spots of flowering crowns.

Entering a tropical forest is not so easy: it is usually a dense thicket of plants, where, at first glance, they all seem tangled and intertwined. And it is difficult to immediately figure out which plant this or that trunk belongs to - but where are its branches, fruits, flowers?

Damp twilight reigns in the forest. The rays of the sun weakly penetrate the thicket, so the trees, bushes, and all the plants here stretch upward with amazing force. They branch little, only three to four orders of magnitude. One involuntarily recalls our oaks, pines, and birches, which produce five to eight orders of branches and spread their crowns widely in the air.

In equatorial forests, trees stand in thin, slender columns and somewhere at a height, often 50-60 meters, small crowns reach towards the Sun.

The lowest branches begin twenty to thirty meters from the ground. To see leaves, flowers, fruits, you need good binoculars.

Palm trees and tree ferns do not produce branches at all, throwing out only huge leaves.

Giant columns need good foundations, like the buttresses (slopes) of ancient buildings. And nature took care of them. In African equatorial forests, ficus trees grow, from the lower parts of whose trunks additional plank roots up to a meter or more in height develop. They hold the tree firmly against the wind. Many trees have such roots. On the island of Java, residents make table covers or cart wheels from plank roots.

Between the giant trees, smaller trees grow densely, in four or five tiers, and even lower - shrubs. Fallen trunks and leaves rot on the ground. The trunks are entwined with vines.

Hooks, thorns, mustaches, roots - in all ways, vines cling to tall neighbors, wrap around them, crawl over them, use devices popularly known as “devil’s hooks”, “cat’s claws”. They intertwine with each other, then as if merging into one plant, then again dividing in an uncontrollable desire for light.

These thorny barriers terrify the traveler, who is forced to take every step among them only with the help of an axe.

In America, along the valleys of the Amazon, in the virgin tropical forests, vines, like ropes, are thrown from one tree to another, climb up the trunk to the very top and settle comfortably in the crown.

Fight for the light! In a tropical rainforest there are usually few grasses on the soil, and shrubs are also few in number. Everything that lives must receive some amount of light. And many plants succeed in this because the leaves on the trees are almost always vertical or at a significant angle, and the surface of the leaves is smooth, shiny and perfectly reflects light. This arrangement of leaves is also good because it softens the impact of rain and downpours. And it prevents water from stagnating on the leaves. It is easy to imagine how quickly the leaves would fail if water were retained on them: lichens, mosses, and fungi would colonize them immediately.

But there is not enough light for plants to fully develop in the soil. How then can we explain their diversity and splendor?

A bunch of tropical plants not related to the soil at all. These are epiphytic plants - lodgers. They don't need soil. Trunks, branches, even leaves of trees provide them with excellent shelter, and there is enough warmth and moisture for everyone. A little humus forms in the axils of the leaves, in the crevices of the bark, and between the branches. The wind and animals will bring the seeds, and they germinate and develop well.

The very common bird's nest fern produces leaves up to three meters long, forming a fairly deep rosette. Leaves, bark flakes, fruits, and animal remains fall from the trees into it, and in a humid, warm climate they quickly form humus: the “soil” is ready for the roots of the epiphyte.

In the Botanical Garden in Calcutta they show such a huge fig tree that it is mistaken for a whole grove. Its branches have grown above the ground in the form of a green roof, which is supported by pillars - these are adventitious roots growing from the branches. The crown of the fig tree spreads over more than half a hectare, the number of its aerial roots is about five hundred. And this fig tree began its life as a parasite on date palm. Then she entwined her with her roots and strangled her.

The position of epiphytes is very advantageous compared to the “host” tree, which they use, making their way higher and higher towards the light.

They often carry their leaves above the top of the “host” trunk and deprive it of the sun’s rays. The “owner” dies, and the “tenant” becomes independent.

The words of Charles Darwin best apply to tropical forests: “The greatest sum of life is produced by the greatest variety of structure.”

Some epiphytes have thick, fleshy leaves and some swellings on the leaves. They have a supply of water in case there is not enough water.

Others have leathery, hard leaves, as if varnished, as if they didn’t have enough moisture. The way it is. In the hot season of the day, and even when strong wind, in a highly raised crown, water evaporation increases sharply.

Another thing is the leaves of bushes: they are tender, large, without any adaptations to reduce evaporation - in the depths of the forest it is small. The grasses are soft, thin, with weak roots. There are many spore-bearing plants here, especially ferns. They scatter their leaves on the edges of the forest and in rare illuminated clearings. There are brightly flowering shrubs, large yellow and red cannas, and orchids with their intricately arranged flowers. But grasses are much less diverse than trees.

The overall green tone of the herbaceous plants is pleasantly interspersed with white, red, gold, and silver leaf spots. Whimsically decorated, they are not inferior in beauty to the flowers themselves.

It may seem at first glance that the tropical forest is poor in flowers. In fact, there are not so few of them,
they are simply lost in the green mass of foliage.

Many trees have self- or wind-pollinated flowers. Large, bright and fragrant flowers are pollinated by animals.

In the tropical forests of America, tiny hummingbirds with brilliant plumage hover over flowers for a long time, licking honey from them with a long tongue folded in the form of a tube. In Java, birds often act as pollinators. There are honeybirds there, small, similar in color to hummingbirds. They pollinate flowers, but at the same time they often “steal” honey without even touching the stamens and pistils. In Java there is the bats, pollinating vines with brightly colored flowers.

In cocoa trees, breadfruit trees, persimmons, and ficus trees, flowers appear directly on the trunks, which then turn out to be completely covered with fruits.

In equatorial rain forests there are often swamps and flowing lakes. The fauna here is very diverse. Most animals live in trees, eating fruits.

Tropical forests of different continents have many common features, and at the same time, each of them is different from the others.

In Asian forests there are many trees with valuable wood, plants that produce spices (pepper, cloves, cinnamon). Monkeys climb in the treetops. An elephant wanders on the outskirts of the tropical thicket. The forests are home to rhinoceroses, tigers, buffalos, and poisonous snakes.

Wet equatorial forests Africa is famous for its impassable thickets. It is impossible to get through here without an ax or knife. And there's a lot here tree species with valuable wood. The oil palm is often found, from the fruits of which oil, coffee tree and cocoa are extracted. In some places, in narrow valleys where fog accumulates and the mountains do not let them pass, tree ferns form entire groves. Heavy, dense fogs slowly creep upward and, cooling, pour heavy rains. In such natural greenhouses, spore plants feel at their best: ferns, horsetails, mosses, and curtains of delicate green mosses descend from the trees.

Gorillas and chimpanzees live in African forests. Monkeys tumble in the branches; baboons fill the air with their barks. There are elephants and buffalos. Crocodiles hunt all kinds of living creatures in rivers. Encounters with hippopotamus are common.

And mosquitoes and mosquitoes fly in clouds everywhere, hordes of ants crawl. Perhaps even this “little thing” is more noticeable than large animals. It bothers the traveler at every step, filling the mouth, nose and ears.

The relationship between tropical plants and ants is very interesting. On the island of Java, one epiphyte has a tuber at the bottom of its stem. Ants live in it and leave their excrement on the plant, which serves as fertilizer.

In the rain forests of Brazil there are real ant gardens. At a height of 20-30 meters above the ground, ants make their nests, dragging them onto branches and trunks along with soil, leaves, berries and seeds. Young plants sprout from them, fastening the soil in the nest with their roots and immediately receiving soil and fertilizers.

But ants are not always harmless to plants. Leaf-cutter ants are a real scourge. They attack coffee and orange trees and other plants in hordes. Having cut pieces from the leaves, they put them on their backs and move towards the nests in solid green streams, exposing the branches,

Fortunately, other types of ants can settle on plants and destroy these robbers.

The tropical forests of America along the banks of the Amazon River and its tributaries are considered the most luxurious in the world.

Vast flat areas, regularly flooded with water when rivers flood, are covered with riparian forests. Huge virgin forests stretch above the flood line. And the drier areas are occupied by forests, although less dense and lower.

There are especially many palm trees in coastal forests, forming entire groves that run in long alleys along the banks of rivers. Some of the palm trees spread their leaves like a fan, others stretch out feathery leaves 9-12 meters in length. Their trunks are straight and thin. In the undergrowth there are small palm trees with clusters of black and red fruits.

Palm trees give people a lot: the fruits are used as food, local residents obtain fiber from the stems and leaves, and the trunks are used as building material.

As soon as the rivers enter their channel, grasses develop in the forests with extraordinary speed, and not only on the soil. Green garlands of climbing and climbing herbaceous plants, colored bright flowers. Passion flowers, begonias, " daytime beauties"and many other flowering plants form draperies on the trees, as if laid out by the hand of an artist.

Myrtles, Brazil nuts, flowering ginger and cannas are beautiful. Ferns and graceful feathery mimosas support the overall green tone.

In the forests above the river flood line, trees, perhaps the tallest of all tropical representatives, stand in a dense close formation on supports. Famous among them are Brazil nut and mulberry cotton with its huge plank supports. The laurel trees are considered the most beautiful trees in the Amazon. There are a lot of leguminous acacias here, a lot of araceae. Philodendron and monstera are especially good with fantastic cuts and cuts on the leaves. There is often no undergrowth in this forest at all.

In lower, non-flooded forests, lower tree layers of palms, shrubs and low trees appear, sometimes very dense and almost impenetrable.

The herbaceous cover cannot be called luxurious: a few ferns and sedges. In some places there is not a single blade of grass over a significant area.

Almost the entire Amazonian lowland and part of the northern and east coast The mainland is occupied by rain forests.

Rovnaya heat and the abundance of precipitation make all days similar to one another.

Early in the morning the temperature is 22-23°, the sky is cloudless. The leaves are glistening with dew and fresh, but the heat is quickly increasing. By noon or a little later it is already unbearable. Plants drop leaves and flowers and appear completely withered. There was no air movement, the animals hid. But now the sky is filled with clouds, lightning flashes, and the thunderclaps are deafening.

Sharp gusts of blowing wind shake the crowns. And a blessed downpour revives all nature. There's a lot of float in the air. A stuffy, hot and humid night sets in. Leaves and flowers blown by the wind are flying.

A special type of forest covers sea coasts in tropical countries, protected from waves and winds. These are mangrove forests - dense thickets evergreen shrubs and low trees on flat banks near river mouths, in lagoons, and bays. The soil here is a swamp with black, foul-smelling silt; it undergoes rapid decomposition with the participation of bacteria organic matter. At high tide, such thickets appear to emerge from the water.

With the ebb of the tide, their so-called roots are exposed - stilts, which extend far across the silt. Supporting roots go from the branches into the silt.

This root system anchors trees well in muddy soil and is not carried away by the tide.

Mangroves push the coastline onto the sea because plant debris accumulates between the roots and trunks and, mixing with silt, gradually forms land. Trees have special respiratory roots, which are very important in the life of these plants, since silt contains almost no oxygen. Sometimes they are serpentine in shape, in other cases they resemble an elbowed pipe or stick out from the mud like young stems.

The method of reproduction found in mangroves is curious. The fruit is still hanging on the tree, and the embryo is already sprouting in the form of a long pin, up to 50-70 centimeters. Only then does it break away from the fruit, fall into the silt, burying its end in it, and is not carried away by the water into the sea.

These plants have leathery, shiny, often fleshy leaves covered with silvery hairs. The leaves are arranged vertically, the stomata are reduced. All these are signs of plants in dry places.

It turns out to be a paradox: the roots are immersed in silt, they are constantly under water, and the plant lacks moisture. It is assumed that sea ​​water, being saturated with salt, cannot be easily absorbed by the roots of trees and shrubs - and therefore they must evaporate sparingly.

Together with sea ​​water plants get a lot table salt. The leaves are sometimes almost completely covered with its crystals, secreted by special glands.

The richness of species in tropical forests is exceptionally great, and it is achieved primarily by the fact that the use of space by plants is brought here by natural selection to the extreme.

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 grows in this area medicinal plants, which have found application in folk and official medicine. Where tropical forests grow, a huge number of birds, predators, artiodactyls, and amphibians live, all of them 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. How in South America, so in Africa there are monsoon forests 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.

Followed by average level, called undergrowth, snakes, birds, lizards live here, 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 variable climate grow variable-humid forests, 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%. In the subtropics there is no pronounced seasonality, the 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. Climate tropical forests varies depending on the belt. The tropics have high temperatures and low humidity, at the equator there is a lot of moisture and very hot, and at 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 generally have large, leathery leaves that are strong enough to withstand powerful streams shower. 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 bushes there, but there are very few of them and they will not create their own level. 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 Incredibly beautiful, bright, unusual-looking birds live here. Each separate part of the world boasts some kind of bird species. For example, in the tropics of Asia live turrets, according to 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 cebids, marmosets and arachnids families. Marmosets are characterized by their very small size, reaching no more than 15 cm in length, cebids boast a long tail with which they hook onto branches, and spider monkeys have flexible and long limbs.

But animal world The tropical forests are not limited to monkeys alone; 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, water anacondas and land boa constrictors have become widespread.

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 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, but here they are more different large sizes and 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 God-forsaken area. 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.

Have the plants and animals adapted to his bath conditions?

How have the leaves adapted?

Throughout life, the leaves of some 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 colors 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.

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 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.

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 certain place and lead the life that ensures his 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.

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.

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 their eggs in damp soil. 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.

Many animals, on the contrary, have bright colors. They imitate the coloring of poisonous animals that have poisonous skin. Predators do not attack harmless animals. They assume they are poisonous. Some arthropods look like ants. Combination of black and yellow color, predators consider it a warning coloration. The wings of butterflies and grasshoppers are decorated with bright, eye-like spots.

Mating season in animals

Animals need to attract a mate and not attract the dangerous attention of predators. To do this, they use signals using sound and light. Painted birds have the ability to reflect the light falling on them. Fireflies have adapted to emit flashing lights. They are located at the end of their abdomen. Fireflies flash and go out at the same time, filling the air with a mysterious light. Some animals emit loud, short screams to attract the attention of the opposite sex. They are afraid that predators will not be able to find them by their voice. And the frogs sing in chorus without fear.

Unfortunately, tropical forests are becoming less and less. They are destroyed mainly due to valuable wood. Deserts are formed in place of tropical forests. People want to save the rainforests. The movement to protect forests began in Germany, Colombia, and Sweden. After all, the conservation of tropical forests is in the interests of all humanity.