Tropical Dry Forest Bergen热带干旱森林

TropicalDryForestK.Wettstein

Temperature•Temperaturesarehighallyear:theaveragetemperatureisabove24°C•Becauseofitsproximitytothecoast,fluctuationsinannualtemperaturesareonly10-15°C•Frostandtemperaturesbelowfreezingarerare•Temps.havebeenrecordedaslowas3°Candashighas31°C•Theairchangesfrommoistduetointer-tropicalregionmixturesinthesummertothedryairbecauseofasubtropicalweatherfrontduringthewinterImperativeInformationSolarIsolation•Seasonalalternation•Awelldefineddryseason,butashortwetseasonincomparisontoatropicalrainforest•ThedryseasontypicallylastsfromJunethroughAugust

Precipitation•Thedryseasonisfarlongerthanthebriefperiodofrainfall•Thereisnosetamountofrain,itdependsonthearea•Annualrainfallisanywherefrom10-20cmto1000–1500cmperyeardependingonthespecifictropicaldryforest•ThereisdecreasingsummerprecipitationLimitingFactors•Itswelldefineddryseasonlimitsplantgrowthandtheactivityofanimals•Alargesoil-watershortageoccurs,especiallysevereduringthehottesttimepriortotherains

SpeciesDiversityPlantLifeMostofthetreesandshrubsfoundinthistypeofhabitataredeciduous,losingtheirleavesatbeginningofthedryseason

Leavesshedindryseasontoconservesoilmoisture.Upto40treespeciesinsmallforestsDryforestsconsistoftrees,shrubs,andundergrowthofdifferentheightswhichformacanopyLotus,ironwood,andacacias

Columnar,jumpingchollaandbarrelcactus

MorelightpenetrationandmoreunderstoryvegetationthanatropicalrainforestAnimalLifeTasmaniandevilAmericanalligatorMerriam'sKangarooratAntsLizardsShrewsCoyotesKitandgrayfoxesRingtailsRaccoonsSkunksBadgerBobcatMountainlionOcelot

FoodChainEnergyfromsunFirsttropiclevel:ProducersSecondtropiclevel:PrimaryconsumersThirdtropiclevel:SecondaryconsumersFourthtropiclevel:TertiaryconsumersDecomposersheatheatheatheatheatInterestingFacts

Itmaycomeasasurprisethatforover75%ofthetropics,annualdroughtisawayoflife.Drytropicalforestsarealsoheavilylogged,andarenearlyvanishedinIndonesia.Thereisreallynoactualdistinctionbetweenthiszoneandthetropicalrainforest.Becausethelengthofthedryseasonvariestremendouslythroughoutthetropics,onebiomegraduallychangesintotheotheroverhundredsofmiles.Wetterordriersoilssometimesproducepocketsoftropicaldryforestwithinatropicalrainforest.TropicalDryForestsRichardChenClimate/Seasons:

Tropicaldryforestshaveaseasonalclimate,alternatingbetweenawetanddryseason.However,thedryseasonisoftenlongerthanthewetseason,lastingoverfivemonthseveryyear.Temperature:

Theannualmeantemperatureisapproximately81ºF,oraround27ºC.However,inthedryseason,thismayincreaseto99ºF,or37ºC.Geography:

Locatedfrom10ºto25ºNandS.Precipitation:

Theannualrainfallisusuallyaround150-200cm.Soil:

Thesoilinthisareaisricherwithnutrients,butismorevulnerabletoerosion.LimitingFactorsoftheBiome:

Thefactthatthedryseasonlastslongerthanthewetseason,aswellasthesoil’shighsusceptibilitytoerosion,limitsthegrowthofcertainplantlife.This,inturn,willlimitthebiome’sabilitytosustainanimallife.Sunlight:

Treesarenotasclosetoeachotherasinarainforest,thereforeallowingmoresunlighttoreachtheforestfloor.SpeciesDiversityThemajorityofthebiome’sfaunaisdeciduous,meaningtheseplantsshedtheirleavesattheonsetofthedryseasoninordertopreventexcesswaterloss.Otherspeciesofplantsstorewaterintheirfleshyleavesorstems,orsimplyhavethickwaxyskins,suchascacti.Typesofplants:deciduousshrubs,cacti,deciduoustrees,andlegumes.Animalsinthetropicaldryforesthaveadaptedtosurviveinthearid,dryseasons.Manyanimalsarenocturnal,gatheringtheirfoodinthecoolernight,conservingwater.Insectscanreadilysurviveintheseconditions,andprovideasourceoffoodforlargeranimals.Typesofanimals:desertdeer,cactusandpocketmice,woodandkangaroorats,lizards,gophers,rabbits,coyotes,foxes,raccoons,badgers,andbobcats.Decomposerssuchasmoldandfungiworkduringthebriefwetseasontobreakdownwasteintonutrients.FoodChainDeciduousshrubsAntsSunJackrabbitCoyoteFungusSincedryforestissuitableforagriculture,muchofithasbeenburnedtomakewayforfarmland.Tropicaldryforestsmakeupthemajorityoftropicalforestsontheearth.Eventhoughtheyaremoreendangeredthanrainforests