Tropical Rain Forest Essay Research Paper In — страница 2

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contribute to the great number of species. With temperatures constant at about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit the whole year, the animals don?t have to worry about freezing during the cold winters or finding hot shade in the summers (Encarta). They rarely have to search for water, because rain falls almost every day in tropical rainforests. Some rainforest species have populations that number in the millions. Other species consist of only a few dozen individuals. Living in limited areas, most of these species are found nowhere else on earth. For example, the maues marmoset, a species of monkey, wasn?t discovered until recently. It?s entire tiny population lives within a few square miles in the Amazon rainforest. This species of monkey is so small that it could fit into a persons hand!

(Rain Forest Action Network) In a rainforest, it is difficult to see many things other than the millions of insects creeping and crawling around in every layer of the forest. Scientists estimate that there are more than 50 million different species of invertebrates living in rainforests. A biologist researching the rainforest found 50 different speciesof ant on a single tree in Peru! A few hours of crawling in a rainforest would produce several insects unknown to science. The same scientist, Al Gentry, also counting tree and liana species, observed an extravagant 2.5 acres in the Amazon basin rain forest with an amazing 283 species of trees, larger than 4 inches in diameter. In the same plot, Gentry counted a wopping 580 trees between those characterized above. Globally, all rain

forests, no matter how ?low quality? contain an average of 185 species of trees in 2.5 acres (Emmons, p2). Compared to the richest woodland areas of the United States, there are only about 20 speceies of trees with the same qualities. However, most temperate forests are much poorer than this (Emmons, p2). The constant search for food , water, sunlight and space is a 24-hour pushing and shoving match. With this fierce competition, it is amazing that that so many species of animals can all live together. But this is actually the cause of the huge number of the different species. The main secret lies in the ability of many animals to adapt to eating a specific plant or animal, which few other species are able to eat. An example of such adaptations would be the big beaks of the

toucans and parrots. Their beaks give them a great advantage over other birds with smaller beaks. The fruits and nuts from many trees have evolved with a tough shell to protect them from predators. In turn toucans and parrots developed large, strong beaks, which serves as a nutcracker and provides them with many tasty meals. Many animal species have developed relationships with each other that benefit both species. Birds and mammal species love to eat the tasty fruits provided by trees. Even fish living in the Amazon River rely on the fruits dropped from forest trees. Then, the fruit trees depend upon these animals to eat their fruit, which helps them to spread their seeds to far – off parts of the forest. In some cases both species are so dependent upon each other that if one

becomes extinct, the other will as well. This nearly happened with trees that relied on the now extinct dodo birds. They once roamed Mauritius, a tropical island located in the Indian Ocean. They became extinct during the late 19th century when humans overhunted them. The calvaria tree stopped sprouting seeds soon after. Scientists finally concluded that, for the seeds of the calvaria tree to sprout, they needed to be digested by the dodo bird. By force feeding the seeds to a domestic turkey, who digested the seeds the same way as the dodo bird, the trees were saved. Unfortunately, humans will not be able to save each species in this same way. Each species has evolved with its own set of unique adaptations, ways of helping them to survive. Every animal has the ability to protect

itself from being someone?s next meal. To prevent the extinction of a species each and every species must develop a defense tactic. The following are just a few of Mother Nature?s tricks: The coloring of some animals acts as protection from their predators. Insects play some of the best hide-and-go-seek in the forest. The ?walking stick? is one such insect; it blends in so well with the palm tree it calls its home that no one would notice unless it?s moved. Some butterflies, when they close their wings, look exactly like leaves. Camouflage can howeverhelp predators, such as boa constrictors, sneak up on unsuspecting animals and surprise them. The tree-toed sloth is born with brown fur, but you would never know this by looking at it. The green algae that makes its home in the