Misplaced Pages

#332667

33-565: The Congolian rainforest is the world's second-largest tropical forest , after the Amazon rainforest . It covers over 500,000,000 acres (2,000,000 km) across six countries and contains a quarter of the world's remaining tropical forest. The Congolian forests cover southeastern Cameroon , Gabon , Republic of the Congo , the northern and central Democratic Republic of the Congo , and portions of southern and central Africa. The Congolian rainforest

66-405: A t i o n   i n   m m 25 ) {\displaystyle (100-{\tfrac {mean\ annual\ precipitation\ in\ mm}{25}})} to 60 mm. Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate's P dry should be less than ( 100 − m e a n   a n n u a l   p r e c i p i t

99-405: A t i o n   i n   m m 25 ) {\displaystyle (100-{\tfrac {mean\ annual\ precipitation\ in\ mm}{25}})} . Tropical climates normally have only two seasons, a wet season and a dry season. Depending on the location of the region, the wet and dry seasons can have varying duration. Annual temperature changes in the tropics are small. Due to

132-519: A lack of human resources and political interest (thus lack of financial support) are hampering efforts to improve forest land allocation and a Payments for Forest Environmental Services scheme. Tropical climate Tropical climate is the first of the five major climate groups in the Köppen climate classification identified with the letter A . Tropical climates are defined by a monthly average temperature of 18 °C (64 °F) or higher in

165-456: A portion of them (depending on how they are defined – see maps). The remaining tropical forests are a diversity of many different forest types including: Eucalyptus open forest, tropical coniferous forests , savanna woodland ( e.g. Sahelian forest ), and mountain forests (the higher elevations of which are cloud forests ). Over even relatively short distances, the boundaries between these biomes may be unclear, with ecotones between

198-514: A short dry season which almost always occurs in the winter. The tropical monsoon climate is often found within countries in the south and southeast Asia region between the latitude of 10 degrees north and the Tropic of Cancer. It can also be found in West Africa and South America. The annual temperature of regions under tropical monsoon climate is also stable. The tropical monsoon climate has

231-447: A wide range of disturbances, including more localized pressures such as habitat loss and degradation and anthropogenic climate change . Studies have also shown that ongoing climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of some climate extremes (e.g. droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes) which, in combination with other local human disturbances, are driving unprecedented negative ecological consequences for tropical forests around

264-414: Is between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F). In summer, the temperature is between 25 °C and 30 °C, while in winter the temperature is between 20 °C and 30 °C, but still stays above an 18 °C mean. The annual precipitation is between 700 and 1000 mm. The driest months are generally in the winter and they have less than 60 mm of rainfall (often much less). Regions under

297-515: Is called the canopy tree layer which has trees from 25 to 40 meters tall and those trees grow closely while above is the emergent layer with sporadic trees taller than 35 meters. Tropical savanna climates , or tropical wet and dry climates, are mainly located between the 10° and 25° north-south latitudes, and often occur at the outer margins of the tropics. Typical regions include central Africa, parts of South America, as well as northern and eastern Australia. The temperature range of savanna climate

330-691: Is depleting the rainforests of wildlife. With annual forest loss of 0.3% during the 2000s, the region had the lowest deforestation rate of any major tropical forest zone. From 2015 to 2019, the rate of deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo doubled. In 2021, deforestation of the Congolese rainforest increased by 5%. Over the past 20 years, 17.1 million hectares of forest have been cut down. Tropical forest Tropical forests are forested ecoregions with tropical climates – that is, land areas approximately bounded by

363-477: Is endemic to the northeastern Congolian rainforests. The rainforests have 1,000 native species of birds like the grey parrot , brown nightjar and the bat hawk , and 700 species of fish like the Nile tilapia , Nile perch and the giraffe catfish . Threats to the rainforests include destruction and fragmentation of forests by commercial logging, oil palm plantations, and mining. The bushmeat trade and poaching

SECTION 10

#1732764687333

396-467: Is home to a large number of flora and fauna, including more than 10,000 species of plants and over 10,000 species of animals. It is estimated that the region contains more than a quarter of the world’s plant species and is home to one of the world’s most threatened primate species, the western lowland gorilla . There are also a number of other species of primates, including the chimpanzee , black colobus monkey , red colobus monkey , and olive baboon . To

429-457: Is intense in these climates. There are three basic types of tropical climates within the tropical climate group: tropical rainforest climate ( Af ), tropical monsoon climate ( Am ) and tropical savanna or tropical wet and dry climate ( Aw for dry winters, and As for dry summers), which are classified and distinguished by the precipitation and the precipitation levels of the driest month in those regions. The Köppen climate classification

462-399: Is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It defines a tropical climate as a region where the mean temperature of the coldest month is greater than or equal to 18 °C (64 °F) and does not fit into the criteria for B-group climates, classifying them as an A-group (tropical climate group). A-group regions are usually found in the tropics , below 23.5 latitude in both

495-517: The old-growth forest had been reduced from 76% to 50% of the island, mostly due to fire and agricultural expansion . A widely-held view is that placing a value on the ecosystem services these forests provide may bring about more sustainable policies. However, clear monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for environmental, social and economic outcomes are needed. For example, a study in Vietnam indicated that poor and inconsistent data combined with

528-454: The tropics of Cancer and Capricorn , but possibly affected by other factors such as prevailing winds . Some tropical forest types are difficult to categorize. While forests in temperate areas are readily categorized on the basis of tree canopy density, such schemes do not work well in tropical forests. There is no single scheme that defines what a forest is, in tropical regions or elsewhere. Because of these difficulties, information on

561-495: The Amazon and Southeast Asian rainforests. However, its plant and animal life is still more rich and varied than most other places on Earth. The Congolian Forests are a global 200 ecoregion . There are over 400 species of mammals in the rainforest, including African forest elephants , African bush elephants , leopards , bongos , red river hogs , chimpanzees , bonobos , mountain gorillas , and lowland gorillas . The okapi

594-531: The Northern Zaire (Congo) basin of Africa, and the islands of the East Indies. The tropical rainforest climate differs from other subtypes of tropical climates as it has more kinds of trees due to its precipitation . The large number of trees contribute back to the humidity of the climate because of the transpiration, which is the process of water evaporated from the surface of living plants to

627-498: The atmosphere. The warmth and abundant precipitation heavily contributes to the diversity and characteristics of vegetations under the tropical rainforest climate. The vegetations develop a vertical stratification and various growth forms to receive enough sunlight, which is unusual under other types of climate. The Köppen classification tool identifies tropical monsoon climate as having small annual temperature ranges, high temperatures, and plentiful precipitation. This climate also has

660-409: The cool dry season is from fall to late winter, the hot dry season is in the spring and the rainy or monsoon season is near or during the summer months. The tropical monsoon forest mainly consists of three layered structures. The first layer is the surface layer which is a very dense layer of shrubs and grasses. The second layer is the understory layer with trees about 15 meters tall. The top layer

693-408: The coolest month, featuring hot temperatures and high humidity all year-round. Annual precipitation is often abundant in tropical climates, and shows a seasonal rhythm but may have seasonal dryness to varying degrees. There are normally only two seasons in tropical climates, a wet (rainy/ monsoon ) season and a dry season. The annual temperature range in tropical climates is normally very small. Sunlight

SECTION 20

#1732764687333

726-632: The east, the lowland Congolian forests transition to the highland Albertine Rift montane forests , which cover the mountains lining the Albertine Rift , a branch of the East African Rift system. The World Wide Fund for Nature divides the Congolian forests into six distinct ecoregions : The Congolian rainforests are home to over 10,000 species of plants of which 30% are endemic . The Congolian rainforests are less biodiverse than

759-419: The equator. Tropical rainforest climates have high temperatures: the yearly average temperature is normally between 21 and 30 °C (70 and 86 °F). The precipitation can reach over 100 inches a year. The seasons are evenly distributed throughout the year, and there is almost no drought period here. Regions that contain tropical rainforest climate mainly include the upper Amazon basin of South America,

792-419: The extent of tropical forests varies between sources. However, tropical forests are extensive, making up just under half the world's forests. The tropical domain has the largest proportion of the world's forests (45 percent), followed by the boreal, temperate and subtropical domains. More than 3.6 million hectares of virgin tropical forest was lost in 2018. The original tropical rainforests , which covered

825-420: The following main characteristic. The average annual temperature is around 27.05 °C (80.69 °F) and has an average annual temperature range of about 3.6 °C (38.5 °F). Distinction between wet and drought seasons, the tropical monsoon climate is different from other tropical climates because of its uneven precipitation throughout the year. There are three main seasons of tropical monsoon climate:

858-408: The high temperatures and abundant rainfall, much of the plant life grows throughout the year. High temperature and humidity is the most suitable environment for epiphytes to grow. In many tropical climates, vegetation grow in layers: shrubs under tall trees, bushes under shrubs and grasses under bushes. Tropical plants are rich in resources, including coffee, cocoa and oil palm. Listed below are

891-534: The main types. The nature of tropical forests in any given area is affected by several factors, most importantly: The Global 200 scheme, promoted by the World Wildlife Fund , classifies three main tropical forest habitat types ( biomes ), grouping together tropical and sub-tropical areas (maps below): Extent of tropical and sub-tropical - A number of tropical forests have been designated High-Biodiversity Wilderness Areas , but remain subject to

924-495: The north, south, and southwest, the forests transition to drier forest-savanna mosaic , a mosaic of drier forests, savannas , and grasslands . To the west, the Congolian forests transition to the coastal Lower Guinean forests , which extend from southwestern Cameroon into southern Nigeria and Benin ; these forest zones share many similarities and are sometimes known as the Lower Guinean-Congolian forests. To

957-502: The planet's land surface, were the type of flora that covered Earth.Other canopy forests expanded north-south of the equator during the Paleogene epoch, around 40 million years ago, as a result of the emergence of drier, cooler climates. The tropical forest was originally identified as a specific type of biome in 1949. Tropical forests are often thought of as evergreen rainforests and moist forests, but these account for only

990-545: The southern and northern hemisphere; they include areas around the Equator, Central America, North-central portions of South America, central Africa, southern portions of Asia and parts of North Australia and the Pacific Ocean islands. In Group A, there are three types of this climate: the tropical rainforest climate (Af) , tropical monsoon climate (Am) and tropical wet and dry or savanna climate (Aw or As) . All of

1023-410: The three climates are classified by their P dry (short for precipitation of the driest month). Tropical rainforest climate's P dry should be greater than or equal 60 mm (2.4 in). Tropical monsoon climate's P dry should be in the range from ( 100 − m e a n   a n n u a l   p r e c i p i t

Congolian rainforests - Misplaced Pages Continue

1056-669: The types of vegetation unique to each of the three climates that make up the tropical climate biome. Tropical rainforest vegetation including: Bengal bamboo , bougainvillea , curare , coconut tree , durian and banana . Tropical monsoon vegetation including: teak , deodar , rosewood , sandalwood and bamboo . Tropical wet and dry or savanna vegetation including: acacia senegal , elephant grass , jarrah tree , gum tree eucalyptus and whistling thorn . The Köppen classification identifies tropical rainforest climates (Zone Af: f = "feucht", German for moist) as usually having north and south latitudinal ranges of just 5-10 degrees from

1089-625: The world. All tropical forests have experienced at least some levels of disturbance. Current deforestation in the biodiversity hotspots of North of South America, sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and the Pacific, can be attributed to export of commodities such as: beef, soy, coffee, cacao, palm oil , and timber; there is a requirement for "strong transnational efforts ... by improving supply chain transparency [and] public–private engagement". A study in Borneo describes how, between 1973 and 2018,

#332667