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30-515: Tierra caliente is an informal term used in Latin America to refer to places with a distinctly tropical climate . These are usually regions from 0 to 3,000 feet above sea level. The Peruvian geographer Javier Pulgar Vidal used the altitude of 1,000 m as the border between the tropical rain forest and the subtropical cloud forest ( Yunga fluvial ). Most tierra caliente regions are along coastal plains, but some interior basin regions also fit

60-405: 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

90-405: 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

120-525: A handful of species in each of the spikemosses , other ferns, Gnetales , and cycads . The first important monograph on epiphytic plant ecology was written by A. F. W. Schimper ( Die epiphytische Vegetation Amerikas , 1888). Assemblages of large epiphytes occur most abundantly in moist tropical forests , but mosses and lichens occur as epiphytes in almost all biomes. In Europe there are no dedicated epiphytic plants using roots, but rich assemblages of mosses and lichens grow on trees in damp areas (mainly

150-730: A rich and diverse habitat for other organisms including animals, fungi, bacteria, and myxomycetes . Epiphyte is one of the subdivisions of the Raunkiær system . The term epiphytic derives from the Greek epi- (meaning 'upon') and phyton (meaning 'plant'). Epiphytic plants are sometimes called "air plants" because they do not root in soil. However, that term is inaccurate, as there are many aquatic species of algae that are epiphytes on other aquatic plants (seaweeds or aquatic angiosperms ). The best-known epiphytic plants include mosses , orchids , and bromeliads such as Spanish moss (of

180-514: 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

210-425: A significant effect on the microenvironment of their host, and of ecosystems where they are abundant, as they hold water in the canopy and decrease water input to the soil. Some non-vascular epiphytes such as lichens and mosses are well known for their ability to take up water rapidly. Epiphytes create a significantly cooler and more moist environment in the host plant canopy, potentially greatly reducing water loss by

240-399: Is a plant that spends only half of its life without the ground before the roots can reach or make contact with the ground. Orchids are a common example of holo-epiphytes and Strangler Figs are an example of hemi-epiphytes. Epiphytes are not connected to the soil, and consequently must get nutrients from other sources, such as fog, dew, rain and mist, or from nutrients being released from

270-414: 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

300-515: 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

330-588: The tropics , below 23.5 latitude in both 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

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360-531: 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

390-545: The air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phorophytes . Epiphytes take part in nutrient cycles and add to both the diversity and biomass of the ecosystem in which they occur, like any other organism. They are an important source of food for many species. Typically, the older parts of a plant will have more epiphytes growing on them. Epiphytes differ from parasites in that they grow on other plants for physical support and do not necessarily affect

420-498: 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

450-409: 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

480-419: 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,

510-420: 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:

540-417: The genus Tillandsia ), but epiphytes may be found in every major group of the plant kingdom. Eighty-nine percent of (or about 24,000) terrestrial epiphyte species are flowering plants . The second largest group are the leptosporangiate ferns , with about 2,800 species (10% of epiphytes). About one-third of all fern species are epiphytes. The third largest group is clubmosses , with 190 species, followed by

570-422: The ground rooted plants by decomposition or leaching, and dinitrogen fixation. Epiphytic plants attached to their hosts high in the canopy have an advantage over herbs restricted to the ground where there is less light and herbivores may be more active. Epiphytic plants are also important to certain animals that may live in their water reservoirs, such as some types of frogs and arthropods . Epiphytes can have

600-408: 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

630-412: The host negatively. An organism that grows on another organism that is not a plant may be called an epibiont . Epiphytes are usually found in the temperate zone (e.g., many mosses , liverworts , lichens , and algae ) or in the tropics (e.g., many ferns , cacti , orchids , and bromeliads ). Epiphyte species make good houseplants due to their minimal water and soil requirements. Epiphytes provide

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660-882: The host through transpiration. CAM metabolism , a water-preserving metabolism present among various plant taxa , is particularly relevant to epiphytic communities. For example, it is estimated that among epiphytic orchids, as many as 50% are likely to use it. Other relevant epiphytic families which display such metabolism are Bromeliacee (e.g. in genera Aechmea and Tillandsia ), Cactaceae (e.g. in Rhipsalis and Epiphyllum ) and Apocynaceae (e.g. in Hoya and Dischidia ). The ecology of epiphytes in marine environments differs from those in terrestrial ecosystems. Epiphytes in marine systems are species of algae, bacteria, fungi, sponges, bryozoans, ascidians, protozoa, crustaceans, molluscs and any other sessile organism that grows on

690-545: The label. Agriculture in those areas is dominated by tropical crops, such as bananas and sugar cane . This article about geography terminology is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tropical climate 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

720-480: The precipitation and the precipitation levels of the driest month in those regions. The Köppen climate classification 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

750-471: The savanna climate usually have lands covered with flat grassland vegetation with areas of woodlands. Those grassland biomes cover almost 20% of the Earth's surface. The grassland vegetation types include Rhodes grass, red oats grass, star grass and lemongrass. Epiphyte An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from

780-416: The surface of a plant, typically seagrasses or algae. Settlement of epiphytic species is influenced by a number of factors including light, temperature, currents, nutrients, and trophic interactions. Algae are the most common group of epiphytes in marine systems. Photosynthetic epiphytes account for a large amount of the photosynthesis in systems in which they occur. This is typically between 20 and 60% of

810-410: 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

840-416: The total primary production of the ecosystem. They are a general group of organisms and are highly diverse, providing food for a great number of fauna. Snail and nudibranch species are two common grazers of epiphytes. Epiphyte species composition and the amount of epiphytes can be indicative of changes in the environment. Recent increases in epiphyte abundance have been linked to excessive nitrogen put into

870-669: 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

900-405: The western coastal fringe), and the common polypody fern grows epiphytically along branches. Rarely, grass, small bushes or small trees may grow in suspended soils up trees (typically in a rot-hole). Epiphytes however, can generally be categorized into holo-epiphytes or hemi-epiphytes. A holo-epiphyte is a plant that spends its whole life cycle without contact with the ground and a hemi-epiphyte

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