Research Work

Ma. Christina Julia de Guzman VI- Charity

Tropical Forest
It is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator (in the equatorial zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn). This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall. Rainforests can be found in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and on many of the Pacific, Caribbean, and Indian Oceanislands. Within the World Wildlife Fund's biome classification, tropical rainforests are thought to be a type of tropical wet forest (or tropical moist broadleaf forest) and may also be referred to as lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest.

Tropical Forest Animals

Anaconda The largest of all snakes, anacondas are mostly found in the Amazon River Basin in South America. They make their homes near the shores of rivers because much of their hunting is done by submerging themselves in water and waiting for their prey. Anacondas prefer to eat small rodents, birds and fish, but they can also digest larger animals if one strikes their fancy. They can grow to over 37 feet long and live between 15 and 30 years. Toucan Located in South and Central America, toucans are red, yellow and black colored birds that have large, sloping beaks. Their diet consists mostly of fruit and leaves, though they will occasionally eat insects as well. They live inside hollow trees, which gives them shelter from the rain and allows them to hide from prey. Toucans can grow to 65 centimeters in height and live up to 20 years in the wild.

Tropical Forest Plants

Double Coconut The double coconut has a scientific name of lodoicea maldivica and is a member of the palm family. Its name comes from its appearance: two coconuts that appear to be joined together. It is the largest seed in the plant kingdom. It takes one whole year for the seed to germinate, and then another whole year to simply grow one leaf. After a long time, the plant can reach 100 feet high, 20 feet long, and 12 feet in diameter. It can be found off the coast of Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean. Jackfruit Jackfruit, also known as artocarpus heterophyllus, is a member of the mulberry family. It is found throughout tropical rain forests, but originated in southeast Asia. Each jackfruit can weigh up to 100 pounds. The fruit

spring out from the trunks and branches of the tree it grows on. The jackfruit is yellow or green in color, and covered in lumps.

Tropical Grassland
Tropical grasslands are the areas that are in the north and south of the tropical rainforests on the equator. These areas are also referred to as savannas. Many areas beyond the savannas are deserts while some savannas contain mountains, seas and dense forests. Tropical grasslands typically have more trees as compared to the temperate grasslands, but they do not have the colorful flowering plants found in the temperate grasslands. The trees in tropical grasslands are usually low growing and are scattered in the area.

Tropical Grassland Plants

Baobab Tree The baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) is a common plant of the tropical grassland in Africa and is also referred to as the tree of life. The tree reaches a mature height of about 60 feet and is among the tallest trees in the African savannas. The tree provides food, water and shelter for both humans and animals in the region and its cork-like bark is resistant to fire. The bark is also used for making cloth and rope and the foliage is used as traditional medicine and condiments. The baobab tree produces an edible fruit called monkey bread. The tree can store up to hundreds of gallons of water, which can be used during droughts. Candelabra Tree Candelabra tree (Ingens) is found in the savannas of the East Indies and Africa. The tree reaches a mature height of 30 to 40 feet and the branches extending from a single trunk give the impression of a candelabra. The tree bears small yellow flowers in the middle of winter. Candelabra tree is highly poisonous and is not preferred by animals. There are sharp spines of the branches, which burn upon contact and make the tree particularly useful as a living fence.

Tropical Desert
Tropical deserts are among the hottest and driest locations on the planet. The deserts of Baja California, such as the Senora, and the interior deserts of Mexico are considered tropical desert climates. Despite the harsh conditions that sometimes result in triple-digit temperatures and some years with only a trace of rainfall or less, there are plants and animals that survive here. These species are specially equipped to handle the environment the tropical desert provides.

Tropical Desert Animals

Coyote These animals are wolf-like in appearance, but are somewhat smaller than their canine cousins. They will eat just about anything depending on what is available. They hunt in packs to become more effective and have a strong sense of community or family. Coyotes will find food whether it is big game such as deer, fish in rivers, road kill, insects, snakes or plants. They are true omnivores. This helps them in environments like the tropical deserts of Mexico where food is often scarce. Kangaroo Rat The kangaroo rat is a furry and plump little creature with a round body, big eyes and a tail that is generally longer than its body. The overall length of the kangaroo rat is around 9 to 14 inches. The rat gets its name from the way it moves, hopping on its hind legs like a kangaroo.

Tropical Desert Animals

Creosote Bush Bright yellow flowers top the ends of the long branches of the creosote bush. The leaves are waxy and thick and have adapted to the harsh heat and dry conditions of the tropical desert. They are useful in retaining moisture and fending off heat. In the tropical deserts, this bush is usually less than 4 feet tall, but can grow to 10 feet tall in wetter climates, according to the Desert USA website. Bur Sage Triangle-leaf bur sage is a native plant of the Sonoran Desert. It often accompanies creosote growth between 1,000 and 3,000 feet above sea level. This small shrub grows to around 18 inches tall and is two feet wide, according to the Blue Planet Biomes website. The hairy leaves of the bur sage are usually around 1 inch long and gray and green in color. Yellow flowers also bloom from the plant.

Temperate Forest
Most people associate rainforests with jungles and tropical climates. This type of rainforest is most common in Africa, South and Central America and Asia. However, rainforests exist at non-tropical latitudes as well. Called temperate rainforests, these biomes can be found in North America, along the Pacific Northwest coastline and along the western edge of South America. Some temperate rainforests may also be found in the United Kingdom. According to World Builders, these forests receive between 60 and 200 inches of rain per year and are home to many species of animals.

Temperate Forest Animals

Banana Slug Native to North America's Pacific Northwest region, this bright yellow, shell-less mollusk is one of the largest slugs in the world. According to the University of San Francisco, these creatures can grow to be up to 10 inches in length, but average six to eight inches. They are general herbivores and eat green plants, leaf litter and fungus. Sometimes they also scavenge from animal carcasses and droppings. Elk American elk are among the largest deer in the world and also one of the largest animals in North America. These creatures live in forests and on the edge of the forest and can be found throughout North America's temperate rainforests. Male elk have large antlers, which they shed yearly, and are commonly hunted for their meat, hides and antlers. Elk are primarily grazers and prefer grass and herbaceous vegetation to tree leaves.

Temperate Desert Plants

Spanish Bluebell This bulbous plant is native to the temperate forests of Spain, but they were introduced into the East Coast region of the United States. Spanish bluebells grow in North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware, according to the U.S. National Park Service. This plant has bell-shaped flowers with lavender coloration. When it fully matures, the Spanish bluebell grows up to 1 to 2 inches. The Spanish bluebell is considered an invasive species as its growth is harmful to the development of natural species. Lady Fern The Athyrium, or lady fern, is a plant genus that includes approximately 180 different species. Two lady ferns found in the temperate forests of the U.S. include the northern lady fern, which, as its name implies, grows in the northeastern U.S., and the southern lady fern, found in the Southeast. The lady fern is a deciduous plant; its

fronds grow to lengths of 3 feet when it fully matures. Although the lady fern's primary habitat is temperate woodlands, it also grows in swamps and areas with rocky soils.

Temperate Grassland
Grasslands are large areas where there are almost no trees or shrubs. According to Enchanted Learning, an educational website, the main plant life in such an area is grass, with less than one tree per acre. Known by names such as pampas, steppes and plains in various parts of the world, in North America temperate grasslands are referred to as prairies. Animals living in grasslands have adapted to the dry, windy conditions that exist there.

Temperate Grassland Animals

Ferret The black-footed ferret belongs to the weasel family. Although rare in the wild now, before farming destroyed much of its habitat this ferret lived in the grasslands of the central United States, from Texas all the way to Canada. Ferrets are carnivores and generally eat squirrels, mice, insects and prairie dogs. They live in prairie dog burrows, often after killing the former occupants. This nocturnal hunter is about 18 inches long from nose to tail. Bison American bison are members of the same family as domestic cattle. These large, strong animals have long been a symbol of the wild prairies of North America, though their numbers are far less than they once were. According to a bulletin from the National Park System, it's been estimated that there were as many as 60 million bison in the United States at the time Columbus landed here. Hunting and lack of habitat, however, have caused their numbers to decline significantly, but some were preserved and they are again increasing. Although bison look slow and seem harmless, they are quick and can be lethal if annoyed.

Temperate Grassland Plants

Prairie Chicken Attwater's prairie chicken is not a chicken at all but is in fact a member of the grouse family. These birds weigh about two pounds and were once abundant in the temperate grasslands of North America, but are becoming increasingly rare due to loss of habitat. They build nests hidden in the tall prairie grasses and survive on a diet of grasshoppers and other insects, rose hips and seeds. Little Bluestem

One of the most common native grasses of the North American temperate grassland is little bluestem grass. This hardy, deep-rooted grass is often found in areas that are dry and often of low fertility. It grows from 18 to 36 inches tall, depending on soil quality. This is a preferred grazing grass for many native species such as elk and bison. It puts out large seed clusters in the fall, providing a source of nutrition for small animals such as mice and voles, as well as for many species of birds.

Temperate Desert
Though situated in the temperate zone, the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts with their interesting Joshua trees, saguaros and sotols are classified as subtropical deserts. The temperate deserts are further north in the Great Basin of Nevada and Utah. Other major temperate deserts are the Gobi Desert and Patagonia. Like the plants in hot dry regions, the flora of temperate deserts possess structures that help them cope with the scarce water supply.

Tropical Desert Plants

Succulents and Parasites Not many cacti grow in the temperate deserts of the world. But their flora includes other succulents. The saxaul tree of the Gobi Desert in Asia stores water in its bark. This not only keeps the tree alive during extended periods of dry weather, but also helps the Cistanche deserticola, a parasitic plant that lives on the roots of this unusual tree. Tiny Leaves Leaves allow water to escape into the atmosphere. So Forsellesia navadensis, the spiny greasewood plant of the Great Basin, produces small leaves that fall off in dry weather. The leaves of the ephedra are tiny scales that allow no water to escape. Both of these plants rely on green stems to produce their food.

*Choose the place in the item above which you find more interesting. I like to choose the tropical forest. Because I am used to that climate. Here in our country there is only two seasons. But I also like to explore the things that is usually found in a tropical forest. Because there are animals and plants in the forest that I havent seen yet. Like the Toucan. Even though it wasnt found usually in the Philippines. I was interested about it. To learn more about this type of animal. I also want to explore around a tropical country. The plants, to see what is the difference of it to the plants that live with a different weather. I find it more interesting because I like to see some animals living on it. The wild animals, I like to see one of them in that forest.. I also like the weather there. There was a wet and dry season there. It fits the plants and animals that live there.

-ChrstnDGzmn