TROPICAL MONSOON FORESTS
Oct. 22nd, 2009 | 06:10 pm
GENERAL
15-25 degrees North&South of equator
Tropical Monsoon Climate
High Annual Temperature (~27degs) and rainfall (>1500mm)
Distinct wet and dry seasons (Due to monsoon winds)
Examples include: India, Pakistan (South Asia), Cambodia, Laos (Southeast Asia)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Dense and Luxuriant, but less than Tropical Rainforest (Due to inconsistent rainfall)
200 species of plants and trees in a hectare
Trees are deciduous (Shed leaves during dry season)
Trees do not grow as tall as in the tropical rainforest
LAYERS
-Undergrowth layer
0-6m
Consists of herbs, bamboos and thickets which thrive in the wet season
More leaf litter than in rainforest (Sunlight is able to penetrate and reach ground)
-Understorey layer
6-15m
Consists of short trees
-Canopy Layer
25-30m
Trees are not very close together, thus sunlight is not blocked out from lower layers
Trees start branching out earlier as there is less competition for sunlight
Hosts lesser and a smaller variety of lianas and epiphytes
ADAPTATIONS
-Leaves
Leaves are shed during dry season (Reduce water loss due to transpiration)
Waxy with drip tips (Allow rainwater to slide off surface and be drained off easily during wet season)
Leathery texture (Reduce the rate of transpiration)
-Barks and Branches
Thick and Rough (Withstand dryness during the dry season and heat from natural forest fires)
Trees start branching out earlier (Less competition for sunlight)
-Roots
Deep tap roots (Tap deep for water sources during the dry season)
15-25 degrees North&South of equator
Tropical Monsoon Climate
High Annual Temperature (~27degs) and rainfall (>1500mm)
Distinct wet and dry seasons (Due to monsoon winds)
Examples include: India, Pakistan (South Asia), Cambodia, Laos (Southeast Asia)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Dense and Luxuriant, but less than Tropical Rainforest (Due to inconsistent rainfall)
200 species of plants and trees in a hectare
Trees are deciduous (Shed leaves during dry season)
Trees do not grow as tall as in the tropical rainforest
LAYERS
-Undergrowth layer
0-6m
Consists of herbs, bamboos and thickets which thrive in the wet season
More leaf litter than in rainforest (Sunlight is able to penetrate and reach ground)
-Understorey layer
6-15m
Consists of short trees
-Canopy Layer
25-30m
Trees are not very close together, thus sunlight is not blocked out from lower layers
Trees start branching out earlier as there is less competition for sunlight
Hosts lesser and a smaller variety of lianas and epiphytes
ADAPTATIONS
-Leaves
Leaves are shed during dry season (Reduce water loss due to transpiration)
Waxy with drip tips (Allow rainwater to slide off surface and be drained off easily during wet season)
Leathery texture (Reduce the rate of transpiration)
-Barks and Branches
Thick and Rough (Withstand dryness during the dry season and heat from natural forest fires)
Trees start branching out earlier (Less competition for sunlight)
-Roots
Deep tap roots (Tap deep for water sources during the dry season)