The tropical rainforest has a large population of animals explain why it is so

The Tropical Rainforest – a large scale ecosystem Tropical rainforests have distinct characteristics that support a wide variety of different species . This means that they have a high biodiversity. The biotic , or living components of the ecosystem, and the abiotic , or non-living components of the ecosystem depend on one another - a change in one leads to a change in the other. Climate • Very wet with over 2,000 mm of rainfall per year. • Very warm with an average daily temperature of 28°C. The temperature never drops below 20°C and rarely exceeds 35°C. • The atmosphere is hot and humid . • The climate is consistent all year round. There are no seasons. Soil • Most of the soil is not very fertile . • A thin layer of fertile soil is found at the surface where the dead leaves decompose. • It is red in colour because it is rich in iron. • Due to heavy rainfall the nutrients are quickly washed out of the soil. Plants and animals • The warm and very wet climate provides perfect conditions for plant growth. • The wide range of plant species supports many different animals, birds and insects. • Species have adapted to the conditions of the rainforest, eg trees and plants have shallow-reaching roots to absorb nutrients from the fertile top layer of soil Structure of a tropical rainforest A tropical rainforest is made up of the following layers. • Ground level - contains less vegetation due to the dark, damp conditions, a thick layer of decomposing leaves and buttress roots of tr...

Where can you find an antelope the size of a rabbit, a snake that can fly, or a spider that eats birds? All in tropical rainforests, of course! Tropical rainforests are home to the largest and the smallest, the loudest and the quietest of all land animals, as well as some of the most dangerous, most beautiful, most endearing and strangest looking animals on earth. You’ve probably heard of some of them: jaguars, toucans, parrots, gorillas, and tarantulas all make their home in tropical rainforests. But have you ever heard of the aye-aye? Or the okapi? There are so many fascinating animals in tropical rainforests that millions haven’t been named or even identified yet. In fact, about half of all the earth’s animal species live in tropical rainforests. Explore RAN's Wildlife Factsheets Q: Why do more animal species live in the rainforest than other parts of the world? A: Scientists believe that there is a great diversity of animals because rainforests are the oldest ecosystems on earth. Some rainforests in Southeast Asia have been around for at least 100 million years, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. During the Ice Ages, the last of which ended about 10,000 years ago, the frozen areas of the North and South Poles spread over much of the earth, causing a high rate of animal extinction. But the giant freeze did not reach a number of refuges in tropical rainforests. Therefore, rainforest plants and animals continued to evolve, developing into the most diverse and complex ecosys...

(1) The tropical rainforest has a large population of animals due to favorable climatic conditions and the easy availability of different kinds of foods. (2) The tropical region has a hot climate because of its location around the equator. (3) The minimum temperature in this region is 15°C. During hot summers, the temperature may cross 40°C. Days and nights are almost equal in length throughout the year. (4) These regions are hot and humid with ample rainfall which supports the growth of animals and plants. NCERT solutions of related questions for Weather, Climate and Adaptations of Animals to Climate • Q.1 Name the elements that determine the weather of a place. • Q.2 When are the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to occur during the day? • Q.3 Fill in the blanks: (i) The average weather taken over a long time is called ___________. (ii) A place receives very little rainfall and the temperature is high throughout the year, the climate of that place will be ___________ and ___________ . (iii) The two regions of the earth with extreme climatic conditions are ___________ and __________. • Q.4 Indicate the type of climate of the following areas: (a) Jammu and Kashmir: _________________________________ (b) Kerala: ____________________________________________ (c) Rajasthan: __________________________________________ (d) North-east India: _____________________________________ • Q.5 Which of the two changes frequently, weather or climate? • Q.6 Following are some of the cha...

A. Answer the following questions in short: 1. Name the elements that determine the weather of a place. 2. When are the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to occur during the day? 3. Indicate the type of climate of the following areas: (i) Jammu and Kashmir (ii) Kerala (iii) Rajasthan (iv) North-East India 4. Which of the two changes frequently, weather or climate? 5. Following are some of the characteristics of animals : (i) diets heavy on fruits, (ii) white fur, (iii) need to migrate, (iv) loud voice, (v) sticky pads on feet, (vi) layer of fat under skin, (vii) wide and large paws, (viii) bright colours (ix) strong tails, (x) long and large beak. For each characteristic indicate whether it is adaptation for tropical rainforests or polar regions. Do you think that some of these characteristics can be adapted for both regions? 6. The tropical rainforest has a large population of animals. Explain why it is so? 7. Explain with examples, why we find animals of certain kind living in particular climatic conditions. 8. How do elephant living in the tropical rainforest adapt itself? 9. What is migration? 10. Write differences between weather and climate. 11. Why is the colour of polar bear white? 12. A polar bear has to move slowly, otherwise its body will get overheated. Why? 13. From where do the southwest monsoon winds pick up humidity? B. Fill in the blanks: 1. The average weather taken over a long time is called ………………… . 2. A place receives very little rainfall and th...

In tropical rainforests, the duration of day and night remain constant throughout the year with the temperature varying from a steady 15°C to 40°C. These regions receive plenty of rainfall. Further, because of continuous warmth and rain, this region can support a wide variety of plants and animals. In addition to this, the climatic conditions in these rainforests are highly suitable for supporting an enormous number and a diverse range of animals. They are so conducive that the majority of Earth's species and high numbers of endemic species are found in this belt only. This region is commonly called the land of megadiversity. 17 countries are located here that support a lot of insect populations of the world.

7. The tropical rainforest has a large population of animals. Explain why it is so. •