The Amazon rainforest is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America. It represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests, and comprises the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world, with an estimated 390 billion individual trees divided into 16,000 species.
A. Toronto Zoo display area
A. Toronto Zoo display area
The Americas display area in the Toronto Zoo is not a perfectly accurate example of a particular habitat. The display area includes animals from North America's grassland and temperate rainforest, and South America's tropical rainforest, while these environments are with different characteristics and thus different ecosystem. For example, these two animals are placed very close to each other while they live in different habitat:
Black-tailed prairie dogs are native to grassland habitats in North America.
The Goliath birdeater is native to the upland rain forest regions of northern South America.
Rainforest vs Grassland
Rainforests are a type of forest or vegetation with large trees where there is a minimum rainfall of 1750 – 2000 millimeters annually. There are two main types of rainforests (known as temperate and tropical) according to the climate that the forest experiences. Tropical rainforests receive much more than this amount of rainfall in one year though. When all the biotic species are considered, between 40% and 70% of all of that could be found inside rainforests of the world.
Grassland is a type of vegetation with mainly grasses, and it is a home of many animal species. Usually, there are no woody plants except for very few trees scattered on the field. Grasslands have perennial grass species, which often occur in bunches. The received annual rainfall of grassland could be as low as 250 millimeters, but the amount varies up to 900 millimeters.
B. Impact of human intervention
Deposits of precious metals (gold, silver, coltan) and fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) occur underneath rainforests globally. These resources are important to developing nations and their extraction is often given priority to encourage economic growth. Mining and Drilling can require large amounts of land development, directly causing deforestation.
With the invention of agriculture, humans were able to clear sections of rainforest to produce crops, converting it to open farmland. Such people, however, obtain their food primarily from farm plots cleared from the forest and hunt and forage within the forest to supplement this. The issue arising is between the independent farmer providing for his family and the needs and wants of the globe as a whole. This issue has seen little improvement because no plan has been established for all parties to be aided.
The impact of habitat loss on rainforest animals
Rainforests are a type of forest or vegetation with large trees where there is a minimum rainfall of 1750 – 2000 millimeters annually. There are two main types of rainforests (known as temperate and tropical) according to the climate that the forest experiences. Tropical rainforests receive much more than this amount of rainfall in one year though. When all the biotic species are considered, between 40% and 70% of all of that could be found inside rainforests of the world.
Grassland is a type of vegetation with mainly grasses, and it is a home of many animal species. Usually, there are no woody plants except for very few trees scattered on the field. Grasslands have perennial grass species, which often occur in bunches. The received annual rainfall of grassland could be as low as 250 millimeters, but the amount varies up to 900 millimeters.
B. Impact of human intervention
Deposits of precious metals (gold, silver, coltan) and fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) occur underneath rainforests globally. These resources are important to developing nations and their extraction is often given priority to encourage economic growth. Mining and Drilling can require large amounts of land development, directly causing deforestation.
With the invention of agriculture, humans were able to clear sections of rainforest to produce crops, converting it to open farmland. Such people, however, obtain their food primarily from farm plots cleared from the forest and hunt and forage within the forest to supplement this. The issue arising is between the independent farmer providing for his family and the needs and wants of the globe as a whole. This issue has seen little improvement because no plan has been established for all parties to be aided.
The impact of habitat loss on rainforest animals
Sloth
Although within the forest sloths are outstandingly successful creatures, they are unable to survive outside the tropical rainforests of South and Central America. While the prospect of sloth endangerment may not directly affect many around the world, their loss would be as unfortunate as any other extinction. Sloths have lived on Earth for thousands of years, but our rapid destruction of their habitat in the name of progress is upsetting the delicate balance of their ecosystem.
Although within the forest sloths are outstandingly successful creatures, they are unable to survive outside the tropical rainforests of South and Central America. While the prospect of sloth endangerment may not directly affect many around the world, their loss would be as unfortunate as any other extinction. Sloths have lived on Earth for thousands of years, but our rapid destruction of their habitat in the name of progress is upsetting the delicate balance of their ecosystem.
Golden lion tamarin
Due to the deforestation and fragmentation of the Atlantic forest, Golden lion tamarins' home ranges have decreased in size. The decrease in size has been reported in terms of fragmentation, and today the forest consists of thousands of fragments equaling only 8% of its former size. This directly affects their areas of foraging and subsequently, the amount of resources available.
Due to the deforestation and fragmentation of the Atlantic forest, Golden lion tamarins' home ranges have decreased in size. The decrease in size has been reported in terms of fragmentation, and today the forest consists of thousands of fragments equaling only 8% of its former size. This directly affects their areas of foraging and subsequently, the amount of resources available.
Common marmoset
The common marmoset remains an abundant species and are not currently threatened. Nevertheless its habitat had been degraded at a large rate, with around 67% of the cerrado region cleared for human use in the 1990s and around 80% cleared for cultivation more recently.
The common marmoset remains an abundant species and are not currently threatened. Nevertheless its habitat had been degraded at a large rate, with around 67% of the cerrado region cleared for human use in the 1990s and around 80% cleared for cultivation more recently.
Poison dart frog
The primary threat to poison dart frogs is the logging and clearing of the rainforests where they live. Deforestation directly destroys their habitat, and leaves a hotter, drier terrain that provides no place or food for them. Clearing large swaths of rainforest while leaving islands of poison dart frog habitat can also isolate and trap populations in very restricted areas, leaving them greatly endangered.
The primary threat to poison dart frogs is the logging and clearing of the rainforests where they live. Deforestation directly destroys their habitat, and leaves a hotter, drier terrain that provides no place or food for them. Clearing large swaths of rainforest while leaving islands of poison dart frog habitat can also isolate and trap populations in very restricted areas, leaving them greatly endangered.
C. Importance of biodiversity - maintaining ecosystem
Biodiversity is of great importance in order to maintain stable ecosystems. An ecosystem is a group of life forms that live together in a balanced and stable community. If there is a sudden change in that community’s environment, the balance of the community may change which may cause it to be destroyed.
Biodiversity is of great importance in order to maintain stable ecosystems. An ecosystem is a group of life forms that live together in a balanced and stable community. If there is a sudden change in that community’s environment, the balance of the community may change which may cause it to be destroyed.
The Biodiversity of the Rainforest
The loss of tropical rainforests has a profound and devastating impact on the world because rainforests are so biologically diverse, more so than other ecosystems (e.g., temperate forests) on Earth.
Consider these facts:
- A single pond in Brazil can sustain a greater variety of fish than is found in all of Europe's rivers.
- A 25-acre plot of rainforest in Borneo may contain more than 700 species of trees - a number equal to the total tree diversity of North America.
- A single rainforest reserve in Peru is home to more species of birds than are found in the entire United States.
- One single tree in Peru was found to harbor forty-three different species of ants - a total that approximates the entire number of ant species in the British Isles.
- The number of species of fish in the Amazon exceeds the number found in the entire Atlantic Ocean.
The biodiversity of the tropical rainforest is so immense that less than 1 percent of its millions of species have been studied by scientists for their active constituents and their possible uses. When an acre of tropical rainforest is lost, the impact on the number of plant and animal species lost and their possible uses is staggering. Scientists estimate that we are losing more than 137 species of plants and animals every single day because of rainforest deforestation.
The loss of tropical rainforests has a profound and devastating impact on the world because rainforests are so biologically diverse, more so than other ecosystems (e.g., temperate forests) on Earth.
Consider these facts:
- A single pond in Brazil can sustain a greater variety of fish than is found in all of Europe's rivers.
- A 25-acre plot of rainforest in Borneo may contain more than 700 species of trees - a number equal to the total tree diversity of North America.
- A single rainforest reserve in Peru is home to more species of birds than are found in the entire United States.
- One single tree in Peru was found to harbor forty-three different species of ants - a total that approximates the entire number of ant species in the British Isles.
- The number of species of fish in the Amazon exceeds the number found in the entire Atlantic Ocean.
The biodiversity of the tropical rainforest is so immense that less than 1 percent of its millions of species have been studied by scientists for their active constituents and their possible uses. When an acre of tropical rainforest is lost, the impact on the number of plant and animal species lost and their possible uses is staggering. Scientists estimate that we are losing more than 137 species of plants and animals every single day because of rainforest deforestation.
Diversity-Stability Theory
The importance of stability in community ecology is clear. An unstable ecosystem will be more likely to lose species. Theoretical models suggest that there could be multiple relationships between diversity and stability.
Having multiple species present in a plant community can stabilize ecosystem processes if species vary in their responses to environmental fluctuations such that an increased abundance of one species can compensate for the decreased abundance of another. Biologically diverse communities are also more likely to contain species that confer resilience to that ecosystem because as a community accumulates species, there is a higher chance of any one of them having traits that enable them to adapt to a changing environment. Such species could buffer the system against the loss of other species.
The importance of stability in community ecology is clear. An unstable ecosystem will be more likely to lose species. Theoretical models suggest that there could be multiple relationships between diversity and stability.
Having multiple species present in a plant community can stabilize ecosystem processes if species vary in their responses to environmental fluctuations such that an increased abundance of one species can compensate for the decreased abundance of another. Biologically diverse communities are also more likely to contain species that confer resilience to that ecosystem because as a community accumulates species, there is a higher chance of any one of them having traits that enable them to adapt to a changing environment. Such species could buffer the system against the loss of other species.
In Closing
As the largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforests have unparalleled biodiversity, and biodiversity is the life support system of our planet- we depend on it for the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Between 1991 and 2000, the total area of forest lost in the Amazon rose from 415,000 to 587,000 square kilometres. If we do not pay attention to the importance of the ecosystem, We will suffer from the consequences in the near future.
By purchasing renewable and sustainable rainforest products and resources and demanding sustainable harvesting of these resources using local communities and indigenous tribes of the rainforests, we all can be part of a solution, and the rainforests of the world and their people can be saved.
As the largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas, the Amazonian rainforests have unparalleled biodiversity, and biodiversity is the life support system of our planet- we depend on it for the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Between 1991 and 2000, the total area of forest lost in the Amazon rose from 415,000 to 587,000 square kilometres. If we do not pay attention to the importance of the ecosystem, We will suffer from the consequences in the near future.
By purchasing renewable and sustainable rainforest products and resources and demanding sustainable harvesting of these resources using local communities and indigenous tribes of the rainforests, we all can be part of a solution, and the rainforests of the world and their people can be saved.
Sources:
(n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/biodiversity-and-ecosystem-stability-17059965
Difference Between Rainforest and Grassland. (2012, February 4). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-rainforest-and-vs-grassland/
Rainforest Preservation Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.paxnatura.org/RainforestPreservationBenefits.htm
Reasons for the Endangerment of the Poison Dart Frog. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://animals.pawnation.com/reasons-endangerment-poison-dart-frog-2395.html
Responses to Climate Change. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from https://web.duke.edu/nicholas/bio217/jmz28/effects3.html
Tropical rainforest. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest
What is a Sloth? Are They an Endangered Species? (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/81017.aspx
Images:
http://www.nature.com/scitable/content/ne0000/ne0000/ne0000/ne0000/17064077/f1_cleland_ksm.jpg
http://www.exploringnature.org/graphics/foodwebs/AmazonRF_foodweb72.jpg
http://static.tumblr.com/lnqpaj2/1aklso031/rainforestflowers4.jpg
http://s3.amazonaws.com/upriser.prod.files/assets/post_files/7060/original.jpg?1426788931
(n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/biodiversity-and-ecosystem-stability-17059965
Difference Between Rainforest and Grassland. (2012, February 4). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-rainforest-and-vs-grassland/
Rainforest Preservation Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.paxnatura.org/RainforestPreservationBenefits.htm
Reasons for the Endangerment of the Poison Dart Frog. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://animals.pawnation.com/reasons-endangerment-poison-dart-frog-2395.html
Responses to Climate Change. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from https://web.duke.edu/nicholas/bio217/jmz28/effects3.html
Tropical rainforest. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_rainforest
What is a Sloth? Are They an Endangered Species? (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/81017.aspx
Images:
http://www.nature.com/scitable/content/ne0000/ne0000/ne0000/ne0000/17064077/f1_cleland_ksm.jpg
http://www.exploringnature.org/graphics/foodwebs/AmazonRF_foodweb72.jpg
http://static.tumblr.com/lnqpaj2/1aklso031/rainforestflowers4.jpg
http://s3.amazonaws.com/upriser.prod.files/assets/post_files/7060/original.jpg?1426788931