Tropical+and+Subtropical+Moist+Deciduous+Forests

= = =Tropical and Subtropical Moist Deciduous Forests=

Introduction
The Tropical and Subtropical Moist Deciduous forest is “known for the turning of colors of its leaves to brilliant reds, oranges, and golds in autumn" (1). It is generally found in large, discontinuous patches of land around the equator and between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Tropical and subtropical moist deciduous forests have a low variability in annual temperature and high levels of rainfall. These forests are mostly composed of semi-evergreen and evergreen deciduous tree species. It is also home to half of the world’s species with a great biodiversity of plants and animals. The perpetual warm and wet climate present in these forests promotes more plant growth than in any other environment on Earth (4).

Geographic Regions and Abiotic Factors
Tropical and Subtropical Moist Deciduous Forests are found in a belt along the equator between the Topics of Cancer and Capricorn as well as the humid subtropics (2). They are also fund in parts of the :
 * Afrotropic (equatorial Africa)
 * Indomalaya (Indian subcontinent & Southeast Asia)
 * Neotropic (northern South America & Central America)
 * Australasia (eastern Indonesia, New Guinea & northern Australia)
 * Oceania (islands of Pacific Ocean)



They have a warm, humid climate all year long, averaging a uniform 32 degrees Celsius yearly and 80%-90% humidity. Tropical and Subtropical Moist Deciduous Forests receive more than 200 centimeters of rainfall annually. They have a warm summer during the wet season and a cool winter during the dry season. During the dry season, which lasts for several months, trees lose their leaves. Along with the leaves, trees also lose moisture that give way to seasonal droughts.

Among this forests 5 zones, the 5th, the Ground Zone or the forest floor holds this ecosystems' substrate. Down there, the soil is poor and few nutrients are present. Flora found there are sparse and those who are present have adapted to the thin soil and make use of what little nutrients there are. Edited by Shelly Kuang

Flora
The Tropical and Subtropical moist Deciduous Forest has huge amounts of vegetation because of the low variability in annual temperature and high levels of rainfall. Forest composition is dominated by semi-evergreen and evergreen deciduous tree species. Most of the life here resides in the canopy of the forest which has the highest biodiversity. Some of the tree species in the forest are: Quercus(oak), Acer(maple), Fagus(beech), Castanea(chestnut), Carva(hickory), Ulmus(elm), Tilia(basswood and linden), and Juglans(walnut).



The deciduous forest biomes are classified into five zones:
 * The first zone is the Tree Stratum Zone. Trees here have a height of 60-100 feet. Some trees that grow in this zone are: oak, beech, maple, elm, walnut and sweet gum.
 * The second zone is the Sapling Zone. This area is mostly compromised of medium height and young trees.
 * The third zone is the Shrub Zone. In this area, shrub like mountain laurel, huckleberries, rhododendrons, and azaleas grow.
 * The Herbal Zone is the forth zone and short herbal plants grow here.
 * The fifth and final zone is the Ground Zone. In this zone plants like lichens, club mosses and true mosses grow.

Edited by Sushmil Datt

Fauna
The Tropical and Subtropical Moist Deciduous forests are home to more species than any other terrestrial ecosystems.  Most fauna that live in this biome are either mast-eaters, which are nut  and acorn feeders, or omnivores. The canopy is home to many forest animals such as apes and monkeys while snakes and big cats occupy the area below the canopy. The forest floor is home to other animals such as gorillas and deer. Examples of herbivores that inhabit this biome include white-tail deer, gray squirrels, and chipmunks that are found in North America. Omnivores include raccoons, opossum, skunks, and black bears. Most carnivores, such as timber wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats that inhabit these forests have been largely eliminated by human developments. Bird species that reside in this biome are often seed eaters or omnivores like woodpeckers and chickadees. Migratory birds, such as warblers, wrens, thrushes, tanagers, and hummingbirds, often depend on insects as a food source.

In order to survive in such a thriving biome with thousands of other creatures competing for the same food, sunlight, and space, animals have to develop special features to excel in this race for survival. Mast eaters such as parrots and toucans develop big strong beaks to crack open the tough shells of nuts that they feed on. Leafcutter ants learn to bury the leaf pieces they find into the ground and the combination of the leaves and the ants’ saliva encourage the growth of fungus which is the ants’ primary food source. All monkeys and apes that live in these forests have long arms to swing through the trees avoiding ground predators. Predators like jaguars develop the ability to swim well to catch its prey in the rivers and streams. All predators that inhabit these forests have to have lighting fast speeds to catch their prey. Edited by Minh Thu An

References
1. "Temperate Broadleaf Deciduous Forest." Radford University Home Page. Radford University, 13 Oct. 1996. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tbdf/tbdf.html>

2. Fedorov, A An. "Tropical Forests". Dictionary, Encyclopedia, Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary. Web. 2010.

11 Nov. 2010. <http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Tropical+and+subtropical+moist+broadleaf+forests>

3. "Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests". wordiQ. WordIQ, 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.

<http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Tropical_and_subtropical_moist_broadleaf_forests>

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 32px;">4. "WWF - Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forest Ecoregions." WWF. World Wildlife Fund. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat01.cfm>