Exploring the Rainforest

The hallmark of the rainforest is diversity, and trees are no exception to that rule. While temperate forests contain only an average of four species per acre, tropical forests may have from 20 to 86. Rainforest trees often have shallow root systems and they may be physically supported by basal buttressing or stilt roots. These root systems are bound together in mutual beneficial relationships with the lowly fungi. If you look carefully, you can spot a link between the white threads of fungi, decomposing a leaf or fruit, with a rootlet of a tree. Fungi are able to recycle 20 times as much potassium and phosphorus to a tree as it will lose in the rains. The rainforest's high humidity and relatively uniform temperatures allows fungi to flourish. Perhaps in a largely unsuccessful evolutionary attempt by nature to combat strangler vines and other plants, the trees are generally smooth barked.

Biodiversity is only one of many reasons to preserve the forest. They also act as watersheds, and cutting can result in flooding and erosion as well as increased aridity. Much rain is produced through the transpiration of trees, which helps keep the air saturated with moisture. Although it is commonly believed that rainforests produce much of the earth's oxygen, in fact there is an equilibrium between the amount mature forests consume through the decay of organic matter and the amount they produce via photosynthesis.

This stretch of rainforest is near the Monkey River in Southern Belize. Primary forest is easily navigable on foot because the dense canpy shades the forest floor and limits growth. Secondary forest is always much less penetrable and has many fewer species.

There is an Android version and an iTunes version.

St. John Visitors:

Please check out Explore St. John, our new travel app to St. John, which supplies comprehensive information (useful for residents and visitors alike) along with pictures, maps and links to hundreds of videos and relevant websites.

iPhone/iPad/iPodTouch version

Android version

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