Biology

Tropical Rainforest explained with its Importance

len Alfred Ajibola - Wed, 29th May, 2019 @ 4:46 PM

Topics in Biology

Contents of the scrotum: Epididymis, vas deferens, spermatic cord and cremaster muscle Tropical savanna explained with its characteristics Ecological pyramid explained with its importance and limitations Hindbrain: Medulla Oblongata and its features Food web explained with examples Biology Scheme of Work, SS1, First Term Biology Scheme of Work, SS1, 2nd Term Biology Scheme of Work, SS1, 3rd Term Male accessory sex organs: Seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands Scrotum and its contents: Testicles Brain: Introduction to the human brain Forebrain: Lobes of the cerebrum and their functions Cerebellum: Parts and functions of the cerebellum Midbrain: Division and functions of the midbrain Negative feedback mechanism in homeostasis Arterial disorders explained with their causes Types of desert and their characteristics Characteristics of tropical rainforest Swamp forest: What are swamp forests? Characteristics of swamp forests


Academic Questions in Biology

Please click here to see all Questions and Answers

Male Reproductive System - Len Academy

From the above diagram, which of the organ below isn't a requirement for the male reproductive system?

  • A. Bladder

  • B. Ureter

  • C. Glans Penis

  • D. Testis

  • E. Bulbourethral Gland

  • F. Epididymis

A walnut shaped male accessory sex organ located between the bladder and penis is the _____.

  • A. Ductus Ejaculatorii

  • B. Bulbourethral Gland

  • C. Prostate Gland

  • D. Ductus Deferens

  • E. Seminal Vesicles

  • F. Epididymis

In a food chain, the primary consumers are classified under trophic level  _____.

  • A. Zero

  • B. One

  • C. Two

  • D. Three

  • E. Four

  • F. Five

Cold blooded animals are referred to as _____.

  • A. Homeotherms

  • B. Endotherms

  • C. Poilokitherms

  • D. Ectotherms

  • E. Thermotherms

  • F. None of the above

All reptiles are vertebrates.

  • A. True

  • B. False

_____ cells are responsible for the formation of osteoblasts.

  • A. Osteocytes
  • B. Chondrocytes
  • C. Chondroblasts
  • D. Osteoclasts
  • E. Osteoprogenitor cells
  • F. Osteoblastic

_____ is a bone that constitute the axial skeleton.

  • A. Clavicle
  • B. Scapula
  • C. Patella
  • D. Radius
  • E. Sternum
  • F. Femur

Which of the following is false concerning cartilages and bones?

  • A. Cartilage does not have a direct blood supply while bones have direct blood supply
  • B. The process of ossification replaces a cartilage to bone
  • C. The protein that makes up cartilage is called chondrin while that that makes up bone is called ossein
  • D. Cartilage grows from both ends while bones grow from one of its epiphysis
  • E. They both have living cells within them
  • F. Haversian system is absent in cartilage but present in bones


Tropical Rainforest:

The tropical rainforest (also spelt as tropical rain forest) is considered as one of the major biomes of the world. Other biomes include savanna or grassland, desert, swamp forests, afro-alphines and montane forests.

Recall that a biome or biotic community refers to the largest natural community of different organisms interacting and living in the same environment.

Please read more on the concept of a biome here.


Interestingly, the tropical rainforest ranks among the biome with the largest biotic community. Their biotic (living) community ranges from the colorful species of birds, the tall and gigantic trees, millions of insects, numerous species of reptiles and so on.

Although the tropical rainforest accounts for only 6% of the solid part of earth (lithosphere), it serves as a home to about 80% of the world's recognized specie of animals.

Please read on the ecosystem here.


The tropical rainforest which is popularly known for its characteristics heavy downpour (rainfall), tall canopy trees and variety of animal species is located in the tropical regions (tropics) around 28o north and south of the equator between the tropic of cancer and tropic of capricorn. These regions of the equator include:

  • Amazon Basin of South America
  • Coasts of West Africa
  • Zaire Basin of Central Africa
  • Central America and Mexico
  • Australia
  • Pacific Islands
  • Within Malaysia

You can read on the swamp forests here.


Below is an image of the Tropical Rainforest:

Tropical Rainforest - Len Academy

Please read on the characteristics of tropical rainforests here.


The temperatures of the tropical rainforest can be very wet and hot at different times. It is believed to habour the oldest types of vegetation on terrestrial ecosystem. Regardless, the rainforest still continues to evolve and change, such that the present tropical rainforests may be slightly different from its past composition (in terms of vegetation and organisms dwelling in them).

Please read on savanna and its characteristics here.

The tropical rainforest is crucial to man's survival. This is summarized in their importance below:


Importance of Tropical Rainforest

The importance of tropical rainforest is the same thing as its functions or benefits. They are highlighted below:

  1. They serve as a natural reservoir for important medicinal plants.
    Please read on the differences between plants and crops here.
  2. They generate a significant amount of earth's oxygen through the photosynthetic activities of its numerous plants.
    Please read more on the functions of the atmosphere here.
  3. They provide valuable forest resources like timber (which can be used for construction, building and furniture making).
    Please read on hardwood and softwood with their characteristics here.
  4. They remove a significant amount of carbon(IV)oxide from the atmosphere. This function acts as a check to earth's global warming.
  5. They act as buffer against flood, droughts and water erosion.
    Please read on erosion here.
  6. Tropical rainforest trees act as agents of wind break. This function prevents wind erosion in nearby farmlands.
  7. The dense vegetation present in the tropical rainforest acts as buffer against flood and water erosion by holding back the flow of water.

Kindly share this article via the links below:


len

Click here to read on Len Academy Smart School Software. Contact Len Academy for a standard website at an affordable price


Please click here to follow Len Academy on Google News.

Please like and follow our official facebook page here for great educational write-ups.

You can follow Len Academy on twitter here.Thank you.


Please Register here or Login here to contribute to this topic by commenting in the box below.


Amazing facts in Biology

Pufferfish - Len Academy

Pufferfish contain a toxin called tetrodotoxin. This makes them foul tasting and poisonous to predators. Tetrodotoxin is about 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide, and there is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans. Unfortunately, there isn't any known antidote to this poison.

Interestingly, a delicacy in Japan (called fugu) is made from pufferfish. This meal is very expensive, and must be prepared by trained and licensed chefs. An improper preparation of fugu may lead to the customer's death. Sadly, such deaths are recorded annually

Wombat - Len Academy ​​​​​​

Wombats are the only animal with a cube-shaped poo. They can stack up these cube-shaped poo, marking their territory with it

Robert Waldow - Len Academy

Robert Wadlow (1918–1940) remains the tallest man ever recorded in the Guinness World Records. He was an American who stood at 8 feet, 11 inches.

An abnormally enlarged pituitary gland had resulted into Robert Wadlow's giant size.

Cockroach is the fastest land animal on six legs

Laughing ape - Len Academy

Like humans, all apes laugh when tickled

Ostrich eye and brain - Len Academy

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain

The upper front teeth are missing in giraffes. Meanwhile, like an adult human, a fully grown giraffe has 32 teeth but most are positioned at the back of their mouth

Slugs have four noses

Most insects hatch from egg but aphids give birth to their young alive

Bats aren't birds, rather, they are mammals. Infact, they are the second largest order of mammals after rodents. We have over 1,400 species of bat. Globally, they make up about 20% of all classified mammal species


NOTABLE POINTS IN Biology

Layers of an Artery - Len Academy

An artery is composed of three layers:

  • The outermost layer is termed tunica adventitia (or tunica external). It consist mainly of collagen fibres and connective tissues that anchors the arteries to other nearby tissues.

  • The middle layer is named tunica media. It is made up of smooth muscles and elastic fibres that supports the artery in conveying blood at high pressures.

  • The inner layer is called tunica intima (or tunica internal). It is lined by a smooth tissue called endothelium, and is made up of a fine network of connective tissues.

Please read on the layers of an artery here

All living organisms possess various features in order to survive in their environment. This is the concept of adaptation. As an instance, a fish is able to live in water because it has gills and fins.

Also, a camel is able to survive in the desert because it has large feet to aid walking on sand without sinking. It also has long eyelashes to help protect it from the blowing sand and wind.

Plants are also able to live in different habitats because they have the required adaptive features towards that habitat. For instance:

  • Plants that live in/on water are termed hydrophytes.

  • Plants that live on land with moderate amount of water are termed mesophytes.

  • Plants that live on deserts or arid lands are termed xerophytes.

The point is:

All organisms have various features on them that enables them adapt in their habitat

For a thing to be considered living, it must possess all the basic characteristics of life. These include:

  1. Movement

  2. Respiration

  3. Nutrition

  4. Irritability or Sensitivity

  5. Growth

  6. Excretion

  7. Reproduction

  8. Death

  9. Adaptation

  10. Competition

Please read the explanations on all the basic characteristics of life here

During strenuous exercises like sprinting or running, your body may actually work in the shortage of oxygen. During this time, your body owes oxygen (called oxygen debt) and it must be replenished or repayed after the exercise is stopped. This is why you breathe excess of oxygen after you stopped the exercise.

This is the concept of anaerobic respiration

Food Chain - Len Academy

A food chain is a diagram that shows the relationship between plants and animals within a habitat on the basis of how they rely on each other for food.

Note: Habitat is a place where an organism live. It is of three types:

  • Terrestrial (Land)
  • Aquatic (Water)
  • Arboreal (Treetops)

You can read on food chain here