Variably moist forest soil. Forests of South America
The tundra occupies such areas as the coastal outskirts of Greenland, the western and northern outskirts of Alaska, the coast of Hudson Bay, and some areas of the Newfoundland and Labrador peninsulas. In Labrador, due to the severity of the climate, the tundra reaches 55° N. sh., and in Newfoundland it drops even further south. The tundra is part of the circumpolar Arctic subregion of the Holarctic. The North American tundra is characterized by the distribution permafrost, strong soil acidity and rocky soils. Its northernmost part is almost completely barren or covered only with mosses and lichens. Large areas are occupied by swamps. In the southern part of the tundra, a rich herbaceous cover of grasses and sedges appears.
Some dwarf tree forms are characteristic, such as creeping heather, dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa), willow and alder.
Next comes the forest-tundra. It reaches its maximum size west of Hudson Bay.
Woody forms of vegetation are already beginning to appear. This strip forms the northern limit of forests in North America, dominated by species such as larch (Larix laricina), black and white spruce (Picea mariana and Picea canadensis). On the slopes of the Alaska mountains, lowland tundra, as well as on the Scandinavian Peninsula, gives way to mountain tundra and char vegetation. In terms of species, tundra vegetation
North America almost no different from the European-Asian tundra. There are only some floristic differences between them. Coniferous forests temperate zone occupy most of North America. These forests form the second and last vegetation zone, which stretches across the entire continent from west to east and is
latitudinal zone . Further to the south, latitudinal zonality is preserved only in the eastern part of the continent. On the Pacific coast, taiga is distributed from 61 to 42° N. sh., then it passes through the lower slopes of the Cordillera and then spreads to the plain to the east. In this territory rises north to a latitude of 54-55° N, but then it descends back to the south to the territories of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, but only its lower reaches.<
Coniferous forests along the line from the eastern slopes of the Alaska mountains to the Labrador coast are distinguished by significant uniformity in the species composition of the species.
A distinctive feature of the coniferous forests of the Pacific coast from the forest zone of the east is their appearance and composition of species. So, the forest zone of the Pacific coast is very similar to the eastern regions of the Asian taiga, where endemic coniferous species and genera grow. But the eastern part of the continent is similar to the European taiga.
The “Hudson” eastern taiga is characterized by the predominance of fairly developed coniferous trees with a high and powerful crown. This composition of species includes such endemic species as white or Canadian spruce (Picea canadensis), Banks pine (Pinus banksiana), American larch, balsam fir (Abies balsamea). From the latter, a resinous substance is extracted, which finds its way into technology - Canada balsam. Although conifers predominate in this zone, there are still many deciduous trees and shrubs in the Canadian taiga. And in burnt areas, of which there are many in the Canadian taiga region, even deciduous trees predominate.
Deciduous tree species in this coniferous zone include: aspen (Populus tremuloides), balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), paper birch (Betula papyrifera). This birch tree has white and smooth bark, which the Indians used to build their canoes. It is characterized by a very diverse and rich undergrowth of berry bushes: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, black and red currants.
This zone is characterized by podzolic soils. In the north they turn into soils of permafrost-taiga composition, and in the south they become soddy-podzolic soils.
Variably wet forests. The zone of variable wet (including monsoon) forests extends in the east and south of Eurasia. The vegetation here is represented by both coniferous and deciduous trees (cedar, pine, oak, walnut, gingko) and evergreens (palm trees, ficus, bamboo and magnolias), which grow mainly on red-yellow soils. The fauna is also characterized by significant species diversity: monkeys, tigers, leopards, as well as endemics - bamboo bear (panda), gibbon, etc.
Slide 11 from the presentation "Natural areas of Eurasia".The size of the archive with the presentation is 643 KB.
Geography 7th gradesummary of other presentations
“Natural zones of Eurasia” - Among the impenetrable thickets here you can find orangutans, leopards, and tapirs. Main animals: reindeer, arctic foxes, some species of birds. The latter predominates in the Asian taiga, in a cold, sharply continental climate. Arctic desert zone. Mixed and broad-leaved forests. The desert zone stretches across three geographical zones. The fauna here is represented by elephants, tigers, and rhinoceroses. Many reptiles and reptiles, as well as various insects. Along the mountain ranges of Siberia, tundra vegetation penetrates far to the south.
“Sights of Paris” - See Paris - and die! Arc de Triomphe in 1836 by Louis-Philippe. Place de la Star is officially called Place Charles de Gaulle. The Sorbonne was founded in 1253 by Robert de Sorbonne. Georges Pompidou - Beaubourg. The Pantheon is a monument that contains the tombs of great people of France. The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris. The Louvre is one of the largest and richest museums of fine arts in the world. Goal: get to know the sights of Paris.
“Geographical position of the southern continents” - On plains composed of sedimentary rocks. Questions: To which oceans do the rivers of Africa and South America carry water? Why? Slide 7. Soil map. Igneous: ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, diamonds, noble and rare metals. General features of climate and inland waters. Slide 4. Minerals of the southern continents. Which climate zones have the largest network of rivers and many lakes?
“Water in the World Ocean” - Without water, a person cannot live for more than eight days. Thanks to water and in water, life arose on Earth. Next, deadly dehydration occurs. You can't grow crops without water. We begin to study the water shell of the Earth - the hydrosphere. Fundamental question: “Water! Group 2: Compare the area of land and ocean. What is the temperature at different ocean levels?
“Savannahs” - Branched acacias rise like huge umbrellas among the tall grasses. Animal world. Savannah. Economic activities of people. The average temperature in July and January is +22C. Soils. Geographical position. Climatic conditions. Umbrella acacia. Savannas are located in the subequatorial belt.
Monsoon forests are vast green areas with lush vegetation and rich wildlife. During the rainy season, they resemble equatorial evergreen forests. Found in subequatorial and tropical climates. They attract tourists and photographers with a variety of picturesque landscapes.
Description
Monsoon rainforests are most common in the tropics. Most often they are located at an altitude of 850 meters above sea level. They are also called deciduous because the trees lose their leaves during periods of drought. Heavy rains return them to their former richness and color. The trees here reach a height of twenty meters, the leaves on the crowns are small. Evergreen species and many lianas and epiphytes are common in the undergrowth. Orchids grow in the monsoon zone. They are found in the Brazilian coastal mountain ranges, the Himalayas, Malaysia, Mexico, and Indochina.
Peculiarities
Monsoon forests in the Far East are famous for their diversity of plants and animals. Warm and humid summers and an abundance of plant food create favorable conditions for the habitat of insects, birds, and mammals. Coniferous and broad-leaved trees are found here. Among the inhabitants of the forests, sable, squirrel, chipmunk, hazel grouse, as well as animals rare for the climatic zone of Russia were noticed. Typical inhabitants of monsoon forests are the Ussuri tiger, black bear, sika deer, wolf, and raccoon dog. There are many wild boars, hares, moles, and pheasants on the territory. Reservoirs subequatorial climate are rich in fish. Some species are protected.
Rare orchids grow in the humid forests of Brazil, Mexico, and Indochina. About sixty percent are sympodial species, well known among gardeners. The red-yellow soils of monsoon areas are favorable for ficus, palm trees, and valuable tree species. The most famous ones include teak, satin, tallow, and iron. For example, it is capable of forming a dark grove from its trunks. A huge banyan tree grows in the Indian Botanical Garden, which has almost two thousand (!) trunks. The crown of the tree covers an area of twelve thousand square meters. Variably humid forests become the habitat of bamboo bears (pandas), salamanders, tigers, leopards, poisonous insects and snakes.
Climate
Which predominates monsoon forests? Winters here are mostly dry, summers are not hot, but warm. The dry period lasts three to four months. The average air temperature is lower than in the humid tropics: the absolute minimum is -25 degrees, the maximum is 35 with a “+” sign. The temperature difference ranges from eight to twelve degrees. A characteristic feature of the climate is prolonged rainfall in the summer and its absence in the winter. The difference between the two opposite seasons is huge.
Monsoon forests are known for their morning fog and low clouds. This is why the air is so saturated with moisture. By noon, the bright sun completely evaporates moisture from the vegetation. In the afternoon, a foggy haze forms in the forests again. High air humidity and cloudiness persist for a long period of time. In winter, precipitation also falls, but rarely.
Geography
IN subequatorial zone, due to large amounts of precipitation and its uneven distribution, high temperature contrast, monsoon forests develop. On the territory of Russia, they grow in the Far East, have a complex topography, and a rich flora and fauna. There are humid forests in Indochina, Hindustan, the Philippine Islands, Asia, North and South America, and Africa. Despite the long rainy seasons and prolonged drought, the fauna in monsoon forest zones is poorer than in humid equatorial zones.
The most pronounced phenomenon of monsoons is on the Indian continent, where a period of drought is replaced by heavy downpours, the duration of which can be seven months. This change in weather is typical for Indochina, Burma, Indonesia, Africa, Madagascar, northern and eastern Australia, and Oceania. For example, in Indochina and the Hindustan Peninsula, the dry period in forests lasts seven months (from April to October). Trees with large crowns and an irregular arch grow in vast monsoon areas. Sometimes forests grow in tiers, which is especially noticeable from above.
The soil
Monsoon wet soils are characterized by a red tint, granular structure, and low humus content. The soil is rich in useful microelements such as iron and silicon. There is very little sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium in moist soil. In Southeast Asia, yellow soils and red soils predominate. Central Africa and are characterized by dry black soil. Interestingly, as the rains stop, the concentration of humus in monsoon forests increases. A reserve is one of the forms of wildlife protection in an area rich in valuable plants and animals. It is in humid forests that many species of orchids are found.
Plants and fauna
Monsoon forests in the subequatorial climate of Hindustan, China, Indochina, Australia, America, Africa, and the Far East (Russia) are characterized by a diversity of fauna. For example, in Southeast Asia, teak trees are common in variable humid zones, as are Indochinese laurel and ebony. There are also bamboo, vines, butea, and cereals. Many trees in forests are highly valued for their healthy and durable wood. For example, teak bark is dense and resistant to destruction by termites and fungi. Sal forests grow at the southern foot of the Himalayas. In the monsoon regions of Central America there are many thorny bushes. The valuable jat tree also grows in humid climates.
In subequatorial climates, fast-growing trees are common. Palms, acacias, baobab, spurge, cecropium, entandrophragma, ferns predominate, and there are many other types of plants and flowers. The humid climate zone is characterized by a wide variety of birds and insects. Woodpeckers, parrots, toucans, and butterflies are found in the forests. Among the terrestrial animals found in monsoon woodland are marsupials, elephants, various representatives of the cat family, freshwater, amphibians, frogs, and snakes. This world is truly bright and rich.
The continent of South America is located in all geographical zones, with the exception of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic. The wide northern part of the continent lies at low latitudes, so the equatorial and subequatorial belts are most widespread. A distinctive feature of the continent is the widespread development of forest natural areas (47% of the area). 1/4 of the planet’s forests are concentrated on the “green continent”(Fig. 91, 92).
South America gave humanity many cultivated plants: potatoes, tomatoes, beans, tobacco, pineapple, hevea, cocoa, peanuts, etc.
Natural areas
In the equatorial geographical zone there is a zone equatorial rain forests , occupying Western Amazonia. They are named by A. Humboldt hylea, and by the local population - the village. The equatorial rainforests of South America are the richest forests on Earth in terms of species composition. They are rightfully considered the “gene pool of the planet”: they contain more than 45 thousand plant species, including 4000 woody ones.
Rice. 91. Endemic animals of South America: 1- giant anteater; 2- hoatzin; 3 - lama; 4 - sloth; 5 - capybaras; 6 - battleship
Rice. 92. Typical trees of South America: 1 - Chilean araucaria; 2 - wine palm; 3 - chocolate tree (cocoa)
There are flooded, non-flooded and mountain hylia. In river floodplains, flooded with water for a long period, impoverished forests of low trees (10-15 m) with breathing and stilt roots grow. Cecropia (“ant tree”) predominates; giant Victoria regia swim in the reservoirs.
In elevated areas, rich, dense, multi-tiered (up to 5 tiers) flood-free forests are formed. The solitary ceiba (cotton tree) and the Brazil nut-bearing bertolecia grow to a height of 40-50 m. The upper tiers (20-30 m) are formed by trees with valuable wood (rosewood, pau brazil, mahogany), as well as ficus and hevea, from the milky juice of which rubber is obtained. In the lower tiers, under the canopy of palm trees, chocolate and melon trees grow, as well as the oldest plants on Earth - tree ferns. The trees are densely intertwined with lianas; among the epiphytes there are many brightly colored orchids.
Mangrove vegetation, poor in composition (nipa palm, rhizophora), is developed near the coast. Mangroves- these are thickets of evergreen trees and shrubs of the swampy zone of tidal seas of tropical and equatorial latitudes, adapted to salt water.
Moist equatorial forests form on red-yellow ferrallitic soils, poor in nutrients. Falling leaves in hot and humid climates quickly rot, and the humus is immediately absorbed by plants, without having time to accumulate in the soil.
Hylaea animals are adapted to life in trees. Many have a prehensile tail, such as the sloth, opossum, prehensile-tailed porcupine, and broad-nosed monkeys (howler monkeys, arachnids, marmosets). The ponds are home to peccary pigs and tapirs. There are predators: jaguar, ocelot. There are numerous turtles and snakes, including the longest one - the anaconda (up to 11 m). South America is the “continent of birds”. Hylea is home to macaws, toucans, hoatzins, tree hens and the smallest birds - hummingbirds (up to 2 g).
The rivers are teeming with caimans and alligators. They are home to 2,000 species of fish, including the dangerous predatory piranha and the largest in the world, the arapaima (up to 5 m in length and weighing up to 250 kg). The electric eel and the freshwater inia dolphin are also found.
Zones stretch across three geographical zones variable-humid forests . Subequatorial variable-humid forests occupy the eastern part of the Amazonian lowland and the adjacent slopes of the Brazilian and Guiana plateaus. The presence of a dry period causes the appearance of deciduous trees. Among the evergreens, cinchona, ficus, and balsa, which have the lightest wood, predominate. In tropical latitudes, on the moist eastern edge of the Brazilian Plateau, rich evergreen tropical forests, similar in composition to equatorial ones, grow on mountain red soils. The southeast of the plateau on red soils and yellow soils is occupied by sparse subtropical moist forests. They are formed by Brazilian araucaria with an undergrowth of yerba mate (“Paraguayan tea”) shrubs.
Zone savannas and woodlands distributed in two geographical zones. In subequatorial latitudes it covers the Orinoco Lowland and the interior regions of the Brazilian Plateau, and in tropical latitudes it covers the Gran Chaco plain. Depending on the moisture content, wet, typical and desert savannas are distinguished. Under them, red, brown-red and red-brown soils develop, respectively.
The tall grass wet savanna of the Orinoco River basin is traditionally called Llanos. It is flooded for up to six months, turning into an impassable swamp. Grains and sedges grow; Of the trees, the Mauritius palm dominates, which is why the llanos is called the “palm savanna.”
On the Brazilian plateau, savannas were called campos. Wet shrub-tree savanna occupies the center of the plateau, while typical grassy savanna occupies the south. Low-growing shrubs grow against the background of cereal vegetation (bearded grass, feather grass). The trees are dominated by palms (wax palms, oil palms, vine palms). The arid northeast of the Brazilian Plateau is occupied by desert savanna - caatinga. This is a woodland of thorny bushes and cacti. There is a bottle-shaped tree that stores rainwater - the Bombax cottonweed.
Savannas continue into tropical latitudes, occupying the Gran Chaco plain. Only in tropical woodlands is the quebracho ("break the axe") tree found, with hard and heavy wood that sinks in water. The savannas contain plantations of coffee, cotton, and bananas. Dry savannas are an important area for grazing.
Savannah animals are characterized by a protective brown coloration (spice-horned deer, red nose, maned wolf, rhea ostrich). Rodents are abundantly represented, including the largest in the world, the capybara. Many Hylaea animals (armadillos, anteaters) also live in savannas. Termite mounds are ubiquitous.
In the Laplata Lowland south of 30° S. w. are being formed subtropical steppes . In South America they were called pump. It is characterized by rich forb-grass vegetation (wild lupine, pampas grass, feather grass). The chernozem soils of the pampa are very fertile and therefore heavily plowed. The Argentine pampa is the main growing area for wheat and forage grasses in South America. The fauna of the pampa is rich in rodents (tuco-tuco, viscacha). There are Pampas deer, Pampas cat, puma, and rhea ostrich.
Semi-deserts and deserts South America extends across three geographical zones: tropical, subtropical and temperate. In the west of the tropics, tropical deserts and semi-deserts stretch in a narrow strip along the Pacific coast and on the high plateaus of the Central Andes. This is one of the driest areas on Earth: in the Atacama Desert it may not rain for years. On the infertile gray soils of coastal deserts, dry cereals and cacti grow, receiving moisture from dew and fog; on the gravelly soils of high-mountain deserts there are creeping and cushion-shaped grasses and thorny shrubs.
The fauna of tropical deserts is poor. The inhabitants of the highlands are llamas, spectacled bears, and chinchillas with valuable fur. There is the Andean condor - the largest bird in the world with a wingspan of up to 4 m.
To the west of the pampa, subtropical semi-deserts and deserts are common in a continental climate. Light forests of acacias and cacti are developed on gray soils, and solyankas are found on salt marshes. In the harsh temperate latitudes of lowland Patagonia, dry cereals and thorny shrubs grow on brown semi-desert soils.
The southwestern edge of the continent in two zones is occupied by forest natural zones. In the subtropics, under Mediterranean climate conditions, a zone is formed dry hard-leaved forests and shrubs . The coast and slopes of the Chilean-Argentine Andes (between 28° and 36° S) are covered with forests of evergreen southern beech, teak, persea on brown and gray-brown soils.
Located further south wet evergreen And mixed forests . In the northern Patagonian Andes, moist evergreen forests grow on montane brown forest soils in a subtropical humid climate. With abundant moisture (more than 3000-4000 mm of precipitation), these rain forests are multi-layered and rich, for which they received the name “subtropical hylea”. They consist of evergreen beeches, magnolias, Chilean araucaria, Chilean cedar, South American larch with a rich understory of tree ferns and bamboos. In the south of the Patagonian Andes, in a temperate maritime climate, mixed forests of deciduous beech and coniferous podocarpus grow. Here you can find puda deer, Magellanic dog, otter, and skunk.
High Andean region occupies a vast territory with a well-defined altitudinal zone, most fully manifested in equatorial latitudes. Up to an altitude of 1500 m, there is a hot zone - hylea with an abundance of palm trees and bananas. Above the 2000 m mark there is a temperate zone with cinchona, balsa, tree ferns and bamboos. A cold belt extends to the 3500 m mark - a high-mountain hylea of low-growing crooked forests. It is replaced by a frost belt with high-mountain meadows of paramos cereals and low-growing shrubs. Above 4700 m there is a belt of eternal snow and ice.
Bibliography
1. Geography 8th grade. Textbook for the 8th grade of general secondary education institutions with Russian as the language of instruction / Edited by Professor P. S. Lopukh - Minsk “People's Asveta” 2014
Geographical location, natural conditions
In the subequatorial zone, due to seasonal precipitation and uneven distribution of precipitation over the territory, as well as contrasts in the annual course of temperatures, landscapes of subequatorial variable humid forests develop on the plains of Hindustan, Indochina and in the northern half of the Philippine Islands.
Variably humid forests occupy the most humid areas of the lower reaches of the Ganges-Brahmaputra, coastal areas of Indochina and the Philippine archipelago, and are especially well developed in Thailand, Burma, and the Malay Peninsula, where at least 1,500 millimeters of precipitation falls. On drier plains and plateaus, where precipitation does not exceed 1000-800 millimeters, seasonally wet monsoon forests grow, which once covered large areas of the Hindustan Peninsula and southern Indochina (Korat Plateau). With a decrease in precipitation to 800-600 millimeters and a reduction in the rainfall period from 200 to 150-100 days a year, forests are replaced by savannas, woodlands and shrubs.
The soils here are ferralitic, but predominantly red. As the amount of rain decreases, the concentration of humus in them increases. They are formed as a result of ferralite weathering (the process is accompanied by the decomposition of most of the primary minerals, with the exception of quartz, and the accumulation of secondary ones - kaolinite, goethite, gibbsite, etc.) and humus accumulation under the forest vegetation of the humid tropics. They are characterized by low silica content, high aluminum and iron content, low cation exchange and high anion absorption capacity, predominantly red and variegated yellow-red color of the soil profile, and a very acidic reaction. Humus contains mainly fulvic acids. They contain 8-10% humus.
The hydrothermal regime of seasonally wet tropical communities is characterized by constantly high temperatures and a sharp change in wet and dry seasons, which determines the specific features of the structure and dynamics of their fauna and animal population, which significantly distinguish them from communities of tropical rainforests. First of all, the presence of a dry season, lasting from two to five months, determines the seasonal rhythm of life processes in almost all animal species. This rhythm is expressed in the timing of the breeding season mainly to the wet season, in the complete or partial cessation of activity during drought, in the migratory movements of animals both within the biome in question and outside it during the unfavorable dry season. Falling into complete or partial suspended animation is characteristic of many terrestrial and soil invertebrates, amphibians, and migration is characteristic of some flight-capable insects (for example, locusts), birds, chiropterans and large ungulates.
Vegetable world
Variably humid forests (Figure 1) are close in structure to hylaea, differing at the same time in a smaller number of species. In general, the same set of life forms, diversity of vines and epiphytes are preserved. Differences appear precisely in the seasonal rhythm, primarily at the level of the upper tier of the tree stand (up to 30% of the trees in the upper tier are deciduous species). At the same time, the lower tiers include a large number of evergreen species. The grass cover is represented mainly by ferns and dicotyledons. In general, these are transitional types of communities, in some places largely reduced by humans and replaced by savannas and plantations.
Figure 1 – Variably humid forest
The vertical structure of humid subequatorial forests is complex. Usually there are five tiers in this forest. The upper tree layer A is formed by the tallest trees, isolated or forming groups, the so-called emergents, raising their “heads and shoulders” above the main canopy - the continuous layer B. The lower tree layer C often penetrates into layer B. Stage D is usually called shrub. It is formed mainly by woody plants, of which only a few can hardly be called shrubs in the exact sense of the word, or rather “dwarf trees”. Finally, the lower tier E is formed by grasses and tree seedlings. The boundaries between adjacent tiers can be better or worse expressed. Sometimes one tree layer imperceptibly passes into another. In monodominant communities, tree layers are better expressed than in polydominant ones.
The most common type of wood is teak wood, which is characterized by teak wood. Trees of this species can be considered an essential component of the summer green forests of India, Burma, Thailand and the relatively dry areas of eastern Java. In India, where very small areas of these natural zonal forests still remain, the main trees that grow with teak are ebony and maradu, or Indian laurel; all these species produce valuable wood. But teak wood is in especially great demand because it has a number of valuable properties: it is hard, resistant to fungi and termites, and also weakly reacts to changes in humidity and temperature. Therefore, foresters specifically grow teak wood (in Africa and South America). Monsoon forests are best studied in Burma and Thailand. In them, along with teak wood, there are Pentacme suavis, Dalbergia paniculata, Tectona hamiltoniana, whose wood is stronger and heavier than teak wood, then producing bast fibers Bauhinia racemosa, Callesium grande, Ziziphus jujuba, Holarrhenia dysenteriaca with white soft wood used for turning and wood carvings. One of the bamboo species, Dendrocalamus strictus, grows in the shrub layer. The grass layer consists mainly of grasses, among which the bearded vulture dominates. Along the shores of estuaries and in other areas of the sea coast protected from storms, the muddy tidal zone (littoral) is occupied by mangroves (Figure 2). Trees of this phytocenosis are characterized by thick, stilted roots extending from the trunks and lower branches like thin piles, as well as breathing roots protruding from the silt in vertical columns.
Figure 2 - Mangroves
Vast swamps stretch along the rivers in the tropical rain forest zone: heavy rains lead to regular high floods, and floodplains constantly remain flooded. Swampy forests are often dominated by palm trees and have less species diversity than in drier areas.
Animal world
The fauna of seasonally humid subtropical communities is not as rich as the fauna of moist equatorial forests due to the dry period unfavorable for animals. Although the species composition of various groups of animals in them is specific, at the level of genera and families there is a noticeable great similarity with the Gilian fauna. Only in the driest variants of these communities—in open forests and thorny bushes—do species related to typical representatives of the fauna of arid communities begin to noticeably predominate.
Forced adaptations to drought contributed to the formation of a number of special animal species characteristic of a given biome. In addition, some species of phytophagous animals turn out to be more diverse in species composition here than in the Hylaea, due to the greater development of the herbaceous layer and, accordingly, the greater diversity and richness of herbaceous food.
The layering of the animal population in seasonally wet communities is noticeably simpler than in tropical rainforests. The simplification of layering is especially pronounced in open forests and shrub communities. However, this applies mainly to the tree layer, since the tree stand itself is less dense, diverse and does not reach the same height as in the hyla. But the herbaceous layer is much more clearly expressed, since it is not so strongly shaded by woody vegetation. The population of the litter layer is also much richer here, since the deciduousness of many trees and the drying out of grasses during the dry period ensure the formation of a fairly thick layer of litter.
The presence of a layer of litter formed by leaf and grass decay ensures the existence of a trophic group of saprophagous animals that is diverse in composition. The soil-litter layer is inhabited by roundworms-nematodes, annelids-megascolecids, small and large nooses, oribatid mites, springtails-collembolas, cockroaches, and termites. All of them are involved in the processing of dead plant matter, but the leading role is played by termites, already familiar to us from the fauna of the Gila.
Consumers of green mass of plants in seasonal communities are very diverse. This is determined primarily by the presence of a well-developed herbaceous layer in combination with a more or less closed tree layer. Thus, chlorophytophages specialize either in eating tree leaves or using herbaceous plants, many feeding on plant sap, bark, wood and roots.
The roots of plants are eaten by the larvae of cicadas and various beetles - beetles, golden beetles, and darkling beetles. The juices of living plants are sucked by adult cicadas, bugs, aphids, scale insects and scale insects. Green plant matter is consumed by butterfly caterpillars, stick insects, herbivorous beetles - beetles, leaf beetles, and weevils. The seeds of herbaceous plants are used as food by harvester ants. The green mass of herbaceous plants is eaten mainly by various locusts.
Consumers of green vegetation are also numerous and diverse among vertebrates. These are terrestrial turtles from the genus Testudo, granivorous and frugivorous birds, rodents and ungulates
The monsoon forests of South Asia are home to the wild fowl (Callus gallus) and the common peacock (Pavo chstatus). Asian ring-necked parrots (Psittacula) forage for food in the treetops.
Figure 3 – Asian rathufa squirrel
Among herbivorous mammals, rodents are the most diverse. They can be found in all layers of seasonal tropical forests and woodlands. The tree layer is inhabited mainly by various representatives of the squirrel family - palm squirrels and the large ratufa squirrel (Figure 3). In the ground layer, rodents from the mouse family are common. In South Asia, large porcupines (Hystrix leucura) can be found under the forest canopy, and Rattus rats and Indian bandicotas (Bandicota indica) are common throughout.
The forest floor is home to various predatory invertebrates - large centipedes, spiders, scorpions, and predatory beetles. Many spiders that build trapping nets, for example large nephilous spiders, also inhabit the tree layer of the forest. On the branches of trees and bushes, praying mantises, dragonflies, blackflies, and predatory bugs prey on small insects.
Small predatory animals hunt rodents, lizards and birds. The most typical are various civets - civets, mongooses.
Of the large predators in seasonal forests, the leopard, which penetrates here from the Gilis, and tigers are relatively common.