Ecosystems are responsible for populating the planet earth with various regions and natural environments rich in natural resources, unique plant species for each one and biodiversity of endemic animals of each region, in the following article the characteristics of a forest ecosystem will be highlighted, very important Due to its abundance of trees and shrubs from different families, let's learn a little more about them.
Forest Ecosystem
The planet earth is made up of a set of elements and natural resources that make them unique and different, such as flora, fauna, bodies of water, species, among others. Creating varied environments known as ecosystems, it constitutes a set of living organisms (animals, plant species, fungi, among others) and those non-living organisms (air, water, land, among others). The interaction between them generates a perfect balance between nature and all its present elements.
Currently there is a great variety of ecosystems that constitute the entire planet earth, being distributed among the five continents, a portion is located on the earth's surface such as forests, jungles, savannahs, deserts and others. While there are others that cover aquatic regions such as seas, lakes, oceans, rivers, and more. Highlighting the latter, since the planet is made up of three quarters of water between fresh and salty.
In this case we will highlight the forest ecosystem, known for being an extension of territory that is mainly made up of trees, in addition to interacting with different organisms that establish a perfect balance in this type of ecosystem. Where a high density of trees predominates, providing a unique cover in these environments and providing essential climatic conditions for the abundant development of plant life.
Forest ecosystems cover a wide variety of environments, we can find them in tropical forests, humid tropical forests, Mediterranean forests, temperate forests, mixed forests, fruit orchards, coniferous forests, forest plantations, among others. They are characterized by encompassing a wide variety of plant species and represent the lungs of the world, having a wide variety of plants that carry out the biochemical process of photosynthesis.
This type of ecosystem needs a minimum of environmental conditions that favor the growth of trees, highlighting the depth of the soil, sufficient availability of water and temperature above ten degrees Celsius depending on the season of the year in which it is transiting. In addition, the distribution of light must be taken into account, causing a vertical gradient and a perfect relative humidity. All these characteristics allow it to be considered as the ecosystem with the greatest number of biological diversity on the planet.
Forest ecosystems are distributed in various areas of the planet earth, highlighting mainly those located in the tropics (high moisture content) due to their great biological diversity, in the case of temperate forests (located in both hemispheres of the planet) it is a little lower and lower in boreal forests (coniferous biomes). Among some of the most predominant species are climbers and some complex species are even observed in different strata.
Characteristics of Forest Ecosystems
Forest ecosystems have a large number of plants that encompass diversity of floras that provide many living organisms that live thanks to it. There are various types of forest ecosystems, each with different and unique qualities but with a large number of forest species predominating. Below we will highlight the main characteristics of forest ecosystems.
Environmental Requirements
Forest ecosystems have a requirement to be classified within this category, among which a minimum of conditions for the proper growth of trees must be considered; one of the limiting factors is the availability of substrates considering the depth and temperature of the soils, in case of encountering temperatures below 10ºC it will not allow the proper development of the trees, therefore, this type of environment must have a temperature higher than her.
In addition, the availability of water is highlighted as an essential element for plant growth, this element represents fundamental water availability for the existence of trees. Therefore, forest ecosystems are seen at 70 degrees north or south latitude, above 3500 to 4000 meters above sea level, in this type of environment shallow and rocky soils are observed.
These conditions cause this type of ecosystem to be made up of rich and fertile soils, they are also environments with an abundance of bodies of water, favoring the growth of plants and the strengthening of trees.
plant structure
This plant structure that is present in forest ecosystems can become complex, composed of several substrates (types of soil) where the undergrowth is found (accumulation of small trees under several large trees) and a variety of woody species approximately minimal five levels. In this type of environment, bushes, herbs and plants abound that surround all the younger tree species.
The simplest plant structure occurs in the boreal forest, also known as Taiga, it represents a type of biome that has large forest formations and large forest masses, it is located in the northern part of the planet such as Canada and Russia. It has undergrowth, one or two layers of trees and a specific diversity. Its trees reach between 30 and 60 meters in height but this is a quality of some endemic species.
In the case of warm rain forests, it represents the most complex forest plant structure, also known as rain forest or tropical humid forest, located in the intertropical zones and is characterized by its tall and very dense tree species. Some of the examples of this type of environment is the Amazon, presenting scattered and robust undergrowth, abundance of young herbs around the trees. Minimum five strata and abundance of species among climbers, lianas and epiphytes.
Influence on the Environment
All ecosystems are made up of various essential elements for the maintenance of the physical environment and a good generator of organic matter. In the case of forest ecosystems, they are characterized by being good water receptors, having soils rich in organic matter from litter and a good underground system that maintains a perfect balance with the surface. The main conditions are highlighted below:
- Oxygen and Water
Oxygen is the result of the biochemical process known as photosynthesis carried out by plants, the abundance of plant species represents a fundamental factor in the various natural environments, in the case of the abundance of trees it gives them a very relevant importance for humanity . One of the main examples of this ecosystem is the Amazon located in northern Latin America, considered the lung of the world.
The Amazon not only participates in the formation of precious oxygen, but also plays a fundamental role in the water cycle, forming a barrier that intercepts the humid winds and condensing the water that ends up generating precipitation in these areas, maintaining a fundamental balance. . In addition to regulating runoff and infiltration of water that is then returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration.
- rhizosphere
It represents a factor where there is a unique interaction between the roots and the microorganisms (fungi or bacteria) present in the soil known as mycorrhizae; all of them are symbiotically linked. Within the forest ecosystem, different classes of fungi participate that provide the necessary nutrients for the roots, expanding their capacity to absorb the nutrients offered by the soil through their roots.
Niches and Biodiversity
An ecological niche represents a population of species within a specific ecosystem. In this case, the complex structure made up of diversity of trees is considered as the element of primary productivity, being the primordial base of the forest ecosystem. This type of quality is attributed to the high number of ecological niches that are present.
The abundance of tree species allows the development of a diversity of organisms, for example an upper canopy tree of the tropical forest, can be considered as its own ecosystem, since it is made up of a large number of plants, bacteria, mosses, fungi , insects, birds and mammals that interact with each other.
Flora
The flora refers to a set of plant species found within a specific region, providing unique and specific characteristics of the place. In this case, the abundance of trees will vary according to the climatic conditions of the area, the greatest biological diversity is present in tropical forest ecosystems, specifically in the rain forest regions.
In addition, the Taigas (forest ecosystems of the subarctic) are highlighted, presenting a low diversity of species compared to other forested regions, but highlighting that it is one of the largest in the entire planet. Some characteristics present in this type of region are highlighted below:
Temperate and Cold Forest Ecosystems
Forest ecosystems located in regions with temperate and cold climates have a high content of conifers, the abundance of trees in forests in the northern and southern hemisphere, such as pinaceae and cupresaceae (north) and araucaria (south). These types of plants abound in boreal forests (taiga) and coniferous forests. In the case of Mediterranean, temperate rainy and deciduous forests, there is an abundance of angiosperm species, such as oaks, huyas. In some cases some specimens such as laurel and olive trees can be observed.
Tropical Forest Ecosystems
In this type of environment, species belonging to the angiosperm family predominate, while conifers are scarce; while the predominant ones are legumes together with ancardiaceae, lauraceae and moraceae. Currently there is a great diversity of species that are cultivated in orchards and gardens such as the tropical forests of the various continents, such as the mango in India), breadfruit in Africa) and cocoa in America.
Fauna
It consists of a set of animal species that interact with each other and adapt to climatic conditions, habitat and within a specific region. The faunas within an ecosystem are quite diverse, especially in forested regions due to the abundance of plant species that generate an ideal environment for the development of various animal species. Next we will know the main characteristics for this type of territory:
Temperate and Cold Forest Ecosystems
This type of ecosystem is characterized by being a biome that develops areas that have cold winters and long summers, being known as temperate forests and coniferous forests; the animal species present are bears, wild boars, wolves and deer. Bird species such as owls, ravens, songbirds and cuckoos also abound.
Tropical Forest Ecosystems
Tropical forest ecosystems correspond to those wooded regions located in American regions, correspond to the natural habitats for the jaguar, deer, tapir and collared peccary; They also represent the main place where bird species such as the harpy eagle, guacharaca and quetzal live. The primates present include the araguato and spider monkey, in the case of snake species include the Bothrops and Lachesis genera considered poisonous.
The forest ecosystems present in the African continent, endemic faunas of those regions stand out, such as anthropoid primates such as the chimpanzee and the gorilla. In addition, leopards and elephants are present in the jungles of that region; In the areas of Southeast Asia there is a presence of orangutans, tigers and Hindu elephants.
Examples of Forest Ecosystems
Forest ecosystems are distributed in various regions of the five continents, predominating in certain regions that stand out for their abundance of plant species and for being natural reserves of diverse flora and fauna.
The Tropical Seasonal Forest of the Colombo-Venezuelan Plains
Colombia and Venezuela are neighboring countries, located in the southern region of the American continent and standing out for their abundance of forest ecosystems, they are an area subject to two seasons a year known as rainy with heavy rainfall and the other is dry and warm. The tree species overcome the dry seasons, losing their foliage, which is why they are called seasonal forests. They become subject to a water deficit in these extreme times, where 80% of the trees lose their foliage, highlighting the fact that only half manage to take advantage of groundwater reserves.
- Flora
The semi-deciduous forests come to present species of trees that reach 40 meters in height, highlighting species such as the mijao (Anacardium excelsum), the crawled (Astronium graveolens), the naked Indian (Bursera simaruba) and the ceiba (Ceiba pentandra). Trees known for their fine wood such as American cedar (Cedrela odorata), mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and Linnet (Cordia alliodora) are also observed.
- Fauna
Species such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), caramerudo deer (Odocoileus virginianus apurensis) and a diversity of birds, snakes and insects can be seen in these regions.
Mediterranean forest
Also considered as those regions with forest and scrub biomes that develop in regions with a warm climate (Mediterranean) characterized by mild winters, dry summers, warm autumns and abundant springs. There are five regions in the world with this type of environment located near the Mediterranean Sea basin, also in southwestern Australia, in the southern cone of Africa, California (United States and Mexico) and the Pacific coast in Chile.
- Flora
It consists of the formation of plant species with medium-sized trees, hard leaves and thick bark, such as cork oak (Quercus suber), oak (Quercus coccifer), holm oak (Quercus ilex) and laurel (Laurus nobilis). It also has the presence of undergrowth with ericaceous (heather), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and boxwood bushes (Buxus sempervirens). They have the presence of gymnosperms such as the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) and juniper bushes (Juniperus spp.).
- Fauna
There are animal species such as the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), the fox (Vulpes vulpes), the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).
Forest Plantation
It consists of those extensions of land where various species of trees are cultivated in order to produce wood or wood pulp, this type of ecosystem is controlled and designed exclusively for human control. It generally consists of a monoculture or a small number of species but which have a high forest value.
- Uverito Forest
Known as Uverito plantations, it consists of a forest land located in the Venezuelan country that covers the states of Anzoátegui and Monagas, it consists of a plantation of Caribbean pine species (Pinus caribaea), considered one of the largest in the world, covering up to 600.000 hectares, this type of plantation collaborated against climate change that saved the Guanipa table from becoming a desert.
Originally the species present were Trachypogon grasses, being planted as Central American pines. The main objective of all this plantation is to produce wood pulp for the manufacture of paper and wood. Currently there are more than thirty companies that are responsible for intervening in this ecosystem responsible for processing Caribbean pine wood for industrial and commercial purposes.
This plantation emerged in 1961, as an environmental conservation system for the area and influencing climate change in the area and the area's soil, in addition to providing the fundamental raw material for the construction of various materials.
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