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Biomes and Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest

Dominque Anderson Department of Education, Grand Canyon University Bio-220: Environmental Science Professor Norris 1/16/2022

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Biomes and Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest A biome can be defined as a large area on Earth that consists of biotic and abiotic or living and nonliving things. There are many biomes and each of them can be characterized by climate and soil conditions along with the many types of animals and plants that share this ecosystem (Biome, 2011). Ecosystems can be described as a community with abiotic components. Tropical rainforests contain the majority of this planet’s animal and plant species. Together they play a vital role in maintaining the water and carbon cycle by storing that carbon, conserving sole and generating rainfall (Geographical, 2008). The forest decreases carbon in the atmosphere which is why the trees are so important. According to our text, trees, a biotic factor, also provide food, shade, and habitats for animals. They are also beneficial for people and are used for building material, food, and paper products. Decomposition, an abiotic factor, fertilize the trees. The shade of the trees allows animals, biotic factors, to rest and cool at the base of the tree where they also deposit their feces which also help fertilize the trees. “Forest also provide services such as preventing erosion cleaning water, cooling through evapotranspiration, preventing floods and serving as windbreaks” (Salata, 2015, p. 14). Keystone Species Orangutans are called the gardener of the forest. Other species depend on them to keep their ecosystem stable. Orangutan’s diet consists of primarily fruits, in fact, this is a part of orangutans being keystone species, or species that indirectly affect their environment in pivotal ways (Avery Laing, n.d). As they eat the seeds and move around the forest, they disperse them, and this allows for plant reproduction. If this species were to become extinct, the entire ecosystem would be unbalanced. Plants would not be able to reproduce decreasing the producers of the ecosystem, causing herbivores to go extinct, then primary consumers and so on.

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Invasive Species Humans’ development has grown over the years. Is this development causing harm to the ecosystems around the world? When talking about invasive species, many may think of plants or animals accidentally placed in a habitat of another species. Humans on the other hand have become invasive species going into the rainforest, chopping down trees, killing animals all for their benefit. “Today, the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest is a global concern, and the debate focuses on the preservation of biodiversity, the survival of indigenous populations, and the well-being of the world’s population” (Driscoll & Flynn, 2019, para. 8). To change this, countries and their legislations are working to preserve the forests, animals, and to stop illegal logging. Endangered Species The orangutan may be a keystone species for the rainforest, but these primates are also in danger and humans are the source of it. “Palm oil is the most widely-used oil in the world, and over 80% of the trees it comes from are found in the rainforests where orangutans live” (Avery Laing, n.d, para. 1). Deforestation has caused the habitats of these primates to become destroyed. Losing their home is not the only thing that has impacted this species. "They are on the edge of starvation from food scarcity, which leads to stunted growth and developmental delays. At the Orangutan Alliance (2021), they are providing alternatives to palm oil that will hopefully decrease the demand for it (para. 1). The tropical rainforest is an ecosystem that consists of a wet and humid climate. Much of this ecosystem is made up of trees that store carbon, generating it into rainfall. Many animal and plant species live inside of this ecosystem working and thriving together while maintaining a

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balance. This balance is dependent on several species living in this ecosystem. The orangutan known as the man of the rainforest, thrives in the rainforest, eating its fruits, and distributing seeds on the ground, contributing to the balance of their habitat. This keynote species faces extinction due to deforestation caused by humans, who have become an invasive species to their ecosystem. If extinct, the removal of the orangutan would drastically impact the entire ecosystem of the rainforest.

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References Avery Laing, K. P. (n.d.). Ape eviction? these orangutans are losing more than their homes. from https://adapt136.ucsc.edu/taxa/mammals/ape-eviction-these-orangutans-are-losing-morethan-their-homes Bement, H. (2019). Tropical rainforests. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Science. Biome. (2011). In D. S. Blanchfield (Ed.), Environmental Encyclopedia. Gale. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CV2644150174/OVIC?u=canyonuniv&sid=bookmarkOVIC&xid=4e23b2ce Driscoll, S., & Flynn, S. I. (2019). Amazon Deforestation: Overview. Salem Press Encyclopedia. Geographical. (2008). 200-Year-Old Tropical Rainforests Are Disappearing at a Rate Never Seen Before. In D. A. Miller (Ed.), Current Controversies. Biodiversity. Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from Geographical, 2005, November, 77[11], 34-35) https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010209249/OVIC?u=canyonuniv&sid=bookmarkOVIC&xid=54cbcf92 Orangutan Alliance. (2021) Our mission. https://orangutanalliance.org/our-mission/ Salata, T. (2015). Biomes and ecosystems. In Grand Canyon University (Ed.) Environmental Science: The Human Impact on Natural Resources. http://lc.gcumedia.com/bio220/environmental-science-the-human-impact-on-naturalresources/v1.1/#/home...