EESC BC 1001x Lecture 8: Lecture 8 Notes
4 Oct 2016
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Biodiversity- the variety of life on earth: the variety of fenes, organisms, ecosystems. Tropical rainforests (trfs) are considered to have high biodiversity. Woody vines (lianas) are wrapped around the trees; epiphytes (bromeliads) live on trunks and branches, trunks are buttressed. Floor containing tree seedlings, herbaceous plants, ferns; floor thickly laced w/ roots; roots are shallowly layered in the upper 1/3m of soil. Complexity of the plant architecture ( niche diversity ) in combination with abundant solar energy and warm/wet climate are commonly accepted explanations. Number of living organisms as described by modern science: about 1. 7 million. 50-80% of all organisms are estimated to be in the trf. Compare to 85 trees species in europe; 130 in the great smoky mountains, usa. 25% of all medicines are derived from rainforest plants and animals. Deforestation of trfs is occurring rapidlyextinctions are occurring before we can discover the species. Our very own black rock forest (two ecoregions combined)
