Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Some rain collecting on an acer leaf. Interception [1] refers to precipitation that does not reach the soil, but is instead intercepted by the leaves, branches of plants and the forest floor. It occurs in the canopy (i.e. canopy interception), and in the forest floor or litter layer (i.e. forest floor interception [2]).
Nalini Nadkarni (1954) is an American forest ecologist who pioneered the study of Costa Rican rain forest canopies.Using mountain climbing equipment to make her ascent, Nadkarni first took an inventory of the canopy in 1981, followed by two more inventories in 1984. [1]
The characteristics trees in the lowland rain forest are those of family Dipterocarpaceae (Greek: di = two, pteron = wing and karpos = fruit). On Sumatra, 111 species of these trees have been recorded, six of which are endemic. [2] These trees in the canopy can reach 90 meters in height.
A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes ) is carried by the prevailing onshore breezes towards the drier and hotter inland areas.
There is a short dry season from March to May when as little as 30 millimetres (1.2 in) falls. The average annual temperature is 24.7 °C (76.5 °F). [4] [5] The abundance of rain supports a large number of small rivers and streams many of which are fast moving and have waterfalls, such as the Agua Azul and the Lacanja waterfalls.
Some precipitation falls as snow, hail, or sleet, and can accumulate in ice caps and glaciers, which can store frozen water for thousands of years. Most water falls as rain back into the ocean or onto land, where the water flows over the ground as surface runoff. A portion of this runoff enters rivers, with streamflow moving water towards the ...
Small bushes and trees begin to colonize the area; Fast-growing evergreen trees develop to their fullest, while shade-tolerant trees develop in the understory; The short-lived and shade-intolerant evergreen trees die as the larger deciduous trees overtop them. The ecosystem is now back to a similar state to where it began.
Canopy trees are able to photosynthesize relatively rapidly with abundant light, so it supports the majority of primary productivity in forests. The canopy layer provides protection from strong winds and storms while also intercepting sunlight and precipitation, leading to a relatively sparsely vegetated understory layer.