A team of specialized biologists is just finishing up an incredible adventure in South America. A recent expedition has led a team of scientists deep into roadless areas of the northern Amazon forests, and their research thus far has yielded quite an excellent example of the 'diversity of life'. Check out their ongoing blog at:
http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/an-abundance-of-species-and-water/
The Amazon rainforest, known as Amazonia, is of vital importance to inhabitants of Earth, as the flora provide up to 20 percent of Earth's oxygen. While Amazonia is classified as a 'tropical' rainforest, we in the Pacific Northwest are no strangers to the rain. In fact, we are surrounded by 'temperate' rainforests, which contain an abundance of different lifeforms.
QUESTIONS:
If you visit the above blog, you will notice the post titled "An abundance of species, and water".
1) Considering our conversations in class concerning the connections between water and life, how would you explain the correlation between water and 'an abundance of species' as recorded by scientists on the recent survey studies in Amazonia?
2) Do you think that our more local temperate rainforests have an abundance of life similar to Amazonia? What might be other environmental factors besides amount of water that affect abundance of life?
1) Water is the basis of photosysthesis and glycosis, with enough sunlight (which there always is) and water and CO2, there can be enough plant life to sustain animal life and therefore species can spend less time on finding food and more time on reproduction which results in diversity of life.
ReplyDelete2) Our local temperate rainforests also have an abundance of life but not as much, because there's a shorter growing season (less sunlight) which leads to less plant life (photosynthesis) and therefore all the way up the food chain.