Tropical Deciduous ForestsTropical Deciduous ForestsTropical Deciduous Forestsor Rain/Summer Green ForestsTropical Deciduous Forests Climate . . . wet-dry tropical climate due toseasonal alternation betweendominance by moist air duringsummer solstice & dry air masses ofsubtropical-high belt during wintersolsticeClimate . . . where do you find this? Subtropics moving away from tropics0o or Rain/Summer Green ForestsTropical Deciduous ForestsClimate . . . where do you find this? Subtropics moving away from tropics Gradient evident indry winter season fromtropics to subtropics Also found in leewardsides of mountains -west Madagascar . . . and monsoon climateareas or Rain/Summer Green ForestsTropical Deciduous ForestsLocations . . . South America - N & Sof Amazon, CentralAmerica & W. Indies or Rain/Summer Green ForestsTropical Deciduous Forests West Africa & WestMadagascar Southern Africa India, Indochina, Australia Locations . . . or Rain/Summer Green ForestsTropical Deciduous ForestsTropical Deciduous ForestsEnterlobium (Fabaceae) canopySanta Rosa, Costa Rica dry forest, summerVegetation Canopy closed in wetsummer, but more openthan tropical rainforest Canopy opens up in drywinter as some or manydeciduous trees dropleaves - adaptation toxeric conditionsTropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation Forests closer to Tropicsof Cancer and Capricornhave more pronounced drywinter season - and morepronounced deciduousnessAlamos, MexicoSummer green, winter dryTropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation Understory more developed -better light Green (photosynthetic) stemscommon - no leaves during winterHildegardia barteri -Malvaceae, AfricaBursera - Burseraceae,MexicoTropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation Flowering occurs at end of dryseason when leaflessCeiba acuminata(Malvaceae - Mexico)Ipomoea arborea(Convolvulaceae - Mexico)Tropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation Flowering occurs at end of dryseason when leaflessTabebuia (Bignoniaceae)Tropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation Flowering occurs at end of dryseason when leaflessCochlospermum (Cochlospermaceae - Panama)Tropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation Spines (anti-herbivory)common on stemsCeiba (kapok-Malvaceae), BrazilPachira -Malvaceae, MexicoTropical Deciduous ForestsSame vegetation - different floraAstrocaryum (palm-Mexico)Deckenia, palm cabbage,SeychellesAcadia (Fabaceae,Mexico)Flacourtia (FlacourtiaceaeThailand)Tropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation “Bottle” trees - water storageAdansonia (Malvaceae,Madagascar & Africa & AustraliaTropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation “Bottle” trees - water storage: different genera in different areasBrachychiton(Malvaceae, Australia)Cola (silk cotton tree,Malvaceae), PeruTropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation parasites commonMistletoe (Loranthaceae-Venezuela)Mistletoe (Loranthaceae-Mexico)Tropical Deciduous ForestsVegetation epiphytes or lianas rareRhipsalis baccifera (Cactaceae - Africa)Stemona (Stemonaceae - Thailand)Thorn Forests Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily protected by thorns Location in subtropics between dry forests and deserts . . .Thorn Forests Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily protected by thorns Location in subtropical latitudes between dry forests and deserts . . . or onelevational gradient below tropical deciduous forestsThorn Forests Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily protected by thorns Acacia - legume - is throughout the worldAcacia - spines for protection also houseants that patrol plantThorn Forests Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily protected by thorns Floristic differences pronouncedCactaceae MexicoSenecio (Asteraceae) Canary IslandsEuphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) EthiopiaThorn Forests Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily protected by thorns Floristic differences pronouncedAlluaudia and relatives (Didiereaceae) southern MadagascarThorn Scrub Low scrub vegetation grading into deserts - < 30 cmrainfall; convergence of leafless, green-stemmed shrubswith heavy spinesKoeberlinia (Koberliniaceae) MexicoRutaceae, MexicoOleaceae, south TexasOpuntia (Cactaceae)south TexasTropical Savanna Woodland Tall grasslands with widely scattered trees and shrubs Low to intermediate elevations where seasonaldrought and fire combine to favor perennial grasses andlimit tree growthTropical Savanna Woodland Tall grasslands with widely scattered trees and shrubs Low to intermediate elevations where seasonaldrought and fire combine to favor perennial grasses andlimit tree growthTropical Savanna Woodland Tall grasslands with widely scattered trees and shrubs Low to intermediate elevations where seasonaldrought and fire combine to favor perennial grasses andlimit tree growthVenezuelan llanosTropical Savanna Woodland Termites and fire go together in savanna biomeVenezuelan llanosQueensland, AustraliaTropical Savanna Woodland Specialized soil types can produce tropical savannas Calcium carbonate hardpanSerengeti hardpan with Acacia (Fabaceae)Tropical Savanna Woodland Vegetation: trees of medium height, crowns flat orumbrella-like trunks thick and rough leaves xeromorphic or are shed in dryseasonByrsonima (Malpighiaceae), llanosTropical Savanna Woodland Vegetation: trees of medium height, crowns flat orumbrella-like trunks thick and rough leaves xeromorphic or shed in dryseasonSouth African savanna leafconvergence (white rhinoceros diet)Tropical Savanna Woodland xylopodia (“wooden feet”) in Brazilian cerradosTropical Savanna Woodland xylopodia (“wooden feet”) in Madagascar savannaAsteraceae –sunflowerfamilySpecialized Tropical Savannas Amazonian white sand savanna - nutrient poor:Utricularia (bladderwort) - carnivorousBrocchinia (Bromeliaceae) - some carnivorousSpecialized Tropical Savannas Amazonian white sand savanna - nutrient poor:More genera of carnivorous plantshere than anywhere else in theworld!Specialized Tropical Savannas Amazonian laja - bare rock:Venezuelan laja with burned