Subtropical rainforest

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The subtropical rainforest (for better demarcation correct, evergreen subtropical rainforest ) is the continuation of tropical rainforests in the subtropical laurel forest zone . As a vegetation zone , it occurs near the coast of Southeast Brazil, in East South Africa, on the Southeast Coast of Australia and in Northeast Southeast Asia. In addition, it can be found in connection with the mountain rainforests of the tropics in the higher altitude level above . The area share is very low worldwide. The term is rarely used and sometimes not differentiated from the laurel forests.

The annual rainfall is around 1,500  millimeters to over 2,000 mm. In the tropical rainforest , on the other hand, precipitation is between 2,000 and (in some cases well) over 4,000 mm. In contrast to the laurel forests, there are practically no frosts in the subtropical rainforests.

As a transition zone, the vegetation is very similar to the tropical rainforests, so that there are also trees with stilt roots and buttress roots , albeit in fewer numbers. The canopy consists of two to three layers. There are also overhoppers up to 50 m high, which tower over the 20 to 35 m high canopy. In terms of height and density, they are therefore often not much inferior to the tropical rainforests. However, they are significantly poorer in species . In some places the wealth of lianas and epiphytes equals the number of tropical rainforests. Tree ferns are typical and, in contrast to the tropical forests, the appearance of conifers .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Margarete Payer, Alois Payer (Ed.): Developing countries studies. Part I: Basic conditions. Chapter 4. Vegetation. HBI Stuttgart, 1998–1999, version of February 7, 2001 (course Introduction to Developing Countries Studies ; online at payer.de), Chap. 7.1. Peritropic zones: laurel forest.
  2. ^ Josef Schmithüsen: General vegetation geography. 2nd improved edition, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 1961. pp. 103-104.
  3. ↑ Jürgen Schultz: The ecological zones of the earth. 4th, completely revised edition, Ulmer UTB, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8252-1514-9 . P. 250.