The tropical rain forest

TitleThe tropical rain forest
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1973
AuthorsRichards, PW
JournalScientific American
Volume229
Issue6
Pagination58-67
Date PublishedDecember 1973
LanguageEnglish
Call NumberT1.S5
KeywordsAmazon; Borneo; homeostatic mechanisms; mineral-transport system; rainforests; swiddens; tropical forests
Abstract

This paper addresses the scarcity of nutrients. This effects the food crops, rainforest, and the rest if the ecosystem. The recycling of the minerals is very rapid. Fungi and the decomposition of rocks help in adding nutrients to the ground. The primary rainforest is surviving, but barely.

The idea of a substitute or secondary forest is what is to replace the primary forest. These are phases to the growth of the secondary forest. These are grasses, including herbaceous dicotyledons, vines, shrubs, etc. Next is trees, soft-wooded, fast-growing, and short lived. After that is a cycle, the primary forest begins to form. In order for the primary forest to take shape, the secondary forest must be undistributed.

URLhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1273-58
DOI10.1038/scientificamerican1273-58

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