Tropical marine ecosystem
Encyclopedia
Island
s and coastal areas 10° to 20° north or south of the equator usually have a tropical marine climate
.
The ocean is the main influence in creating the tropical marine system climate.
There are two main seasons the wet season
and the dry season. The annual rainfall is 1000 to over 1500 mm.
The temperature ranges from 25°C to 35°C. The trade winds blow all year round. The trade winds are moist as they have passed over warm seas.
occurs during the period when the conditions of the atmosphere are not stable. At this time, the regions (10° to 20° north or south of the equator) experience tropical disturbances. Around this time islands like Jamaica and Grenada are affected by the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone
). Most rain falls between July and September.
Hygrophytic ecosystems occur when there is a short dry period with a few rain showers. The soil in this ecosystem holds adequate water for plant growth. Most of the tropical marine ecosystems are close to true rain forests.
There are fewer epiphytes than a rain forest has as the canopy is dry. In the dry season the ground is covered by leaves that will not decay until the soil is moist. The trees often flower during the dry season and start to grow during the wet season. The soil is usually latasol.
The dry woodland is very different than the rainforest. The biomass is a lot less than a rainforest as there is little rain. The tallest of trees are only 15 to 25 meters high in the dry woodland. Dry woodland trees either have small leaves or shed their leaves. The trees have very thick bark and the trunks are crooked.
The vegetation at the coast are usually adapted to sandy soil.
The montane forests and elfin wood lands grow on the cool, moist, mountainous regions.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s and coastal areas 10° to 20° north or south of the equator usually have a tropical marine climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
.
The ocean is the main influence in creating the tropical marine system climate.
There are two main seasons the wet season
Season
A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight.Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution...
and the dry season. The annual rainfall is 1000 to over 1500 mm.
The temperature ranges from 25°C to 35°C. The trade winds blow all year round. The trade winds are moist as they have passed over warm seas.
Wet season
The wet season of the tropical marine climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
occurs during the period when the conditions of the atmosphere are not stable. At this time, the regions (10° to 20° north or south of the equator) experience tropical disturbances. Around this time islands like Jamaica and Grenada are affected by the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone , known by sailors as The Doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where winds originating in the northern and southern hemispheres come together....
). Most rain falls between July and September.
Dry season
The dry season occurs when the conditions in the atmosphere are stable. During the dry season there is less rainfall than in the wet season. Around this time the tropical marine regions is influenced by anti cyclones. There is little difference between the wet and dry seasons.Adaptations
The ecosystems of the tropical marine climate have to adapt to the dry season. Plants during the dry season must conserve water/moisture. However the extent of the adaptation depends much on the annual rainfall.Hygrophytic ecosystems occur when there is a short dry period with a few rain showers. The soil in this ecosystem holds adequate water for plant growth. Most of the tropical marine ecosystems are close to true rain forests.
Mesophytic ecosystem
The mesophytic ecosystem is also known as a semi-evergreen forest. It is found where there is a long dry season that has little rainfall. There is less vegetation than in a rainforest and the layer structure is simpler. There are only 2 tree stories, trees shed their leaves or have very small leaves. This provides the plants a way to conserve moisture.There are fewer epiphytes than a rain forest has as the canopy is dry. In the dry season the ground is covered by leaves that will not decay until the soil is moist. The trees often flower during the dry season and start to grow during the wet season. The soil is usually latasol.
Xerophytic ecosystem
The xerophytic ecosystem is also known as dry woodland. It is found in areas of rain shadow in the tropical marine climate. This ecosystem often develops soils that drain quickly.The dry woodland is very different than the rainforest. The biomass is a lot less than a rainforest as there is little rain. The tallest of trees are only 15 to 25 meters high in the dry woodland. Dry woodland trees either have small leaves or shed their leaves. The trees have very thick bark and the trunks are crooked.
Variations
Mangroves grow in coastal wet lands which are called hydrophytic ecosystems.The vegetation at the coast are usually adapted to sandy soil.
The montane forests and elfin wood lands grow on the cool, moist, mountainous regions.
See also
- TropicsTropicsThe tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
- Tropical savanna climateTropical savanna climateTropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
- Tropical monsoon climateTropical monsoon climateTropical monsoon climate, occasionally also known as a tropical wet climate or tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate in climate classification, is a relatively rare type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category "Am."Tropical monsoon climates have monthly...
- Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classificationThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...