Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 5.1 Regional Comparisons of Tropical Seasonal Forests
N
EOTROPICS
A
FRICA
S
OUTHEAST
A
SIA
Geographic
location
Mexico, Pacific side
of Central America,
Gran Chaco, and
caatinga
Sudanian and
Zambezian Regions
Southeast Asia, India
Annual rainfall
27-78 in.
(700-2,000 mm)
27-60 in.
(700-1,550 mm)
40-120 in.
(1,000-3,000 m)
Soils
Oxisols, ultisols
Oxisols, ultisols
Ultisols, inceptisols
Distinctive floral
features
Palo borracho, barri-
guda trees, bro-
meliads, cactus
Mopane and miombo
woodlands, baobabs
Teak, deciduous
diptocarps, mast
fruiting of trees
Distinctive faunal
features
High bird diversity,
armadillos, anteat-
ers, migratory birds
Large primate diversity,
large ground-dwelling
mammals, elephant
shrews
Large primates, high
bird diversity,
monitor lizards
Colombia and Venezuela and in the interior of South America, the caatinga of
northeast Brazil and the Gran Chaco of Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina where
an extensive area of dry forest is located. Smaller areas of tropical seasonal forest
can be found in dry valleys of the Andes in northern Bolivia and Peru.
Figure 5.1 During the wet season, the Tropical Deciduous Forest looks similar to the
rainforest, as shown here in Palo Verde, Costa Rica.
(Photo by author.)
