Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.11 Termites nest in the trees in the tropical deciduous forest to avoid flooding
on the ground during the rainy season. (Photo by author.)
ants, and social spiders communally build large webs to trap prey. Bromeliad spi-
ders live within terrestrial and arboreal bromeliads and can be abundant in these
forests. Scorpions are common in dry forests, their sting can be toxic and irritating
but rarely fatal to large vertebrates. Whip scorpions are another type of arachnid
found in seasonal forests. Centipedes are common nocturnal predators. They have
powerful jaws that inflict a painful bite. They also use poison to subdue their prey.
Seasonal forests in the Neotropics are diverse and serve an essential ecological
role in maintaining tropical biodiversity. However, this great diversity of species is
in serious jeopardy as these forests continue to be degraded and destroyed. This
destruction can lead to the extinction of hundreds of plants and animals restricted
to this biome and other species that rely on these forests for part of the year.
Human Impact on the Neotropical Seasonal Forests
Remote sensing images taken during the past 20 years indicate that tropical decidu-
ous forests have undergone rapid changes. Estimates of deforestation vary greatly
depending on the area and method of detection. In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and Ron-
donia, Brazil, for example, the estimated rate of deciduous forest destruction is
among the highest in the world (approximately 6 percent a year). Nearly 80 percent
of the seasonal forests in Central America are also gone. Some of the main causes
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