Congo Rainforest Ecosystem

congou Rainwoodland EcosystemKaili ZhangThere is a superfluity of research on rainforests ecosystem, but the congou forest has received exact apprehension. By comparing to otherwise tropic forests, this ecosystem remains astoundingly estimable. However, its size has significantly reduced receivable to the impending degradation. It extends over 13 countries that lie in spite of appearance the equator (CARPE, 2013). This piece is a home of developing countries where people rely flat on the forest resources for their survival. For this reason, the habitat receives immense bane with its hardwood and biodiversity slowly degraded. answer to say that the healthy state of the forests is due to the conservation measures that focus on managing the resources from the imminent danger of the growing population. It has sophisticated hydrological network with congou River delineation a coarse source of water across West Africa. This ecosystem presents big benefits to the balance of ecology and existence of diversity.LocationThe absolute location of Congo rainforest is 99 North and 79 west. It lies within the equatorial parting of commutation Africa. This ecosystem stretches on the Democratic republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial, and Rwanda. This is a stretch on the equator, thus cutting across most of the central African countries. humorThis rainforest does well with ostensibly postgraduate up precipitation, humidity, and temperature. For that reason, it press outs a relatively utmost pelting with two seasons of March-June and August-November. It has about 117 raining twenty-four hourss annually. In this case, an total of 1800mm of rainfall is received within this ecosystem. The dry season begins in November stretches with to March.Temperatures in this place hits high pitch to reserve the robust phytology. here temperatures show stability throughout the seasons with an average of 15C difference of day and night temperatures. In essence, the re gion has a range of 20-27C annually. However, regions along the rivers and stream often become cool up to 12C (Abernethy, Coad, Taylor, Lee, Maisels, 2013). On the other hand, the humidity maintains at high levels due to the evergreen vegetation. It is usually ranging at 80-90% degrees.The rivers and the rich vegetation support the hydrological system that maintains the conventional rainfall within the region. With high evapotranspiration, it is obvious that the like precipitation will be high. App atomic number 18ntly, the factual evidence of high temperature is because of its location, which is the equator. Therefore, the sunbathe is always shining in the region for about 12 hours daily. With the healthy vegetation, this energy is retained, thus keeping the ecosystem warm.Weather and its patternsIn essence, this region is on a lower floor the tropical climate classification portrayed by high temperatures and high precipitation. It experiences extreme weather pattern due to the underlying emissions, with significant changes in temperatures. In most cases, Congo Forest has extensive cold day and nights with also more hot days and nights. The emissions seem substantial for these changes.LandformsThe beas pull back a gorge surrounding a valley. Mount Foungouti running in the far south rises above 930 meters with its northern raise being 650 meters. The areas show a sedimentary rock with sand and gravel evident across the forest. However, the top soils are usually replenished due to frequent runoffs that remove thorough matter. In the lowlands, the soils are rich of humus from the decaying plants and brutes. In this area the soils presents aluminum oxides and iron.Evidently, the region is a low-lying can that shows little tectonic activities. nearly of the geologic activities pick up ceased for years showing that the area is stable. The heavy rainfall mainly orchestrates erosion and weathering. This is the major agent of erosion however, the closely co mpacted vegetation detains its effect. Therefore, the soils in this region are still young showing slight vegetation, but high organic processes.Drainage patternThe Congo basin demonstrates a Mosaic drainage pattern in that its tributaries arise within a circular form within the ecosystem. River Congo is a central component of hydrology for this ecosystem. It is the second largest river globally for its volume. It has a mosaic structure of rivers with its tributaries convergency at the far west to form the Congo River. It has a disgrace of 40,000 m3/s causing great erosion through abrasion, scouring, and lifting earth along its course. In this case, the river shall have enormous deposits in form of alluvial compounds downstream and into the Atlantic Ocean. During the raining season, flooding occurs in the region since the R. Congo bursts its margin at this time spreading to the neighboring villages.In the quest to forefend excessive drainage, the region has invested in structur al techniques. Along the rivers, there are dykes that help in reducing the velocity of water. Consequently, gibbons and erection of rock walls along the riverbanks come out as the popular structural ways of mitigating flooding.BiomeThe ecosystem is a tropical forest with relatively high temperatures, rainfall, and humidity. With high rainfall and huge pile of litter, decomposition is slow making the soils devoid of nutrients. The ecology inhabits commodious biodiversity with over 10000 species of plants with 30% endemic to this region. Consecutively, it houses endangered wildlife like elephants, bonobo, visual modality gorillas, and the chimpanzees (Turvey, 2012). In addition, the ecosystem has decomposers like earthworms, bacteria, mushroom, banana slug, and fungus. The dominant autotrophs come out as the Caesalpiniacae trees, papyrus, Cyperaceae, Okoume trees, and Echnochloa (Chamber Roberts, 2014).Ecosystem characteristics and servicesCongo rainforest is one of the tropical ec osystems that have high primary production. Therefore, it has a profound ability to support various(a) organisms from supplemental startrs to decomposers or scavengers. It has many canopies with tall trees supported by stretching taproots. This prevents cloak-and-dagger growth, thus less detritus activities. The different canopies support adverse communities of birds, animals, and butterflies.This ecosystem has diverse services like supporting of the entire ecology. They offer energy due to the vast tree and plant communities that in turn allows for nutrients cycling up the chain among consumers and detritus. It is therefore, a slender place for the storage of fodder and energy. Moreover, the region offers provision services in form of raw materials like wood, water, minerals, food, medicines, or ornaments. The communities have used certain trees like the bromeliads and Epiphytic orchids as medicines for decades. The other service is their cultural significance as they offer s anctuary for inbred and traditional religious practices. Finally, this ecosystem demonstrates a crucial place in correct services. Apparently, it has a huge carbon sink and enhances the purification of air and water. For this reason, the Congo forest is one of the areas of carbon sequestration, thus the regulation of climate.HabitatIt is a habitat of diverse populations of endangered and threatened species. The forest is one of the wildest tropical habitats for animals like mountain gorillas and the forest elephants. The canopies houses birds with over 100 species endemic to this habitat. well-nigh of the snake here are only present in this habitat.certain(p) plants and animal communities tend to be robust over the rest. The okapi, apes, mouse deer, chimpanzee, elephants, and monkeys are the main primary consumers with the leopards, crocodiles, and lions as the alternative consumers. On the other hand, African oak, mahogany, and red cedar, which are broad leaves trees dominate t his ecosystem at the higher canopy. food webThis ecosystem portrays an exemplary food web with crocodiles, leopards, and lions on the higher trophic level. The primary production ranges from vegetation to tree fruits. The okapi, apes, and mouse deer supports the secondary consumers. At the lower level of the trophic level are the insects, fungi, and bacteria.The food chain often takes a simple route from the producer objurgate to decomposition. For instanceTree fruitselephant banana slugsThe forest elephant is a relatively little than the other African elephant making it fit for the ecological niche. They forage on trees leaves and shrubs. Their skin is difficult for predation and large enough to scare outside(a) predators. In essence, they can circumvent under trees due to their small size. This animal is best situated for the tropical rainforest ecosystem, more so its do work in facilitating the germination of African eggplant that has to pass through their duct.In this ecosys tem, there is different symbiotic interaction. The bonobo-dialium interaction is one of the positive symbiosis within the forest. Dialium tree species are dominant in the region and produce sweet juicy fruits that the Bonobo feeds on. The Bonobo in turn digests the fruits firing the authors along their guts, thus degrading the hard cuticle and after release the seeds in their feces, they are able to germinate. The Bonobo through endozoochory helps Dialium in seed germination and dispersal, thus maintaining their population.On the other hand, a strangler soma is one of the parasites that grow in tree and by reaching up they cover the tree denying them light for photosynthesis later killing them. This is common in the high canopies of Congo forest.Evidently, the human-land interaction comes out as the major threat to the sustainability of this forest. People engage in illegal poaching and encroachment of forest for wood and timber. This has led to the extensive degradation of the forests causing a adult loss of different habitats. Activities such as mining of gold have led to destruction of large tracts of forests within the area.This ecosystem is stable, though it has had numerous anthropogenic threats. However, organizations like WWF and local conservation agencies have ensured that encroachment is minimized and play to protect endangered species like the bush elephants. The banning of elephant products is a critical step in the preservation of this ecosystem.Works CitedAbernethy, K. A., Coad, L., Taylor, G., Lee, M. E., Maisels, F. (2013). Extent and ecological consequences of capture in Central African rainforests in the twenty-first century . philosophic Transactions of the Royal Society B, Vol. 368, Iss. 1625, 1.CARPE. (2013). The Forests of the Congo Basin. A Preliminary Assessment, 1=39.Chamber, J. Q., Roberts, D. A. (2014). Ecology Drought in the Congo Basin . Nature, 509 , 36-37.Turvey, M. (2012, November 7 ). The Congo Basin. Retrieved Novem ber 22, 2014, from Prezi https//prezi.com/utopv9ph0a7k/the-congo-basin/