Term
| What distribution factors are of critical importance? |
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Definition
- Climate
- Soil water
- Soil type
- Elevation |
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Term
| How does climate effect the distribution of TRFs? |
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Definition
- Between tropic of Cancer and Capricorn (Equatorial zone)
- Equator receives direct sunlight: air heated and rises leaving low pressure behind
- Trade winds blow towards the equator and meet this at the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ICZ)
- Clouds and thunderstorms are formed here
- Equatorial zone has regular rainfall (<50mm/m) and is the wettest
- Has no real dry season
- Hot and humid |
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Term
| How does soil type affect the distribution of TRFs? |
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Definition
- Result from combination of climate, vegetation, topographic position, parent material and soil age
- Ultiols: weathered, acidic, clay (poor drainage), low in Ca and K
- Oxisols: weathered, leached, old (Gondwanan shields), better drainage
Red colour: high heat and moisture forming oxides of Fe and Al.
- Some rainforests can occur on floodplains and volcanic soils which are nutrient rich. |
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Term
| What are the abiotic factors that define lowland TRFs? |
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Definition
- Everwet
- Dryland
- Zonal (oxisols, ultisols)
- Below 1000m |
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