Tropical Thorn And

Scrubs Forests
Tropical Thorn Forest

 Thorn forest, dense, scrub like vegetation characteristic of dry

subtropical and warm temperate areas with a seasonal rainfall
averaging 250 to 500 millimeters (about 10 to 20 inches).
 This vegetation covers a large part of southwestern North
America and southwestern Africa and smaller areas in Africa, South
America, and Australia.
 In South America, thorn forest is sometimes called caatinga. Thorn
forest grades into savanna woodland as the rainfall increases and
into desert as the climate becomes drier.
 A thorn forest consists primarily of small, thorny trees that shed their
leaves seasonally.
 Cacti, thick-stemmed plants, thorny brush, and arid-adapted
grasses make up the ground layer.
 Many annual plants grow, flower, and die during the brief rainy
season.
Tropical Scrubs Forest

 Tropical scrub forest is one of the biomes that make up arid nnland.
This type of biome also consists of desert and areas of low-lying,
dense underbrush. It is an area of little precipitation, plenty of
continuous winds, poor drainage and medium to poor soil quality.
The plants and animals of the tropical scrub forest have adapted to
flourish in this harsh environment.
 Tropical scrub forests, or chaparral as they are referred to in
California, are found across the southern United States, along the
Mediterranean coastline, in north and central Africa and within the
interior of Australia. Average annual rainfall is only 2 to 9 inches, and
the temperature fluctuates very little, averaging near 64 degrees
Fahrenheit all year round. Virtually all tropical scrub forest is found in
the same equatorial region, and temperatures fluctuate little
regardless of season.
 Vegetation in the tropical scrub biome has adapted to arid
conditions. Plants typically have thick, waxy leaves that have
developed to store moisture. Trees that grow in this biome include
hardwoods such as oaks and varieties of both deciduous and
evergreen trees such as olives and cedars. Flowering shrubs such as
manzanita grow into dense evergreen thickets. Summers are dry,
and most plants are dormant until the winter rains.
 Like the vegetation of the region, the local animals have adapted
to the harsh, dry conditions of the tropical scrub forest. Most
mammals are small and nocturnal, able to change their body
temperature rapidly and take advantage of the cool night
temperatures. Other nocturnal and burrowing animals of this biome
include snakes, lizards and small rodents. Many small animals have
also evolved with longer legs and high agility to facilitate movement
along shifting and hot soil.
 Other features of the tropical scrub biome are related to
precipitation and evaporation. The soil of the tropical scrub biome is
porous and light, unable to retain moisture or provide drainage.
Irrigation is often ineffective in the long term due to high
evaporation levels. Plants grow thick and low to the ground,
equipped with extensive root systems that are designed to seek and
store water. Some plants have even evolved the ability to absorb
the moisture of the nighttime mist.