Re: Biggest animal
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Biggest animal
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 00:51:08 -0400
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Question:What is the biggest animal in the rainforest?
Answer:The Tapir is the largest animal.....close to 200 pounds the oldest ones....
Re: frogs
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: frogs
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 12:52:21 -0400
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Question:How many species of frogs have you found living in the rainforest? Howmany species are poisonous?Thank you.
Answer:
How many frogs I have found is difficult to answer but it certainly would bein the range of several hundred. At some sites I have worked 50-70 specieswould occur at a single locality. Technically, all frogs have poison glandsin their skin, but not all would be harmful if an animal ingested thesubstances. For example something that is poisonous to a mammal might notaffect a snake that is specialized for eating that particular type of frog.An example from North America would be all of the species that we considerto be toads. All toads have glands that produce toxins, but not all wouldbe as dangerous to ingest. The common hognose snake is a toad specialistand has enlarged adrenal glands that help it process the toxins so that thesnake suffers no deliterious effects from eating the toad, skin and all.You and I can handle toads, but we certainly would not want to eat theirskin or to lick our fingers after we had handled a toad. If the toad ishandled roughly, it is more likely to exude the chemical on its skin surfacethan if it is not threatened. I hope this helps you understand the issue ofpoison glands in frog skins. I should say that most frog toxins are notabsorbed through your skin -- they only cause problems when they enter youbody by ingestion or through a cut or injury.Thank you for the good question. tom fritts
Re: Animal Population
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: Animal Population
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 12:56:56 -0500
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Question:What are some of the major problems associated with the animalpopulation declining in Brazilian rain forest with more of the humanpopulation utilizing the land for economic reasons?Is there any government or private programs to protect any large areasfrom development?
Answer:
The answer depends on what part of Brasil you are talking about. The Amazonbasin which is as large as the continental United States has vast areas ofintact forest and huge parks such as Jau that protect millions of acres. Onthe other hand primary rainforest in the Atlantic rainforest have beenreduced to a few percent of its former cover. A large number of speciesknown only from the Atlantic forest are thus in danger of extinction. Otherenvironmental problems resulting from habitat lost in the area are increasedrates of local and global climate change as a result of the vast amount ofburning, decreased soil fertility, river pollution by mercury used in goldprocessing, depletion of large mammals that are important seed dispersersand in ageneral unravelling of the web of ecological interactions that keepforest and wetland ecosystems functioning. Brasil has many governmentpolicies and programs targetted at these problems but few resources forimplementing the laws and policies that exist.
Re: frog scientist
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: frog scientist
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 12:57:23 -0400
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Question:How did you become so interested in frogs over other species of animals?
Answer:I first became interested in frogs when I went out on a spring night inwhich thousands of toads were calling in a breeding chorus. It was soexciting to wade around in the water with so many animals calling, layingeggs, and moving around. Frogs are seasonally abundant when they assembleat breeding ponds. The timing, unusual conditions that cause them to breedon one night and not another and the beauty of being out in nature in directcontact with the animals is adequate reason for studying frogs. Otheranimals can be interesting too, but frogs are special. Thank you for thequestion, tom fritts
Re: trees
From: "Answer7"
Subject: Re: trees
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:00:46 -0500
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Question:What do you think is the most interesting tree or plant in the rainforestand what makes it so special?Thanks.
Answer:It is believed among native amazonian populations that Cedar trees (Cedrellaodorata) are among the important ones. They have been meant saccred placeswhere they buried their loved ones. Unfortunately, archaeologists haven'tbeen able to find the skeletal remains, probably due to preservation.Abelardo Sandoval
Re: species in the canopy
From: "Answer1"
Subject: Re: species in the canopy
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:15:35 -0400
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Question:About how many species are located in the canopy of the rainforest?
Answer:
Great question and nobody knows the answer yet. What we do know is a lot ofspecies live only in the canopy and that it probably is the richest part ofthe foresto
Re: Snakes
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: Snakes
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:04:31 -0400
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Question:Why do snakes eat eggs?
Answer:>Some snakes are specialists in eating eggs. Why? Eggs are a good supplyof food; they are nutritious; they are seasonally quite abundant when birdsor reptiles are reproducing, and they come in a good shape that makes iteasy for snakes to swallow them (if the snake is big enough). Many timesbirds that lose their eggs to a snake will renest (i.e. lay another set ofeggs). Snakes certainly don't eat all of the eggs or there would not be anybirds. Many snakes will eat eggs but also eat mice, birds, lizards or someeven eat insects but the insect or worm eaters are the exceptions. Thanksfor the question. tom fritts
Re: atmosphere
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: atmosphere
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:05:48 -0500
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Question:About what percentage of our oxygen comes from the rainforest?
Answer:I',m not an atmospheric chemist or climatologist so I'm going to repeathearsay that I have some confidence in. Briefly the rainforest is not themain source of global oxygen. Rainforests cover only about 6-7% of theearth's surface. The vast pool of algae in the oceans and wetlands, theforests of Siberia, are other important photosynthetic sources. Thesignificance of rainforest lies not just in oxygen regenration but in theirtremendous diversity.
Re: HELLO!
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: HELLO!
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:11:31 -0500
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Question: I live in New York City, in the Harlem section of Manhattan and I amdoing a science fair project on insects and other arthropods that canbe found in the school'sbackyard. I want to document the biodiversity that can be found in thecity. I have the following question: Right now it is the begining of spring and I would like to knowwere can I find insects in my school's backyard. Does hibernation affectwhere I am going to find the insects? and what insects will I befinding? One part of the yard has trees, another area is barren, wherethere is a lot of erosion. Another area, up on top of a hill has grassand weeds, like thistle, and is sunny.
Answer:You can find arthropods just about anywhere. The key is to get down toground level and look. Turning stones over in spring is a good techique.Ants which descned deep into the soil to overwinter, predatory carabidbeetles, isopods, roaches and other insects are attracted by the warmth of asun-heated stone and the security of the site. A careful leaf by leafsearch of plants such as thistles will turn up aphids and the insects thateat them such as lady beetles.
Re: rainforest scientists
From: "Answer3"
Subject: Re: rainforest scientists
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 12:37:10 -0500
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Question:What does it feel like to visit the rainforest. Can you compare thefeeling to anything else?
Answer:The rainforest is a fascinating place. On my first project there Ijust wandered for a day, listening, smelling, touching, andobserving. It's so different from day to night, warm and cool.It's humid, but not really too hot inside the forest. If you step outinto a nearby field the heat and bright equatorial sun hit youhard.What's it like - well, some compare it to being in a cathedral, and Isuppose that's true. For me it's just humbling being there.
Re: frogs
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: frogs
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:12:30 -0400
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Question:Can poisonous frogs kill people? How can you identify a poisonous frog?
Answer:Poisonous frogs do not normally kill people. The poison is a product ofthe skin and if someone not familiar with frogs ate a frog that had aparticularly strong poison, they might get sick or die, but only if they atethe frog skin and all. Simply by touching a frog even a poisonous one isnot dangerous. Only if you rubbed the poison in your eyes, injected it inthe skin (remember poison darts), or ate it would it cause problems. Somenative cultures use the poison arrow skin secretions to make poison darts,but they primarily use these to hunt with, not for attacks on other people.Even our toads in North America have some toxins in their skin and sometimesa dog that attacks a toad is sickened by the toxin that may be squirted intothe dogs mouth. Normally dogs recover but big toads especially the moretropical species can cause serious problems that would require averterinarian to treat the dog or other animal that might be poisoned.Thank you for your question. tom fritts
Re: Tree species
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Tree species
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 01:13:07 -0400
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Question:What is the most common tree species in the rain forest of Brazil whereyou are working?
Answer:Cecropia trees, and also fig trees that feed most of the mammals and manybirds in the rainforest..
Re: New species
From: "Answer1"
Subject: Re: New species
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:24:54 -0400
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Question:Have you ever discovered a new plant or animal species as a result of>your work in the rain forest?
Answer:I haven,t found new species myself but many of the scientists I have workedwith have, ...new trees, frogs, even new birds
Re: Animal Coloring
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: Animal Coloring
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:17:34 -0400
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Question:What is the oddest colored animal that you have seen n the rainforest?
Answer:There are a myriad of wonderful colorations in the animals that we find intropical regions. One frog that I have studied has a particularly rough,mottled, skin coloration that makes it look like a lichen. Clearly, it ishard to see when it is pressed against a tree trunk and that helps it avoidbeing discovered by predators. It also makes it hard for frog scientiststhat might be trying to find them to study their habits, estimate theirabundance, or learn about the plants which it inhabits. Thanks for thequestion. Animal coloration is fascinating to study even in your ownbackyard or in the neighborhood woods or park. tom fritts
Re: Indigenous People
From: "Answer7"
Subject: Re: Indigenous People
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:18:40 -0500
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Question:Have you met any of the indigenous people of the rain forest? Do you>work with them? Do they want to help preserve the rain forest?
Answer:Yes, I have met several native groups in the Amazonian region: Shipibos,Machiguengas, Yaminahuas, among others. All of them have developed severalways of conservation of the rainforest, For example, systematic cultivation.Although hunting and fishing are activities throughout the year, there aresome environmental preferences where these can be done.
Re: plants/animals
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re: plants/animals
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:23:14 -0400
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Question:Are there any plants or animals in the rainforest that NO other animal willeat?
Answer:There are many plants and animals in the rain forest that protect themselveswith various poisons. Sometimes they outwardly advertise this with brightcoloration and sometimes they don't. You can imagine that a predator willlearn the coloration of a distasteful or deadly prey and will avoid them asfood. An example of this is the poison dart frog.
Re: QUESTIONS ABOUT REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: QUESTIONS ABOUT REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:20:25 -0500
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Question:My partner and I are doind a science fair experiment about thebiodiversity of our school's backyard and we have the followingquestions:Will we find any amphibians or reptiles in the ground? Where should welook: under ground and how deep, in a sunny environvent or a darkenvironment. Should we look for them in an eroded environment? Whattypes of reptiles or amphibians might we find. Please send us some tipsor suggestions abuot this.
Answer:Your email doesn't say where you are going to do this work. But in generalif you are looking for reptiles a sunny dry spot will be best and foramphibians a moist habitat is best. Shelter sites such as woody debris,large rocks are most productive.
Re: ants
From: "Answer1"
Subject: Re: ants
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:35:47 -0400
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Question:Is it true that army ants can kill larger animals? Do they actually attackor do they clean up dead animals?
Answer:Army ants can kill animals as large as a robin sized bird but they don't eatthings that large. They both sting and bite, but for larger animals like thebird I mentioned it is only a threat if for some reason the animal is unableto flee.
Re: QUESTIONS
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: QUESTIONS
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:26:07 -0500
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Question:My partner and I are doing a project on biodiversity in our school's
backyard and we would like for your answers to the following question:We have found some tiny insects while looking at what we collected in aBerlays Funnel Trap and we would like to add those insects into ourinsect collection but they are to tiny to pin and when we try to putthem on a point under a microscope we break them open or crush them.What can we do? Please send us a method or some tips to pinning thesesmall amazing creatures.
Answer:Dear student with minute insects:There are two ways to preserve extremely small insects. One way is to storethem in alcohol (use 70 to 95% ethanol) in an appropriately small vial.This works well, but it doesn't make them easy to identify and study. Theother method is to mount them on microscope slides. You will have to seekout a textbook that tells you how to do this in detail (for instance, Borrorand DeLong's Textbook of Entomology), but, in short, you place a drop ofpreservative (Canada balsam, for instance) on a microscope slide, place theinsect in the middle, and cover with a thin glass cover slip. For thickerinsects, you might need to separate the cover slip from the slide with a fewbraces made of broken glass. In some cases the insects will need to be"cleared" first so that you can focus light through their bodies.If you do this correctly, you will be able to precisely view all kinds ofanatomical detail on your little critters. (I am going to guess that whatyou've got are Collembola.)Hope this helps.Ted Schultz, Entomologist (Smithsonian)
Re: Rainforest question
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Rainforest question
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 01:28:09 -0400
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Question:>How different is the soil microbiology of a rainforest from that of an>industrialized country?
Answer:VERY DIFFERENT, THERE ARE MANY MORE DIFFERENT SPECIES THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ININDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES.Question: Are there microbes that only live in rainforestsoil?VERY MANY, MORE THAN WE KNOW TOday..Question: Are there any new parasite species being discovered in therainforest?
Answer:yes., in an expedition we had last year we collected 900 lots of parasites,each lot containing betwwen 1 and several hundred, and we have at least 9new species. The sampling was done in only three weeks.Question: If so, what are they and how do they differ from the ones we>already know about and understand?
Answer:Many are diferent and many are also similar to groups we find in NorthAmerica. We also learn from the parasites how to create the cure fordiseases...Good luck to you, stop to visit me at the Smithsonian someday and I hope youbecome a biologist someday....we need a lot of kids like you to preservethis treasure.Francisco Dallmeier
Re: frogs
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: frogs
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:28:13 -0400
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Question:You stated that frogs have adapted to live without the standing water andthat they live in the canopy. We were wondering how they lay their eggs.Here in Georgia frogs lay them in standing water.
Answer:Not all frogs need to lay their eggs in water. Some have exceptionallylarge eggs that if kept moist (i.e. under a log or placed in the axilla of aplants leaf, they have enough nutients that they eventually hatch as frogsand not as tadpoles. They are real small but they are fully formed frogs.Some frogs lay their eggs on the shoreline and they count on the stream toflood to eventually wash the eggs into the water. By starting out on landthey may avoid the most vulnerable period in which they might be eaten by apredator. Some lay their eggs on leaves hanging over a stream and onlyafter the tadpoles hatch do they eat through the egg membranes and plungeinto the water below. Obviously they depend on the female frogs chosing thecorrect leaf so that they fall into water instead of falling on the groundwhere they would dry up or be eaten before they could slither into the waternearby. Thanks for the question. tom fritts
Re: Amazon Forest
From: "Answer7"
Subject: Re: Amazon Forest
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:29:20 -0500
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Question:I'd like to Know more about the wildlife in Amazon =Forest.
Answer:Ok, you can know more about the wildlife in the tropical rainforest bycontacting the Smithsonian Institution/ MAB program. Please take note of thefollowing and write: sandovaa@nmnh.si.edu
Re: Army Ant
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: Army Ant
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:31:00 -0500
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Question:Why is the army ant so violent?
Answer:Army ants are predators feeding usually on the forest floor cpaturing adiverse assemblage of arthropods such as scorpions, cockroaches, spidersand even larger prey such as lizards. Some species specialize in raidingwasp nests. This feeding strategy requires a large colony of ants and eachmust be a rapid runner with a potent sting, powerful mandibles and possess awillingness to use them. If this is what you mean by violent then I guessthey qualify.
Re: Animal Adaptations
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re: Animal Adaptations
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:35:55 -0400
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Question:What is the most unusual animal adaptation that you have seen in therainforest?
Answer:One of my favorite adaptations--well actually I guess there are two that Iwant to tell you about. One is in a frog that Claude Gascon showed meseveral years ago at a Camp rather near Camp 41. He will recall the genusand species I'm sure. This frog is one of the smallest and when weapproached it it became immobile. On picking it up gently and turning itover, the stomach looked as though it had been eviscerted. Claude explainedthat this adaptation is to "fool" a predator into thinking that the frog isdead so that it will leave it alone.I also especially like the mimicry that many insects exhibit where they havetheir head design copied on their other end. This helps them escape frompredators who may attack their tail instead of their head which gives them asplit second to escape!
Re: Insects
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Insects
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 01:36:39 -0400
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Question:In what layer of the rain forest do you find the greatest diversity ofinsects? Why do you think this occurs in this layer?
Answer:The greatest diversity is in the canopy, however the soil also has a greatdiversity.In the Canopy because there is alot of food there, and in the soil becauseall the bugs that decompose the plant material to make new soil to feed theplants.Francisco Dallmeier
Re: frogs
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: frogs
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:38:25 -0400
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Question:We have read that the poison arrow frog is very toxic. When they die anddecompose, do their poison affect the soil with harmful poison.
Answer:The toxin in the skin of a poison arrow frog is actually a cocktail ofchemicals and they would break down after the frog died. The toxin mightlast for awhile if it was dried and not exposed to air or humidity, but allkinds of natural processes would breakdown the chemicals and inactivate thetoxic characteristics. There would be no risk that the soil would bepermanently affected. Thanks for your question. tom fritts
Re: Live from the Rainforest
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: Live from the Rainforest
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:39:53 -0500
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Question:What is the fastest animal in the rainforest?
Answer:This is a question of scale and place. In Africa there are elephants,antelope and other large fleet-footed animals in rainforests. At a smallerscale the flower mites that run up the bills of hummingbirds when the visitflowers cover as many body lengths per second as cheetahs do.
Re: Atmospheric Pollution
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Atmospheric Pollution
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 01:41:49 -0400
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Question:What, if any, atmospheric toxins or gases, are harming the rain forest?
Answer:There are some industrial areas close to the forest that may be causing somekind of acid rain precipitation. However the most serios treat are theforest fires.....
Re: Life in the Rain Forest
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re: Life in the Rain Forest
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:46:59 -0400
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Question:What is the coldest recorded temperature for the rain forest in Brazil?What is the hotest temperature?
Answer:While it is generally 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day in the Amazon, itcan be nice a cool at night--possibly 70--great sleeping weather! Overallthe area can reach temperatures above 100 F and as low as in the 40s. Ifyou need exact temperatures you can look in one of many reference books orprobably on one of the Amazon Web sites.
Re: Tree species
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Tree species
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 01:43:13 -0400
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Question:What is the most common tree species in the rain forest of Brazil whereyou are working?
Answer:The most common species is the Cecropia along the areas with forest gaps andnatural and human made disturbances. The fig trees are also very common andare very important in supporting many animals in the rainforest.Francisco Dallmeier
Re: brasilian asks
From: "Answer3"
Subject: Re: brasilian asks
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:08:39 -0500
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Question:I am here in Brazil watching the television and I have some questions aboutthe brazilian rain forest. I would like to know what are the froggs livingin the forest, the bigest oneand its size. And at least, I'd like to knowalso what are the political,economical american interests in our forest.
Answer:I forwarded your frog question to a colleague. The United States, like Brasil is a large complex country, with many types of peoplewith many different interests. Some want to "save the rainforest,"and others are interested in resources. Politically I don't thinkthere is an interest in Amazonia, it's part of Brasil and it is upto Brasilians to decide its future. As scientists we can help byfinding out as much as possible about this huge complex region.Fred Engle
Re:
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:43:51 -0500
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Question:What is the biggest animal you see in the rainforest and what is the mostdangerous?
Answer:In African and Asian rainforests the largest animals are elephants. InSouth America ther largest animal is the tapir. the most dangerous animal inany habita is usally another humans but beyond that it is the smallerspecies such as malarial parasites that are most dangerous.
Re: Dangerous Animals and Day
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: Dangerous Animals and Day
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:45:42 -0500
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Question:If you were doing research in the Amazon, what part of the day do the mostdangerous animals come out? day or night
Answer:The most dangerous animals are the biting flies including mosquitos andsandflies that carry malaria and leishmaniasis and other diseases. Dusk isthe worst time for exposure to these flies.
Re: Myriapods
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: Myriapods
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:45:22 -0500
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Question:I am amking a collection of different arthropods I found in the soil ordifferent flowers. When getting ready to pin these insects afterrelaxing them I saw that I had a myriapod in one of the jars. Becausethey were myriapods I could not find anything about how to pin them. Sowhat I did was that I glued the end of its body to a point and then Iglue the head also to a piont. Then I put the two points together in theform of a "V" and passed a pin through both points. This solved theproblem but it did not look very scientific. So could you please tell meof the scientific way to pin myriapods(millipedes and centipedes).
Answer:Dear Myriapod Collector:Myriapods should not be mounted on pins or allowed to air dry. The properway to preserve myriapods is in alcohol. Use 70 to 95% alcohol and a vialwith a stopper or cap that will not allow the alcohol to evaporate overtime. Be sure to include a label with all the collection data! Myriapodspecimens are studied by temporarily transferring them from their vials intowatch glasses and viewing them under a microscope.This method also applies to spiders, mites, centipedes, and some insects.Refer to Borror and DeLong's Textbook of Entomology for details.Hope this helps.Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re:
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:46:21 -0400
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Question:What is the most poisonious snake in the rainforest and what is thesmallest snake in the rainforest? Thank-you, Kyle, Mrs. Dexter's ScienceClass Hydesville School, Hydesville, Ca.
Answer:The most dangerous of the venomous tropical snakes is actually in rainforestregions would be the Russels Viper in SE Asia. It is not necessarily themost venomous but it bites many people and causes many deaths and hence isdangerous. In the South American region, the fer de lance and its relatives(they are essentially rattlesnakes without rattles) are the most dangerous.They are big, they are common and they have potent venoms. Probably othersnakes have more venomous characteristics, but they may not bite peoplebecause they are more secretive or less abudant. As to the smallest snake,it probably would one of dozens of species that feed on earth worms,spiders, or insects. The vine snake that feeds on tiny lizards is notnecessarily short, but it is extremely thin and only stretches its bodywhen it eats a lizard. Thanks for the question. tom fritts
Re: discoveries
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: discoveries
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:49:47 -0400
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Question:Has the team "discovered" any new species of animals.
Answer:I'm not sure whether this team has discovered new species, but new speciesare being discovered by many specialists working in the tropics. We oftenfind species which we can not identify and only can confirm them as newspecies after detailed study and comparisons with other specimens, byreading books, and talking with a large number of specialists. tom fritts
Re: Reptiles
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: Reptiles
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:52:31 -0400
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Question:In what layers of the rain forest can you find reptiles? What are themost common types of reptiles?
Answer:Reptiles occur at all levels of the forest but clearly most occur on theforest floor and on the trunks of trees where the most insects are.The most common reptiles are lizards that feed on insects. Snakes are muchrarer because they primarily feed on other vertebrates that are lessabundant than the insects that support lizard populations. Thanks for thequestion. tom fritts
Re: interaction
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re: interaction
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:58:14 -0400
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Question:Is there a lot of interaction between species in the rainforest?
Answer:With the greatest species abundance on earth, the Amazon is certainly aplace where species interactions are very great. You can imagine thoughthat distinct areas of the forest occur spatially and vertically, i.e.canopy species mostly interact with canopy species.; riverine species mostlyinteract with riverine ones. Also think about WHY species interact.Sometimes it is for food, shelter, reproduction and many many more reasons.
Re: PS 56 Queens N.Y. on rainforest
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: PS 56 Queens N.Y. on rainforest
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 01:53:34 -0400
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Question:About how much rainfall is in the rainforest in a year?
Answer:In the foothill with the Andes sometimes 2-3 meters a year. That is veryexceptional. In the lower elevations one meter is not too uncommon.....Question:How many species of snakes are there in the rainforest?
Answer:Snakes, we can have easely 30-40 species. It is hard to see and find most ofthem.....Question:What part of the Amazon do most of the indigenous tribes live?
Answer:In the low lands close to rivers, the rivers are the main highways...Question:How many species of trees are in the Amazon (or are there too many to count at this time?)
Answer:We do not realy know, but to give you an idea, in one hectare of forest wecan have up to 15o species, In North America we can have in the same areamaybe 20 max 30? so we need to study more to know that treasure we have...Thanks for your questions, come to visit us at the Smithsonian, and I hopeto see some of your student to join us in discovering new species andlearning more about the rainfores...Francisco Dallmeier
Re: Amazon River ..Rainy Season
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: Amazon River ..Rainy Season
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:54:26 -0500
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Question:How deep do the waters get in the Amazon river? How high -how many feet-doesthe river rise??Is "moving slow " part of the adaption of the sloth to the rainforesthabitat?
Answer:The Amazon starts off as a trickle in the Andes just inches deep. By thetime ,it reaches the Atlantic several thousand miles later it hits depths ofseveral hundred feet. Typicallly during the wet season the river can crest30 feet above its low water mark but this cycle varying according to whereyou are in the watershed.The slowness of the sloth is thought to be an adaptation reflecting the lowenergy content of its diet of leaves. the fact that the sloth grazes in thecanopy and is exposed to visual predators such as harpy eagles may favorslow deliberate movement.
Re: Live From Rainforest question
From: "Answer3"
Subject: Re: Live From Rainforest question
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:22:00 -0500
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Question:After a forest fire, how quickly do the plants grow back and has the damage ofpast fires been permanent? Please give examples.
Answer:After a fire vegetation grows back within about three years. Did yousee the cecropia tree that Rita showed in the television program.This often is one of the first trees to return. In three years it cangrow ten meters and form a closed canopy. The problem is that theforest that returns often lacks the original biological diversity of theprimary forest. The permanence of the damage depends on thesize of the area burned, in other words, did the fire destroy anentire species. Remember some species geographical rangeis only a few square kilometers.Fred Engle
Re:
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:57:15 -0500
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Question:Are the three toed sloths endangered? If they are, how could we help them?
Answer:Three-toed sloths are widespread geographically and do well in second-growthforest. they are not hunted for food or the pet trade so they are notendangered.
Re:
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:58:16 -0400
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Question:I've read that Anacondas are the largest snake in the world but Kyle saysthat it is the reticulated python.
Answer:Actually you are both close to correct. The world's record for largestsnake is a tie between the anaconda from S. America and the Indian python inAsia. If I recall correctly, the record is reportedly around 32 feet.Thanks for wondering. tom fritts
Re:
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re:
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 01:59:49 -0400
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Question:>WHAT'S THE MOST POISONOUS SNAKE IN THE RAINFOREST?
AnswerThe bush master and coral snakes are among the most poisonous snakesQuestion:>HOW MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ANIMALS ARE IN THE RAINFOREST?
Answer:>Thousands.....Question:>CAN SHARKS LIVE IN THE AMAZON?
Answer:No, only in the coastal areas of BrazilQuestion:HOW MANY TRIBES LIVE IN THE RAINFOREST?
Answer:Several hundredQuestion:WHAT ANIMAL IS THE MOST ENDANGERED?
Answer:Many birds, monkeys, and frogsQuestion:HOW MANY MILES IS THE RAINFOREST FROM DETROIT, MI?
Answer:Maybe 5-6000Question:HOW MANY BIRDS ARE IN THE RAINFOREST?
Answer:Hundreds of speciesQuestion:HOW MANY ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE IN THE RAINFOREST?
Answer:Hundreds
Re: Hummingbirds
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Hummingbirds
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 02:01:14 -0400
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Question:How many species of hummingbirds live in the rainforest?
Answer:SEVERAL DOZENS
Re: destruction
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re: destruction
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:02:49 -0500
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Question:Once a part of the rainforest is cut down,can it naturally grow back?If so,about how long would it take for the part cut down to grow back?
Answer:
The answer depends on the extent of the clearing and the type of soil,.Small clearings on average soils, for example at the scale of a gardengrowback quickly with pioneer trees reaching heights of 30-50 feet within a fewyears. Extensive clearcuts or clearing on sterile white sand soils may takecenturies to re-establish mature vegetation. Leaving a few trees thatbirds and bats uses as perches increases the seed rain and the rate ofreforestation.
Re: question
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: question
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:02:15 -0400
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Question: Why do Bufa-marinas have those large pouches on the side of theirheads?Also about how many types of frogs are there in the rainforest?
Answer:Actually the pouches are part of the vocal mechanism. They are resonatingstructures that help boost the sound that the males make to attract femalesto the breeding ponds. Often the call of Bufo marianas can be heard fromhundreds of yards away -- by female frogs and by frog scientists. Thanksfor the question. tom fritts
Re: temperature
From: "Answer3"
Subject: Re: temperature
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:28:25 -0500
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Question:How hot can it get in some parts of the rainforest?
Answer:Surprisingly it's not as hot as many people imagine Inside theforest, below the thick canopy it remains relatively cool during theday, perhaps reaching the low 80's (degrees Fahrenheit). At thesame time, for example in the city of Manuas at mid-day, under thehot, direct tropical sun, it can easily reach 100. At night the forestis cool, perhaps in the mid-70's. Sometimes you need a sweatshirt,particularly when cold fronts, known as friagens, roar up out of theAntarctic.
Re:
From: "Answer5"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:04:01 -0500
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Question:What does a Capuchin Monkey eat the most of?
Answer:Capuchins eat a lot of insects and other arthropods as well as some fruit.
Re: Plant growth
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Plant growth
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 02:05:16 -0400
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Question:On average, how fast does the rain forest grow during the rainy season?
Answer:Many plants grow very slow if the light is limited. If the lighr and rain isappropriate they can growth several milimiters in diameter a year
Re: Ants
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: Ants
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:05:33 -0500
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Question:How much weight could one ant carry, compared to its own weight?
Answer:
That's a good question, and one I can't give you an accurate answer tooffhand. I would guess that an ant can carry about twenty times its ownweight, but I could be way off. How about if I get back to you on the
internet site with a more accurate answer?Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re: Plant size
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Plant size
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 02:07:23 -0400
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Question:What is the largest plant species [by size] in the rain forest?
Answer:Many large ones, the fig trees can be expectacular
Re: frogs
From: "Answer6"
Subject: Re: frogs
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:08:04 -0400
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Question:Does the poison tree frog have any predators?
Answer:Very few animal could eat a poison arrow frog, but I'm sure that somesnakes or birds can handle them. Often animals specialized in feeding onprey that are toxic have special enzymes which neutralize the toxic effects.For example, hognose snakes feed on toads. They have enlarged adrenalglands that apparently digest the toxin from the toads. Probably somesnakes can do the same with poison arrow toxins, but I doubt that manyspecies can do this. Thanks for the question. Tom Fritts
Re: Endangered Species
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Endangered Species
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 02:08:36 -0400
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Question:What species are most critical on the endangered species?
Answer:Many birds, insects as butterflies, and also monkeys...
Re: fires
From: "Answer3"
Subject: Re: fires
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:33:49 -0500
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Question:How much impact have the recent fires had on the rainforests?
Answer:The recent fires are limited to the state of Roraima, the northernmoststate of Brasil. Because much of the state lies north of the equatorthe state has been having its winter dry season. The fires, thoughlarge and intense on the state level, have not extended acrossAmazonia - yet. Now that fall has arrived in Amazonia south of theequator the dry season is beginning there. It's thought that the firesin Roraima have been intensified by El Nino conditions (a dry seasondrier than normal). If El Nino persists and conditions are drier thannormal in the rest of Amazonia, this year's dry season could bevery bad for the forests.
Re: Eels
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Eels
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 02:10:40 -0400
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Question:How do the eels produce the electricity? Can it be measured? How doesit compare to a small battery?
Answer:Through their nervous system. They can be compare to a very large batterieor small generator. The big ones can get you in a comma...
Re: ants and fungus
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: ants and fungus
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:12:11 -0500
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Question:What kind of fungus do the ants in Amazon use to feed the aphids whichthey stroke for food? Are there several kinds and what are they?Nick Serluco asks what species of ants are in the rainforest? Arethere many?
Answer:Some ants tend aphids. Other ants grow fungus. But they are not the samespecies of ants. The ants that tend aphids do not eat fungus, nor do theyfeed it to aphids. Aphids feed on plant juices while the ants watch overand protect them. The ants obtain sugary secretions from the aphids inreturn.Fungus-growing ants don't tend aphids, but they do carefully tend fungusgardens. We now know that their fungi are basidomycetes (mushroom fungi) inthe family Lepiotaceae (the parasol mushrooms).There are 9,000 described species of ants, and there are probably another10,000 or more that haven't been discovered yet. The great majority ofthose species live in the rain forest, though I can't give you an accuratenumber. I would guess something like two-thirds to three-fourths of thosespecies are tropical.Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re: Amazon question
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Amazon question
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 02:16:26 -0400
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Question:Why is the rain forest beingtorn up when it is such an awesome part of this planet? What is Cinchona(SP?) I read about it in my computer game, Amazon Trail. Thank you. Mitch
Answer:THE RAINFOREST IS BEING SDESTROYED BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE THATNEED TO GENERATE FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY DO NOT MANY OTHER WAYS TODO IT BUT BY FARMING IN THAT VERY FRAGIL LAND. i BELIEVE CINCHONA IS RELATEDTO SOME PLAN SPECIES. STUDY HARD AND JOIN US SOMEDAY TO EXPLORE, STUDY ANDSAVE THIS PRECIOUS TREASURE THAT IS THE RAIN FORESTSTOP BY THE SMITHSONIAN TO VISIT ME NEXT TIME YOU COME TO WASHINGTON. HAVE AGREAT SUMMER!FRANCISCO DALLMEIER>
Re:
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:19:05 -0500
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Question:IS THERE A SPECIAL THINGS ABOUT ANTS?
Answer:There are many special things about ants, too many to list here. There are9,000 described species and probably 10,000 more that haven't beendiscovered yet. Ants are responsible for turning over the soil in thetropics. They interact with plants and other animals. In one place inAfrica, there are 20 million ants per hectare, and that's probably typical.All ants are social. That means that they have colonies of workers that allcooperate to raise up their sisters, who are daughters of their mother, thequeen. Some ants keep aphids like "cattle"; others farm fungus gardens.Ants live everywhere. If a creature from space visited planet earth, itmight think ants were the main creatures on the planet and ignore thehumans!Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re: ants
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: ants
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:23:46 -0500
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Question:We are want to know what the biggest population of ants is ? What kind ofant is the biggest?
Answer:Leaf-cutter ants can have as many as 8 million workers in a nest. Someresearchers have said that army ants can have as many as 15 to 20 millionworkers! The largest ant is called Paraponera clavata. It lives in SouthAmerica, is a couple of inches long, and packs a mean sting. Anotherequally large ant is Camponotus gigas from Asia.Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re: Ants
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: Ants
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:25:46 -0500
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Question:What is the largest ant ever measured?
Answer:The largest ants are Paraponera clavata from South America (a couple ofinches long with a mean sting) and Camponotus gigas from Asia (no sting).Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re: Ants
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: Ants
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:30:20 -0500
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Question:Do the different species of ants fight with each other? Or does each mark offtheir own territories?
Answer:Different species of ants as well as different colonies of the same specieswill on occasion fight with each other over territory. However, this is anevolutionarily wasteful strategy (especially for the loser!) so ants haveevolved a variety of ways of avoiding each other and assessing each othersstrength without fighting so that they can "voluntarily" space themselvesout in the environment. Yes, they do mark their territories with scents andare able to recognize other colonies of their species and avoid them.Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re: fires
From: "Answer3"
Subject: Re: fires
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:55:44 -0500
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Question:How much impact have the recent fires had on the rainforests?
Answer:the recent fires had a huge impact on the rainforests. however, not all ofthe impact is negative (in the long-run anyway) while there wasdestruction, the fires do allow for regrowth and regeneration, andeventually adaption and diversity. fires occur naturally in the rainforests when there are unnatually dry conditions.
Re: Information
From: "Answer7"
Subject: Re: Information
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:32:17 -0500
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Question: What the American Scientist have made for be joint to the BrazilianScientist, with the objetive to discover the Amazon Technological Biovatiety and your archeological process.
Answer:All investigators working in Brazil have done their research jointly withBrazilian biology scientists. In the archaeological area work has beendeveloped jointly with Brazilians, thus, more precise time table andprehistoric cultures are better defined. Much more work needs to be done,and it is clear so far that somo modern technologies can be traced sinceancient times.Abelardo Sandoval
Re: Insects
From: "Answer8"
Subject: Re: Insects
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:37:13 -0500
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Question:What is the largest insect in the rain forest? What is the most commontype of insect? What type is represented by the most species?
Answer:The largest insect in the rain forest in terms of length and breadth mightbe some kinds of moths or butterflies with wingspans approaching 12 inches.The heaviest might be certain beetles whose leg-spans are larger than dinnerplates. The longest might be walking sticks that are a foot long or longer.The most common type of insect are ants. They are everywhere in thetropics, in the ground, in trees, in plants. One place in Africa had 7,000ant colonies and 20 million individuals per hectare. There are 9,000 knownspecies of ants and another 10,000 or so yet to be discovered.The group with the most species depends on what taxonomic level you'retalking about. At the level of insect orders, there are more beetles thanany other order. But flies and Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps) have nearlyas many species.Ted SchultzResearch EntomologistSmithsonian Institution
Re: Trees
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re: Trees
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:43:10 -0400
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Question:We are wondering what is the largest, and the oldest tree in the AmazonRainforest?
Answer:Some of the trees in the Rain Forest reach a hundred years old, but muchresearch needs to be done there to really have an accurate inventory of allthe trees. Maybe you will be the botanists who will find the absoluteoldest!
Re:
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:49:05 -0400
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Question:If all the tropical rainforests were cut down, how do you think peoplewould be affected all around the world?
Answer:There would be many, many repercussions from such devastation! We currentlythink that rain forests are key to our climate so we could predict a majorchange in temperature and rainfall if they were cleared. Local impactswould be seen in loss of food and fuelwood; loss of forest animals andplants and loss of the quality of life. Nationally and internationally, theloss of the rain forest would take away certain foods and products frompeople living thousands of miles away.
Re: Amazon question
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: Amazon question
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 02:44:54 -0400
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Question: Hi, my name is Mitch and I am 7 years old. Why is the rain forest beingtorn up when it is such an awesome part of this planet? What is Cinchona(SP?) I read about it in my computer game, Amazon Trail. Thank you. Mitch
Answer:The rainforest is sometimes torn up by peoples who feel they could earn moremoney by putting the land to other uses such as cattle farming andagriculture. While people can and sometimes do live in harmony with theplants and animals in the rainforest, it is often not economical for them todo so. What is needed is a change in the economy to value the rainforestmore for it being intact than torn up. this is a very good and timelyquestion. the economics of the rainforest is often as important as thebiology, and it is something that will be focused on more and more in thefuture.best wishes,kim nicholsbiodiversity programsChinchona sp. is a species of quinine, a introduced plant that is invasiveto rainforests. this means that the quinine plant is not normally found inrainforests, but at some point someone introduced quinine (Chinchona sp.)and it has now taken over. these kinds of introduced species can often bevery harmful to the native species becuase they out-compete them for thesame species.best wishes,kim nicholsbiodiversity programs
Re:
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:59:06 -0400
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Question:>Francisco Dallmeier, Tropical Ecology>Fred Engle, Measuring Tropical Deforestation though satellite imaging and>"ground-truthing">Adrian Forsyth, Tropical ecology, specializing in entomology (and co-author>of the wonderful book, "Tropical Nature", referenced in the LFRF Teacher's>Guide.)>Tom Fritts, Amphibians and Reptiles (special interest in Galapagos Turtles>and Brown Tree Snakes)>Tom Lovejoy, Conservation Biologist and Counselor to the Secretary (of the>Smithsonian) for Biodiversity and Environmental Affairs (see "TEAMS"Homefront)>Abelardo Sandoval, Bio-cultural diversity of the tropical rainforests>(who's prepared to take questions in Spanish as well as English)>Ted Schultz, Ants, especially fungus-growing ants>Marsha Sitnik, Director, Biodiversity Programs>Kim Nichols, Education and Outreach, Biodiversity Programs>>>A BIG THANK-YOU FROM OUR CLASS! MRS. DEXTER'S SCIENCE CLASS, HYDESVILLESCHOOL
Answer:You are very welcome! We all really enjoyed your questions. Keep up theinterest and concern for biology and the environment. Best regards, MarshaSitnik
Re: New SPecies
From: "Answer2"
Subject: Re: New SPecies
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 15:04:50 -0400
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Question:How many new species do you find in a year?
Answer:While I don't have the exact number in my mind, I can tell you that it is avery rare occurrence to find a new mammal, bird, fish, or amphibian. It isnot rare to find new terrestrial invertebrates or marine or freshwaterinvertebrates. The World Resources Institute publishes a resource annualthat probably can tell you. I would guess that hundreds of new species ofinvertebrates are found annually and only one or two vertebrates are found ayear.
Re: question about rainforest
From: "Answer4"
Subject: Re: question about rainforest
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 03:02:01 -0400
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Question:IS Mosquitoes everywhere in the rainforest.Once cut down can therainforest grow again. How tall does the trees grow in the rainforest.
Answer:No, there are not mosquitos everywhere in the rainforest. Mosquitos needstanding water in order to hatch from their eggs. In areas of therainforest where there is standing water, mosquitos will breed, but if thereare not areas of standing water they won't. Where this standing water alsochanges all the time. An area with lots of mosquitos one year, may not haveany the next year. Rainforests are continually changing. This also meansthat once cut down they can grow again, but the new species will bedifferent than the ones that were previously there. Regeneration (theprocess of regrowth) takes a long time and involes many stages of succession(new groups of species). For example, a newly cut down area may first growgrass, then shrubs then trees. Trees grow very tall in the rainforest andscientists are currently studying that. The very tops of the rainforest areamong the least-studied places on earth. That is why rainforest biology isvery important. Some of the largest trees are well over 100 ft.Thanks for your excellent question.best wishes,
