Write the summary of Human Environment Interactions The Tropical and the Subtropical Region.
Answers
Explanation:
Life in the Amazon Basin
The tropical region, which lies very close to the equator is referred to as the equatorial region. The place where a river flows into another body of water is called the river’s mouth. Numerous tributaries join the Amazon River to form the Amazon basin. The river basin drains portions of Brazil, parts of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Columbia and a small part of Venezuela.
Climate
The Amazon Basin stretches directly on the equator and is characterized by hot and wet climate throughout the year. The day temperatures are high with very high humidity. At night the temperature goes down but the humidity remains high.
Rainforests
The forests of Amazon are thick and dense that does not even allow the sunlight to reach the ground. Orchids, bromeliads grow as plant parasites. The rainforest is rich in fauna. Birds such as toucans, hummingbirds, bird of paradise, oversized bills, etc. Animals like monkeys, sloth and ant-eating tapirs are found here. Various species of reptiles and snakes also thrive in these jungles. Crocodiles, snakes, pythons, anaconda and boa constrictor are some of the species. Besides, the basin is home to thousands of species of insects. Several species of fish including the flesh-eating Piranha fish are also found in the river.
People of the Rainforests.
People grow their food in small areas after clearing some trees in the forest. Men hunt and fish along the rivers and women take care of the crops. They mainly grow tapioca, pineapple and sweet potato. They practice “slash and burn agriculture”. The staple food is manioc, also known as cassava that grows under the ground like the potato. They also eat queen ants and egg sacs.
Cash crops like coffee, maize and cocoa are also grown. The rainforests provide a lot of wood for the houses. Some families live in thatched houses shaped like beehives. There are other large apartment-like houses called “Maloca” with a steeply slanting roof.
In the olden days, the heart of the forest could be reached only by navigating the river. In 1970 the Trans Amazon highway made all parts of the rainforest accessible. Aircraft and helicopters are also used for reaching various places.
The indigenous population settled in new areas where they continued to practice their distinctive way of farming. The developmental activities are leading to the gradual destruction of the biologically diverse rainforests. It is estimated that a large area of the rainforest has been disappearing annually in the Amazon basin.