Tropical Rainforests vs Tropical Grasslands
Discussion
Based on the data at Tables 4c.2 and 4c.3, it is evident that the tropical rainforest has higher species richness than the tropical grassland ecosystem. However, when based in the indices on Diversity, Similarity and Dominance in the tropical grassland and tropical rainforest data, the Simpson Indices favor the data for the tropical rainforest as more diverse than the tropical grassland. The Simpson Indices, as defined in Cuevas et. al (2012), is based on dominance and as the number of dominant species in a community are few, the species has low diversity. The tropical rainforest ecosystem showed a higher index of dominance than the tropical rainforest resulting to the higher values it obtained in the Simpson Indices of Similarity and Evenness. This means that most of the dominant organisms present in the grassland are quite similar and the same due to the higher Simpson Indices on Equitability and Diversity while it is a different case for the forest. First, we need to identify the forest study site as a secondary or primary growth type. From the tables of species richness and number of species seen in an area, we can deduce that the forest study site is a secondary growth forest. Secondary growth forests are products of secondary succession. Secondary succession, as described in Campbell (1996), is the type of succession that occurs when the soil is intact and accommodates a considerable amount of nutrients that can support life. This succession is primarily dependent on the pioneer species (e.g mosses, weeds and etc.) which tends the soil from its lifeless state. Since pioneer species are mostly small and more adaptable to the harsh environment, we can say that the organisms or individuals present in the forest study site are products of secondary succession. A primary growth tropical rainforest, in turn, has the following characteristics: a barren soil, presence of few organisms that can flourish at extreme conditions (pioneer organisms) and
Based on the data at Tables 4c.2 and 4c.3, it is evident that the tropical rainforest has higher species richness than the tropical grassland ecosystem. However, when based in the indices on Diversity, Similarity and Dominance in the tropical grassland and tropical rainforest data, the Simpson Indices favor the data for the tropical rainforest as more diverse than the tropical grassland. The Simpson Indices, as defined in Cuevas et. al (2012), is based on dominance and as the number of dominant species in a community are few, the species has low diversity. The tropical rainforest ecosystem showed a higher index of dominance than the tropical rainforest resulting to the higher values it obtained in the Simpson Indices of Similarity and Evenness. This means that most of the dominant organisms present in the grassland are quite similar and the same due to the higher Simpson Indices on Equitability and Diversity while it is a different case for the forest. First, we need to identify the forest study site as a secondary or primary growth type. From the tables of species richness and number of species seen in an area, we can deduce that the forest study site is a secondary growth forest. Secondary growth forests are products of secondary succession. Secondary succession, as described in Campbell (1996), is the type of succession that occurs when the soil is intact and accommodates a considerable amount of nutrients that can support life. This succession is primarily dependent on the pioneer species (e.g mosses, weeds and etc.) which tends the soil from its lifeless state. Since pioneer species are mostly small and more adaptable to the harsh environment, we can say that the organisms or individuals present in the forest study site are products of secondary succession. A primary growth tropical rainforest, in turn, has the following characteristics: a barren soil, presence of few organisms that can flourish at extreme conditions (pioneer organisms) and