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18. Differents types of forest in Cambodia |
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Tonle Sap: Source of Lives
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Mangrove (Prey Moat Prek) This type of forest is located on the coast of the Gulf of Siam in the southwest of the country. It grows in the mud between the sea and the land, and is composed of plants adapted to the environment in which they live. For example, some species have very long roots which fix them to the ground. Some species have long stems attached to the roots, which float and pass on oxygen to the roots. Otherwise, the undergrowth is very poor. The mangrove provides a lot of construction material and firewood. It's also a rich ecological environment in which migratory birds find shelter. Conifer forests (Pinus merkusii) These pine forests mainly grow on the Kiriom plateau. The trees reach more than 20 meters in height with a diameter of between 50 and 60 centimeters. Deciduous forests This type of forest grows in more or less shallow soils, or soils which don't retain water. The height of the trees depends on the depth of the soil: the deeper the soil, the higher the trees. The undergrowth has many types of bush, and herbaceous vegetation accounts for almost 50% of all species in the forest. It's mostly plants with underground roots adapted to dry soil conditions which also provide protection from fire. During the dry season the great majority of the trees and bushes lose their leaves around February and blossom in April. For plants, the months of December, January and February are a time of rest then they flower in May and June. At the end of the dry season, farmers light fires in the forest to help the plant species grazed by cattle grow again. Therefore the plants don't get a chance to develop more tightly packed vegetation. Like the tropical rainforest, the deciduous forest offers many resources for local inhabitants. |
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The bamboo forest (Russey Khley) The bamboo forest is the result of the degradation of the tropical rainforest by humans. It is therefore a secondary formation with a limited number of species. Bamboo normally grows underneath tall trees. When the trees are cut down, the bamboo gets the sun and spreads fast. If the forest was not artifically exploited, it would progressively return to its original biodiversity as a dense forest. Bamboo is used as floaters for houses built on the lake and for fishing traps. The tropical rainforest This type of forest grows in areas where the dry season is very short or non-existant and mostly in very rainy areas like at the base of high mountains. In Cambodia it grows in the southwest, in very deep soils. It's composed of highly varied plants and the trees are often more than 30 meters high. The undergrowth is very rich in trees and bushes like palm trees, canes and creepers. Many plants are fixed to the trunk or branches of trees, such as orchids, ficus and ferns. The leaves are constantly renewed, which gives the forest an evergreen appearance. The tropical rainforest is exploited for its abundance of wood, which is used as construction material to make boats, houses and fish traps. The tropical rainforest: a great biodiversity Almost 80% of all foliage is found in the camopy, capturing the most energy from the sun. Flowers and fruit also grow here. As for fauna, it's mostly insects. But below, in the humid shadows, live monkeys. Humidity is high. Leaves falling from above provide nourishing compost for plants below. In the undergrowth, small trees compete with creepers for sunlight.
Animals like squirrels, lizards and frogs move from tree to tree without
venturing to the ground. |
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