8. A sample of soil can be taken in each stop so then the presence of fages could be analyzed. In the test tube write details like humidity, pH, temperature, and wind’s velocity
11. Lay a measure tape along the ground in a straight line between two poles as a guide to a sampling method used to measure the distribution of organisms (from 0 to 50 meters).
14. Using a quadrant, measure the percents of abiotic and biotic factors inside the box.
15. Other group will examine the effect of salt spray on the plant community progressing from the coast line to the forested areas
16. Also will determine the distribution and frequency of a specific plant ( Agave).
17. They will locate a population of their plants and then measure the distribution of their plant in the area.
18.
19.
20. Results of Line transect of Group #3MeterPercentObjects1m--5m--10m83% 17% grass plant15m67% 33% grass cotton20m57% 13% 7% 3% grass rock plant( orange)seashell25m100% grass30m92% 8% grass rock35m15% 68%17% Rock burnt grass plant (red)40m63%28%9% dry grass plant rock(white)45m40%12%24%24% grass seashells soil(red)rock50m40% 27%14%7%12% grass plantdead vegetation ants seashells
21. Results of Belt Transect of Group 3MeterPercent and object5m98% grey dirt (quicksand) 2% spider10m50% rock 50% quicksand15m5% cotton75% rock 19% plants (small)1% sea shell20m80% black rock3% sea shell17% plant(orange)25m100% grass30m85% grass 15% rock35m50% grass 50% rock40m95% rock 5% ants45m75% grass 5% ants 20% red soil50m97% rock 3% leaf
![University of Puerto Rico at Cayey<br />Rise Program<br />Dr. Edwin Vazquez<br />Report on El Yunque National Rainforest and The Guánica Dry Forest<br />Group #2<br />BIOL 3009<br />Session 1300<br />July 10, 2011<br />,[object Object],Introduction<br />Living in an island relatively small can have a different perspective about what are distances. In Puerto Rico running from side to side, for example from Fajardo to Mayaguez, can last about 4 hours driving a car. It might be raining in the north while in the south might be warm. Because of this we have evidence that a small region can have a diversity of ecosystems. To learn more about our natural resources, we entered two Puerto Rican ecosystems that differ from many essential features: El Yunque National Rainforest and Guanica Dry Forest. While visiting those places, several tests were made. In the Tropical Rainforest, the soil was the matter studied, while in the dry forest Floral ecosystem. This report discusses diferences between the adaptations of the plants in each bioma, exposes all the data taken, and also offers several graphics.<br />Discussion: Adaptations of flora in El Yunque National Rainforest<br />Since El Yunque is a tropical forest, there are many environmental factors that affect the growth and development of flora in this area, such as the climate, the temperature, the minerals in the soil, the fauna, the distribution of water, between others. Because of the effect of these factors, plants have made several noticeable adaptations to survive in this ecosystem. <br />Ever since we got on our first stop in El Yunque, we were able to see some of those adaptations. One of them was the symbiotic relationship of the Cadam’s tree roots with the fungal microorganism Myccorrhiza so that they would both help each other to survive by interchanging food and protection by the means of resistance to toxicity. Other adaptations were the Caoba’s tree resistance to mite, the ability of Yagrumo’s stem to float and proliferate, the Bamboo’s ability to dominate a specific area by modifying the soil, capturing all the sunlight and, therefore, keeping other plants species from growing beneath them. We also saw an interesting adaptation of bromeliad, which was a type of epiphyte, and which had a dimorphism adaptation, meaning that it had 2 ways of growing in the same tree according to the stage of growth on which it was. These 2 ways of growth were the phototropic growth, which is in direction to sunlight, and the geotropic growth, which is in direction to the soil. We were also able to see the special adjustment of the big trees’ roots to the unstable and rocky-bottomed soil of the forest by growing perpendicular to the soil. Also on the big trees, we could see that their leaves were adapted to the weather by being big and wide, a trait that allows them to eliminate excess water and to capture more sunlight for photosynthesis. In terms of the Sierra Palms, they have a special stabilizing root system which allows them to live in unstable and saturated soils. We were also able to observe one of the most amazing adaptations of plants in the forest: the adventitious roots, which are roots that do not form in the radical of the embryo, but on any other part of the plant, mostly in the stems. This allows the plant to climb or to extend on the soil’s surface, reproducing more easily and reaching for sunlight to complete photosynthesis. <br />In conclusion, the flora of El Yunque has evolved very specifically to reach the survival requirements of this ecosystem. <br />Discussion: Adaptations of flora in Guánica Dry Forest<br />The extreme conditions in Guánica Dry Forest limit greatly the growth of flora in this ecosystem. The scarceness of water, the high salt concentration, the action of strong winds, the recurrent fires, and the presence of so few nutrients in the soil are some of the factors that restrict the normal development of plants in this area and that promote the improvement of adaptations in the plants. <br />Since the beginning of our tour in the dry forest, we started observing that the plants of the area were very different from those of El Yunque or even from Cayey, so we inferred that they had special adaptations to survive in this extreme weather. One of the first plants that we found was the mangrove, which leaves were very little, as most of the other tree’s leaves in the dry forest. This adaptation allows them to retain water by avoiding transpiration. The mangrove also has a special adaptation to secrete the salt of his inside by means of his leaves, as if it sweated, and therefore, this allows it to maintain a balance on salt concentration and to not dehydrate. The most evident adapted plants of this area are the succulents and cactus which make a water and nutrient reserve inside their leaves, their thorns and their stems. This helps them to survive the drought times and to preserve their energy sources safely. Due to the dryness, the salt concentration and the high temperature of the area, another obvious adaptation arises on the height of most of the trees, which keep a short to medium height in order to preserve their nutrients and energy. <br />In conclusion, all of these vegetation species vary in their adaptations, but they all use them to survive in the hostile conditions of this extraordinaire environment. <br /> In this journey Yunque wanted to accomplish many things but the most comprehensive besides going to take soil samples, pH, humidity, altitude, and etc. Was to reach the top of this.<br />Methodology <br />I. Methodology for Soil analysis of El Yunque National Rainforest:<br />,[object Object]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/reportofguanicaandyunque-110819171511-phpapp02/85/Report-of-guanica-and-yunque-1-320.jpg)
