Faces march 2024

They “start at the top,” and don’t mess around growing from the soil on the forest floor.• Taking advantage of the greater sunlight, air, and water in the treetops, the sapling quickly g

FORESTS

MARCH 2024

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MYSTERY PHOTO

Do you know what this is?

About the Cover

Forests are important to life on our planet

About 80% of all plant and animal life live

in forests

MISTERDIN/Shutterstock.com

BOARD OF ADVISORS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF GEOGRAPHY, CO-COORDINATOR TEXAS ALLIANCE FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

Sarah Witham Bednar

DIRECTOR (RETIRED), CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES OFFICE, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Carol Johnson Shedd

PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION REFORM, 21ST CENTURY CHAIR IN TEACHER QUALITY, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Sandra Stotsky

DIRECTOR, AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER OUTREACH PROGRAM AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Barbara Brown

CO-COORDINATOR, ARIZONA GEOGRAPHIC ALLIANCE,

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

Gale Ekiss

See page 48 for the answer.

➜

EDITOR Elizabeth Crooker

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Nicole Welch

DESIGNER arrison ugron

SVP EDUCATION PRODUCTS Laura Woodside

DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION Barb lendenen

PERMISSIONS SPECIALIST Christine Voboril

ASSISTANT EDITOR ayley im

WISECRACKS AND WITTICISMS Colin Draun

Check out our

online teacher’s guides at

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by Marcia Amidon Lusted

Lord of the Forest

S ome forests are peaceful Others are enchanted

Many are in danger What makes a forest a forest? Read on to find out Here are five fascinating facts

to get you started.

2

HIGH FIVE

Established in 1914, New

Hampshire’s White Mountain

National Forest covers more

than 800,000 acres

1 orests are c assified into t ree different

t es orea forest a so no n as taiga is ocated t e fart est nort and e eriences ong co d inters tro ica forest e ists a ong t e e ator and as ig tem erat res and ong gro ing seasons

tem erate forest goes t ro g fo r distinct seasons so t e tem erat res ct ate

t ro g o t t e ear.

2 ne of t e most t reatened anima s on

t e anet is an ante o e ca ed t e sao a

(Pseudoryx nghetinhensis co sin to t e

co it is fo nd on in t e o and forests of t e nnamite o ntains in aos and ietnam o g

it as t o orns t e sao a is often ca ed t e sian nicorn eca se it is so rare cientists estimate

t at t ere ma e on individ a s a ive

3 ore t an of o r medicines come

from rainforest ants t e ave on

e ored of t e ants avai a e

edicines a so come from rainforest anima

so rces s c as green a gae from a s ot s ac sed to treat cancer and ma aria and sna e venom for ig ood ress re.

4 e a t e of sea eed can gro to

feet ong imi ar to a conifero s forest t at

is made of dense ac ed cone earing trees a e forest is made of dense ac ed e fronds ic gro in co d ocean aters iant

e is t e most common t e and t e argest sea eed on art

ed oods ive onger t an an ot er tree

s a from to ears e

o dest iving se oia is ca ed t e enera erman t stands feet ta from its ase to its to and eig s mi ion o nds.

3

In-tree-guing.

AT A GLANCE

Leaves turn sunlight into food and seeds help create new trees The leaves and seeds look different depending on the species of tree.

5

Life Cycle

In the dark Amazon forest, plants fight for light The strangler fig is one of the best competitors in the rainforest Read on

• Sticky strangler fig seeds are dropped by birds and fall into cracks

of a host tree’s bark in the treetops They “start at the top,” and don’t mess around growing from the soil

on the forest floor

• Taking advantage of the greater sunlight, air, and water in the treetops, the sapling quickly grows

STRANGLER FIG BRINGS LIFE AND DEATH TO THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

by Patty Claudio

he Amazon Rainforest in South America

is one of the most important forests in the world, and fig trees are one of the most important species in tropical rainforests Of the 150 fig species in the Amazon, one

of the most successful survivors is the strangler fig

If you’re thinking this species sounds a little scary,

you’re not wrong In Peru, strangler figs are called

matapalos (tree killers).

FUN FACTS

» Another name for strangler figs is banyan trees indus consider them sacred because the Buddha once meditated beneath one

7

wasp benefit The wasps are about two millimeters long, and enter at the bottom of the fig fruit Once inside, they pollinate the flowers and also reproduce Without these special wasps, there would be no seeds

And without the figs, there would be

no wasps

Ecological Importance

Although they cause death to the host tree, strangler figs also provide life to many other animals in the rainforest

The nooks and crannies in its hollow trunk provide important habitat to insects, rodents, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and birds

Many scientists consider strangler figs a keystone species, an organism that helps hold a system together

This is because figs bear fruit several times a year Different species of figs fruit at different times so there is always a supply of food for various animals, even if other food is scarce

And once herbivores eat fruit, they become prey for predators in the

• Some leaves and branches reach

upward toward the light Other “aerial

roots” travel downward toward the soil

• As they grow downward, the roots

of the strangler fig wrap themselves

around the host tree They form a

criss-cross frame that completely surrounds

the host’s trunk

• Once the roots reach the ground,

the strangler steals the nutrients and

moisture that the host tree depended

upon for its survival

• Meanwhile, at the top of the tree,

the strangler fig’s own leaves spread

upward, overshadowing the host’s

crown The fig’s leaves take all of the

life-giving sunlight

• The host tree dies

• The strangler fig is now large and

strong enough to stand on its own Its

hollow trunk is the only clue that there

was ever a host tree

A Fig Is Born

If you think that being a destructive

parasite that kills its host is unusual,

things are about to get even weirder

Many fig species have a symbiotic

relationship with a tiny pollinator wasp

That means that both the fig tree and

rainforest food web

There are two other positive characteristics of the fig First, the species seems to be maintaining stable populations So, the International Union for Conservation (IUCN) does not list it

as being threatened or endangered Secondly, strangler figs anchor their host trees during tropical cyclones Thus, the killer fig can also act as a bodyguard

Though some of the strangler fig’s survival strategies are shady

by human standards, it is one of the most extraordinary and successful trees found in the forests

of South America

Banyan trees are considered sacred by those who follow the Hindu faith.

e roots of a strang er fig create

a criss-cross frame around its host

tree’s trunk

By Kathy Rembisz

trees meet and form a shade, must cover at least 10 percent of the land below

In comparison, woods refer to an area of land covered by growing trees, but it is smaller than a forest This space does not have to meet the same requirements as a forest However, it can also have critters that inhabit the space A forest

It is not unusual that the words

“forest” and “woods” are often swapped, either in conversation or

in writing Although the two areas are similar in some ways, they have distinct differences For instance, a forest is at least 1.24 acres in size In

a forest, the trees are at least 16 feet tall The tree canopy, which is the layer overhead where the tops of

forest is a fascinating place, filled with trees and a variety

of interesting creatures, too

It is a mysterious spot, a land all its own, and it offers the potential for exciting adventures But what exactly makes a forest a forest?

FOREST LAYERS

Hiking is a popular

way to spend time

in the forest

organisms Above the floor is the understory layer, located under the leaves but above the ground This layer may be damp, and plants here adapt to living in shady conditions The canopy layer of the forest is the area where the tree tops meet, forming a thick overhead curtain Just above the canopy is the emergent layer Here, gigantic trees poke out

generally has a thicker canopy cover,

while the density of trees in the woods

is sparser In many ways woods are a

miniature version of a forest

Different varieties of forests exist

throughout the world They fall into

the categories of boreal, temperature,

and tropical

A boreal forest, also known as

taiga, is located the farthest north and

experiences long, cold winters Boreal

forests span eight countries: Canada,

China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Russia,

Sweden, and the United States

In contrast to a boreal forest, a

tropical forest exists along the

equator and has high temperatures

and long growing seasons Tropical

forests can be found in Central and

South America, western and central

Africa, western India, southeast Asia,

Australia, and the island of New

Guinea The rainforest falls into the

category of a tropical forest

Finally, a temperate forest goes

through four distinct seasons, so the temperatures fluctuate throughout the year They exist in eastern North America, northeast Asia, and central and western Europe

Regardless of the type of forest or its geographical location, a forest is comprised of several layers First, there is the forest floor, a thick, rich carpet of soil, fungi, insects, and

The forest in the Oulanka National Park in Finland is an example of a boreal forest.

Tropical forests can be found in Southeast Asia

A walk in the woods? If it’s more than 1.24 acres in size with trees at least 16 feet fall, it’s a walk in the forest

A poplar place for a hike.

In the temperate forest, you may encounter deer, squirrels, snakes, lizards, and turtles The European mink is an animal exclusive to this forest

A tropical forest is home to many interesting creatures There are sloths, eagles, gorillas, and frogs, for example The emperor tamarin, a quirky-looking species

of monkey that appears to have an elongated moustache, also lives in this type of forest

Any forest is an essential part

of the earth’s ecosystem A forest produces oxygen, serves as home

to many living things, and houses medicinal plants and ingredients, too Every forest plays an important role in keeping our waterways clean and healthy, as well But perhaps one of the greatest gifts

a forest provides is an inspiring, recreational area for all to admire, use, and enjoy

above the canopy, and this

layer is home to a variety

of birds and insects

Perhaps the most

exciting component of any

forest is the creatures that

nest there They are essentially

the faces of the forest, and they

can vary greatly depending upon

the location Inhabitants of each

type of forest adapt to the specific

temperatures and conditions of their

home so they may continue to survive

and thrive

Each type of forest can be filled

with animals, birds, reptiles, insects,

and other organisms

Species found in a boreal forest include moose, snowshoe hare, beaver, black bear, yellow perch, and northern pike At risk species such as caribou and wood bison live here, too The American marten, also known as American pine marten, is an animal unique

to the boreal forest

Fall foliage can be found in temperate forests, like this one in Czechia

Emperor Tamarin

European Mink

American Pine Marten

by Patty Claudio

ight out of ten animals that live on land make their homes in forests Trees provide the air we breathe and the wood we use Though protecting our woodlands seems like a no-brainer, forests are being cut down at

an alarming rate for timber, mining, and growing crops Read on to find out about five species whose futures depend on the trees These fascinating animals are all critically

endangered and struggling to survive They are the tree kangaroo, giant panda, saola, orangutan, and African forest elephant

12

Tree Kangaroo

These unusual koala/sloth/monkey/bear-like kangaroos live in

trees in the mountain forests of tropical New Guinea They are

marsupials (animals that carry their young in pouches) with arms

that are longer and stronger than their land-loving kangaroo

cousins Their movements in the trees are an odd mix of climbing

and hopping The tree kangaroo eats mostly leaves and fruit from

trees and the ground

Recently, a rare type of tree kangaroo, known as the wondiwoi

tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus mayri) was rediscovered It was first

sighted in 1928 by a biologist who shot it and sent its pelt to a

London museum No other members of the species were found for

90 years Fast forward to 2018 Michael Smith, an Englishman who

traveled the world looking for rare plants, heard tales of the

mysterious animal and organized an expedition to search for it In

a dense bamboo forest, high in the mountains of Papua, his team

finally spotted the elusive tree kangaroo—90 feet up in a tree

Smith struggled to focus on it and shot it—with his camera, of

course (Note the improved research techniques since the “shoot

first, study later,” technique used 100 years ago.) Scientists hope to

return to collect dung or a small piece of ear tissue to extract DNA

and compare with DNA from the pelt collected in 1928

The future of the wondiwoi tree-kangaroo is uncertain, as there

is already a proposal for a gold mine in the park

Going out on

a limb here.

Saola

One of the most threatened animals on the planet is

an antelope called the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis)

A cousin to the cow, it is found only in the lowland

Annamite Mountains of Laos and Vietnam Though it

has two horns, the saola is often called the Asian

unicorn because it is so rare Scientists estimate that

there may be only 25 individuals alive

The saola was discovered in 1992, when a scientific

team was surveying the animals that lived in a nature

reserve on the Vietnam/Laos border While in the

home of a local hunter, a team member came across a

pair of horns that were unlike any others from

Southeast Asia Eventually, more horns ( from recent

kills) and a full skin were found and determined to be

a distinct species

Giant Panda

Like the tree kangaroo, the giant panda also makes its home in dense bamboo forests—not in Indonesia, but in the high, rainy mountains of south central China These quick facts may help you understand the panda

1 Pandas are BIG eaters Each day they fill their tummies for up to 12 hours, digesting about 26 pounds of bamboo (the main staple of their diets)

2 Panda’s scientific name, Ailuropoda

melanoleuca, means “black and white cat-foot.”

3 An adult female panda weighs 200 pounds

4 Sometimes male pandas relax by doing handstands against trees

5 Pandas play an important role in the bamboo forests by spreading seeds

14

Orangutan

The name, orangutan (scientific

genus, Pongo), means “man of the

forest” in the Malay language This is fitting for the world’s largest tree-climbing mammal With arms longer than its legs and grasping hands and feet for climbing, orangutans are well adapted for life in the trees of Borneo and Sumatra Orangutans have long orange hair that sparsely covers their bodies, large jaws, and flat noses on their concave faces Like pandas, they are forest gardeners who spread seeds in their habitats

African Forest Elephant

African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) live in the dense rainforests of west and central Africa

Their ears are more oval-shaped, they have straighter downward-pointing tusks, and they are not as big as African savanna elephants Despite their “smaller” size (the mere height of a basketball hoop and the weight of an ambulance), they have huge appetites for fruits from many tree species Like pandas and orangutans, they are mega forest gardeners that help spread the seeds of many

rainforest trees to keep their habitats healthy and biodiverse The range of the African forest

elephant has shrunk from 3 million square miles to 1 million square miles since 1979, and poaching has killed 65% of their population from 2002-2013

FAST FACT

Kangaroo expert, Roger Martin, of James Cook University in Queensland Australia, has a

solution to help these threatened animals He suggests that “if we provide habitat for animals

and otherwise leave them alone, then they will get on just fine.” If only it were so simple

THE PLIGHT OF THE

“I am the Lorax

who speaks for

the trees, which

his is a story of yesterday, today, and tomorrow Over the past 100 million years, dense forests grew to cover more than half the Earth As humans began to

flourish, we cleared the forests for our own uses Today,

rainforests the size of 20 football fields are cut down every minute

At this rate, we will have no rainforests left at the end of the century, according to NASA

What is a rainforest?

A rainforest is an area of tall trees that

gets 80 to 400 inches of rainfall a year

Also known as jungles, rainforests

contain thick, tangled canopies of

plants, vines, and small trees

Why are rainforests important?

➜ Rainforests are home to more than

half the known plant and animal

species on the planet When the

forests are cleared, they all die

➜ Trees help absorb the harmful

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

and provide the oxygen that we

need to breathe

➜ More than 25% of our medicines

come from rainforest plants, but

we have only explored 1% of the

plants available Medicines also

come from rainforest animal

sources, such as green algae from

a sloth’s back to treat cancer and

malaria, and snake venom for high

blood pressure

➜ Rainforests soak up a

lot of rain, filter it through forest floors, and supply water to streams and rivers

They also help prevent erosion, which washes away soil and causes floods

➜ They are home to

indigenous people, native groups who lived in the rainforests before colonists came

Where are the rainforests?

Two of the largest rainforests are the Amazon Rainforest in South America and the Congo Rainforest in Africa

People of the Amazon Rainforest

The Yanomami (yah-no-mah-mee) are a group who live in the largest rainforest in the world—Brazil’s

Amazon Rainforest They are somewhat isolated groups of hunter-gatherers who cultivate small gardens

Families live in a yanos (large

community house) that circles a central area used for feasts, rituals, and games The Yanomami believe everyone is equal They make group decisions by having debates in which everyone gets a say

The Yanomami and rainforest are both threatened by mining,

deforestation, fires, and climate change Thousands of gold miners

to make their living, but the demand for resources is getting greater with the increase of population.

Solutions

➜ Say no to foods that contain

palm oil Look at the labels

of cake, chocolate, margarine, and cosmetics

➜ Avoid buying mahogany,

rosewood, and ebony when you are buying furniture

➜ Eat less meat Rainforests are

being cleared to make room for grazing cattle so that we can eat beef burgers If we eat a bit less meat, that’s less pressure on the rainforest

➜ Plant trees!

➜ Support rainforest organizations.

➜ Talk about the rainforest with

your friends and family The more they know about this rich biome, the more they’ll want to protect it, too!

As the Lorax says, “unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better It’s not.”

work illegally on Yanomami land

They cut down trees, transmit deadly diseases like malaria and measles, and pollute the rivers with mercury

Some Yanomami who live by gold mines have dangerously high levels of mercury in their bodies Cattle ranchers are cutting down trees to make pastures for grazing Land that

is cleared of trees is more likely to catch fire, which burns millions more acres of rainforest Warmer and dryer conditions brought on by climate change are making the fires even more devastating Finally, it is difficult for the government to make and enforce laws to protect the people in areas where natural resources are in such high demand

Elsewhere in the Amazon, dams cause flooding, block fish migration and the flow of nutrients, and further deforest the land

People of the Congo Rainforest

There are about 40,000 Mbuti living in the Congo Rainforest They are nomadic hunter-gatherers who make simple beehive-shaped structures using stick frames covered by leaves Mbuti pygmies hunt and use up resources in

an area, then move to a different settlement every two to four weeks

Their food supply is threatened by deforestation, mining, and political unrest The Congo Basin is loaded with natural resources such as wood, oil, minerals (diamonds, gold and coltan used to make cell phones) Trees are being cut down to make way for palm oil plantations, for use as timber,

Colorful toucans live in the

rainforest canopy of Central

and South America

A young Mbuti gets dabbed with clay

Welcome to the jungle Thousands of

different plants and animals live in

the rainforest of Central America

Medicine trails have been created to

highlight the plants and animals that

contain medicinal properties

These frogs, called dumpy frogs because

of the fat layers over their eyes and body,

thrive in tropical forests

by Marcia Amidon Lusted

winding path leads through stands of green bamboo, towering far above the heads of visitors The gentle wind causes the bamboo stalks

to sway, creating a gentle rustling, creaking sound that has been recognized by the Japanese government as an official “soundscape,” which is a sound particular to a specific place The sunlight filters through the bamboo, creating a greenish golden light This place feels magical, as if it belongs to another world But just a short walk away is the bustle and noise of the city of Kyoto The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of the most popular places within Kyoto, and one of the most famous landscapes in the world.

Visitors make their way through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

21

feeling of walking in a large bamboo forest

The forest consists mostly of

mōsō bamboo, also called

tortoise-shell bamboo It is a type of giant bamboo that can grow up to 92 feet

(28 meters) high Mōsō bamboo is

one of the fastest-growing species

of bamboo in the world The bamboo forest has many tightly

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove,

also known as the Sagano Bamboo

Forest, has been a landmark in

Kyoto since the 8th century, a time

when Japanese people began

vacationing in places that featured

a natural environment Bamboo

itself has also been important to

Japanese culture for a long time It

found its way into Japanese myths

and legends, often as a symbol for

the strength of warriors It is an

ingredient in many Japanese dishes

And it was also used to make tools

for homes and weapons for battle

But it became harder to find

bamboo forests, and today the

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one

of the few places in Japan where

people can experience the peaceful

You have to get up pretty early to avoid the crowds

as much as a foot

a day

Bamboo shoots are eaten with rice

Bamboo is used to make many

useful items, including whisks

Bamboo stems are durable and can be used to make musical instruments

Stalkers.

there early on a weekday morning.Arashiyama is also one of the most photographed places in the world, and many visitors are busy taking pictures with their phones

to post on social media There have also been problems with tourists carving their initials into the stalks of the bamboo trees, damaging them and taking away from the beauty of the area.However, Arashiyama is still a place where humans can interact with nature’s sights and sounds

in a way that is different from anywhere else in the world It

is a good reminder that in the modern world, we all need more places to just relax and enjoy the natural environment around us

packed bamboo trunks that block out

bright light and create an overhead

canopy The forest covers six square

miles (16 square kilometers), and a

paved pathway with wooden railings winds through it The path begins at the Tenryu-ji Temple, travels steadily uphill,and ends at the top of a hill at the Okochi-Sanso Villa, once the home of a famous Japanese movie star

The popularity of the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove has made it difficult to find the peaceful connection to nature for which the grove was intended

Springtime, with its cherry blossoms, and autumn, with its beautiful foliage, make those the busiest times in the grove Tourists from all over the world, as well as Japanese people, crowd the paths

To experience the soundscape of the grove, it is necessary to get

Answer is

on page 48

Do you know where our friend Globey is enjoying his copy of FACES?

Here is a hint: Don’t get bent out of shape if you

don’t know where this forest is located

The 177-foot kauri called Tāne Mahuta

is known as the Lord of the Forest.