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Life in the Emergent Layer |
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The Kapok tree is an emergent tree of the tropical rainforests, and is often described as majestic, meaning royal or grand. It can grow to a height of 150 feet or more, towering over other trees in the rainforest. Originally a native to South America it now has spread to the primary rainforests of West Africa, and the Southeast Asian rainforests. The straight trunks are round, smooth, and gray in color. The kapok tree can reach a diameter of 9 feet. Large spines stick out from the trunk to protect the trunk from damage. Thin, plank type supports stabilize the giant and can extend to 30 feet. The wood is a pinkish white to ashy brown in color, with a straight grain. The branches grow in horizontal tiers, and spread widely. The top of the tree is shaped like an open umbrella. Many plants and animals grow and live in the branches of the kapok tree. Birds nest in it, and mammals use the huge branches to get across the forest. Frogs breed in the pools of water that collect at it's base. Kapoks are "drought deciduous". This means they loose most or all of their leaves during the tropical dry season. Flowers usually open before the leaves appear, and are clustered on small, new branches. The 5 petals of a flower a creamy white or a pale pink color. The kapok tree's flowers do not smell nice, but is probably meant to attract the bats that pollinate them. The brown seeds are round like peas and are found in pods. The pods are woody and smooth with a light green color. They will burst open while still on the tree after the leaves have fallen. Inside a whitish cotton like fiber surrounds the brown seeds, which like most rainforest trees, allows the seeds to be carried far distances in the wind. In many places the straight trunks of the kapok tree are used to make dugout canoes. The white, fluffy seed covering is used in pillows and mattresses. Since it can float and it is water resistant it is often used in flotation devices and padding. The seeds, leaves, bark and resin have been used to treat dysentery, fever, asthma, and kidney disease. In Mayan myths the kapok tree was sacred. They believed that the souls of the dead would climb up into the branches which reached into heaven. The kapok tree is widely spread around the world and is an important part of the ecosystem of a rainforest. Emergent trees like the kapok rise above the canopy of the rainforest and provide a home for plants dependent on sunlight. Their branches provide a habitat for countless epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants), which provide food and shelter for many types of animals. They allow animals to move around the rainforest without coming down to the ground. Monkeys who venture out to the tops of emergent trees are easy prey for eagles. The kapok's timber is desirable because of the great length of its trunks, the beautiful color of its wood, and its straight grain. People of the rainforest have many uses for the kapok tree. As with many desirable things, too many people may want to exploit the kapok tree and put its future in jeopardy.
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