The Biological environment of the Congo
The Congo Basin represents 70% of the African continent's plant cover and makes up a large portion of Africa's biodiversity with over 600 tree species and 10 000 animal species.The Congo River
The Congo River, formerly the Zaire River, is Africa's most powerful river and the second most voluminous river in the world with a discharge of 1,500,000 cubic feet of water per second. It is the fifth longest river in the world, draining a basin of nearly 1.5 million square miles.
The Treeforms of the rainforest
This is what most tropical rainforests are like, including the Congo. It has the numerous layers characteristic of a tropical rainforst and described below.
Tropical Rainforest Canopy Layers: Most of life in the tropical rain forest exists vertically in trees, above the shaded forest floor - in the vegetative layers. Each rainforest canopy layer harbors its own unique plant and animal species interacting with the ecosystem around them. The primary tropical rainforest is divided into at least five layers: the overstory , the true canopy, the understory, the shrub layer, and the forest floor.
The Tropical Rainforest Overstory Level: The rain forest overstory is characterized by overtopping trees that rise above the rest of the canopy, where tops of some species exceed 210 feet (65 m). These trees actually exist in a totally different climate when compared to other canopy levels - they thrive on a drier environment and higher winds. Birds of prey depend on this overstory.
The True Tropical Rainforest Canopy: The rainforest canopy is an unbroken layer of trees forming a canopy. The branches of these trees do not touch which is thought to protect from infestations insects and tree diseases. Because of this, canopy dwellers have developed the ability to negotiate gaps by climbing, leaping, gliding, or flying.
The Tropical Rainforest Understory: The rain forest understory is shielded by the canopy from harsh, intense sunlight, winds and heavy rainfall. The forest interior is a much less variable environment than the upper parts of the canopy ceiling. The understory retains much of the forest's moisture. Because of low light, plants have to grow larger leaves to gather in available sunlight. Much of a rainforest's flora and fauna live in the understory.
The Tropical Rainforest Shrub Level: The rain forest shrub level is very close to the understory level. The Lower Rainforest Floor: The floor is relatively clear of vegetation due to the deep darkness created by perhaps 30 m of canopy vegetation above. It is very dark on the rainforest floor. There is little ground growth but the heat and humidity quickly composts leaf litter.
Animals
The Congo forest wildlife is very different from the wildlife found in Africa's grasslands. In addition to the wildlife found in the forest are the creatures that inhabit the waters of the Congo. There are many species of fish (over 200 species exist in the Malebo Pool) throughout.
Several species of water snakes and various reptiles, notably the crocodile, live along the banks of the river. There are also semi-aquatic tortoise.
The birds that live in this region are indigenous to the African continent. Throughout the region surrounding the Congo River over 250 species of birds have been noted. The birdlife which is most abundant includes ducks, herons, storks, and pelicans.
Few aquatic mammals live in the Congo. They are represented by the hippopotamus, otter, and the manatee
Dry land animals which inhabit the Congo rainforest include:
- mammals (antelopes, bonobo, chimpanzee, gorilla, Mandrill, scaly-tailed squirrels, otter shrews, duikers, okapi, monkeys, bushbabies, pygmy hippo).
-Rare and endangered species, such as chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, bonobos, okapi and white rhinos, inhabit the Congo rainforests. Some of these are found nowhere else on Earth.