Colombian jungles: characteristics, flora and fauna

Colombian jungles refer to Large extensions of tropical junglesalso known as humid tropical forests, which have a large percentage of moisture, high rainfall and high temperatures.

These are megadiverse ecosystems, since because of the conditions they present are the habitat of a large number of animal and plant species. In addition, they regulate water balance and temperatures, function as carbon reservoirs and prevent soil erosion. These jungles provide a wide range of ecosystem services essential for human lifefrom the supply of drinking water to wood, food and medicines, being fundamental sources of resources for local communities.

However, these jungles They are facing significant threats. A considerable percentage has suffered deforestation and degradation, leaving only small remaining jungle that struggle to maintain their ecological integrity. The conservation of Colombian jungles is not only vital for the protection of the country’s rich biodiversity, but also to guarantee the continuity of the ecosystem benefits that they provide to local communities and the world in general.

You may be interested in this article about tropical forests: characteristics, flora and fauna.

The extension of the Colombian jungles is 415,000 km²representing a 36.5% of its national territory. Colombian jungles are distributed in:

• The lowlands of the Pacific or Chocó biogeographic (With approximately 4,6000,000 ha): recognized worldwide for its high biodiversity, high degree of endemisms and great rainfall (one of the largest in the world), the department of Chocó includes forest areas of high wealth and diversity, mainly the jungle of Darién, a natural limit between Panama and Colombia.
• The Amazon and some sectors of the Orinoquia (With about 36,400,000 ha): one of the six natural regions of Colombia that is located to the south of the country. It includes a part of the extensive Amazon jungle that is part of various countries in South America such as Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, Surinam and Bolivia.
• The foothills of the Andesin the middle valleys of the Magdalena and Sinú rivers, in the low valleys of the Cauca and San Jorge rivers and in the Catatumbo river basin (with about 1,650,000 ha).

In this article you will find more information about the Amazon jungle: what it is, where it is, animals and tribes.

• The Colombian jungles They house great biodiversity Being its tropical jungles one of the main richest ecosystems. These and other environments place Colombia within one of the 17 megadiverse countries.
• Wet tropical forests are characterized by presenting a high percentage of wetwarm temperatures and a high rainfall regime.
• Soils usually contain a low organic matter content (since it breaks down very quickly avoiding its accumulation) and nutrients, which are usually stored in vegetation. If the plant cover is eliminated, the soils are rapidly eroded and lose their fertility.
• Are Carbon dioxide reservoirswhich contributes to the regulation of global temperature and the mitigation of climate change.
• They absorb rainwater decreasing the probability of floods, recharging aquifers, maintaining and avoiding soil erosion.
• They constitute the home from many local communities and of a large number of species of flora and fauna.

In general, due to the lack of seasonality of the climate, the vegetation does not present periodicity and the trees are always green of wide leaves. In the jungle there are various arboreal strata difficult to identify, among them:

• He higher stratum (sometimes greater than 30 meters high) is discontinuous, and the trees called “emerging” usually have flattened or apparel cup. This stratum intercepts the greatest amount of light energy and the entry of rains to the lower strata. This is usually formed by Ceibas (Ceiba Pentandra), mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla), Copaibas (Copficefera officinalis), Zapotes (Couma Macrocpa), species of the genus ficus, among many other trees.
• Under the high stratum there is a Arboreal stratum of 20 meters or more high, more or less continuous formed by globose cup trees.
• Then an arboreal stratum, usually continuous and denser than the previous strata, between 10 and 15 meters high with conical cup trees or elongated up. Here the palm trees such as La Palma Milpesos stand out (Oenocarpus Bataua), La Chambira (Astrocaryum aculeatum) and the Azai (Euterpe smells).
• Under the tree strata there is a woody stratum and some high herbs that very few are shrubs and most are renovals of trees present in the upper strata. Here the pringamoza of the urera genre that is emerging and has large leaves are frequent; some peanuts of Monte from the genus Herrania, of colorful flowers and small palms such as yarina (Phytelefhas Macrocpa). In the Sotobosque, the plants They receive less energy and light intensity decreases Gradually and the herbaceous stratum is scarce. Throughout the jungle, epiphytes and lianas are very abundant and constitute large groups of bromeliaceae, gestneria, cacti, araceas and orchid.

In the Colombian jungle we find numerous species of animals, including:

• Mammals: The Jaguar (Panthera onca), Labiado sin (Tayassu Pecari), tigrillo or ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis), Boruga (Cuniculus Paca), Central American tapir (Tapirus Bairdii), giant tingling bear (Myrmecophaga Tridactyla), among many others.
• Birds: THE PAUJIL (Mitu tuberosum), nighttime paujil (Nothocrax urumutum) Black Aguilucho (Buteo albonotatus), Panguana Ave (Crypturellus undulatus), jungle condor (SARCORAMPHUS PAPA), Guacamayos of the ARA genus and toucans of the genus Ramphastos.
• Reptiles: snakes like the green anaconda (Eunectes Murinus), turtles like the charapa arrau (Podocnemis expansa), Caimanes such as the Black Cayman (MELANOSUCHUS NIGER) and various species of iguanas such as green iguana (Iguana Iguana).
• Amphibians: The poisonous frog (Phyllobates Terribilis) and the green frog (Oophaga Lehmanni), Endemic from Colombia.
• Insects: Butterflies of the genus Morpho, cerambícid beetles (Cerambycidae), Cutter ants of the genus Atta are just a few representatives within the enormous diversity of invertebrates.

Now that you know more depth the Colombian jungles, do not miss these articles on the types of jungles and their characteristics and the jungle ecosystem and its characteristics.

If you want to read more articles similar to Colombian jungles: characteristics, flora and faunawe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.