Alfisol is a fertilesoil found in humid regions worldwide, especially where native broadleaf forests were established. It is very productive for agriculture. Research Alfisl
The Blackheaded Persian is a breed of sheep that originated in the arid regions of east Africa in what is now Somali. It is one of the fat-rumped breeds and both sexes are polled. The breed is now found in South Africa where they are sometimes known by the name Swartkoppersie. It also found its way to the tropics of the Caribbean region via South Africa many years ago. The Caribbeanpopulation has adapted well to the humidtropics. Research Blackhead Persian
The bongo (Boocercus eurycerus) is a Central African antelope, living in dense humid forests, feeding upon shoots, leaves and fruits. Up to 1.4 m at the shoulder, the Bongo is the largest forestantelope. The body is a rich chestnut colour broken by eleven or twelve vertical white stripes down each side, a large white crescent on the chest and an erect mane running from the shoulders to the rump and along a tufted tail. Both sexes have spiral horns which may be 80 centimetres or more in length and spiral in one complete twist. Many myths surround the Bongo in Africa, the natives describing it as a magical animal. It is said that the Bongo can hang from the branches of a tree by its horns ready to fall on an unsuspecting hunter, another myth is that when a Bongo is pursued the animal can dive into a river, shed its coat and remain submerged in the river feeding on fish until the dry season. Despite the awe and respect the Bongo has from natives, in 2000 it was in danger of extinction from excessive hunting and the destruction of the forests. Research Bongo
The bushmaster (Lachesis mutus) is a Central American poisonous snake of the pit viper family found from Costa Rica and Trinidad to eastern Brazil in humidforest regions. It has dark rhombi on a dull reddish or yellowish background and grows to almost four metres long. The bushmaster is unique among the American pit vipers in laying eggs. Research Bushmaster
The Ferns (Filices) are a natural order of cryptogamous or flowerless plants, forming the highest group of the acrogena or summit-growers. They are leafy plants, the leaves, or more properly fronds, arising from a rhizome or root-stock, or from a hollow arborescent trunk, and being circinate in vernation, a term descriptive of the manner in which the fronds are rolled up before they are developed in spring, having then the appearance of a bishop's crosier. On the veins of their lower surface, or their margins, the fronds bear small vessels named sporangia, containing spores. These spore-cases are arrangod in clusters, named sori, which are either naked or covered with a layer of the epidermis, which forms an involucre or indusium. When the spores germinate they produce a cellular structure of a leafy description, called the pro-embryo, or prothallus, upon which are developed organs which have received the names of antheridia and archegonia. When produced upon the prothallus these organs do not immediately give origin to a germinating spore, but from their mutual action proceeds a distinct cellular body, destined at a later period to develop into a fruit-bearing frond.
Ferns have a wide geographical range, but are most abundant in humid, temperate, and tropical regions. In the tropical forests the tree-ferns rival the palms, rising sometimes to a height of 15 or 18 metres. Ferns are very abundant as fossil plants. The earliest-known forms occur in Devonian rocks. Various systems of classification for ferns have been proposed over time. The order is usually divided into six or eight suborders or tribes distinguished by differences in the structure of the sporangium. The generic characters are founded on the position and direction of the sori and on the venation. The largest division is that of the Polypodiaceae, to which nearly all British ferns belong, such as the polypody, the lady-fern, the bracken, the hard-fern, the spleenwort, the maiden-hair, the hart's-tonguefern, etc. The royal fern, however, belongs to the Osmundaceae. A few of the ferns are used medicinally, mostly as demulcents and astringents. Some yield food. Pteris esculenta is the edible bracken of New Zealand. Research Ferns
The Green Tree Python (Chondropython viridis) is a species of snake found in humidrain forests of New Guinea and north-eastern Australia. The Green Tree Python hunts by ambush, coiling itself around a branch in a tree while it waits for prey which includes birds and mammals. The Green Tree Python grows to about two metres in length and lays eggs, bewteen 11 and 25 at a time, which the mother incubates for about fifty days until they hatch. Research Green Tree Python
Guttiferae is a family of exogenous trees and shrubs which generally secrete an acrid yellow resinous juice. They are found in hot and humid regions, chiefly South America. Research Guttiferae
The West African Dwarf (Cameroons Dwarf, Djallonke, Forest-type, Fouta Djallon, Futa Jallon, Guinean, Kirdi, Kirdimi, Lakka, Nigerian Dwarf, Pagan, Savannah-type, Southern, West African Maned) is the predominant breed of sheep in the humidtropics from southern west Africa through central Africa. Their colour is generally black piebald on white. Tan piebald on white, predominately coloured (tan or black) and the blackbelly pattern are also found. Adult males weight approximately 37 kg. They have a well-developed throatruff and are horned. Ewes have mature weights of 25 kg. The females are usually polled. They can be bred at the age of seven to eight months. They tend to have a short lambing interval. Research West African Dwarf
Xenoderminae is a subfamily of the family Colubridae, of reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (Snakes). The subfamily is comprised of about 12 species in seven genera native to south-east Asia and South and Central America where they live in humid areas, swamps and tropical rain forests. Research Xenoderminae
Dehydration is a condition of the body caused by loss of water and essential body salts. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, decreased or absent urination, sunken eyes, wrinkled skin, confusion, low blood pressure, and coma. The primary cause is due to excessive sweating during exercise, especially in hot, humid weather, as well as persistent vomiting or diarrhea from any cause, use of diuretics or other drugs that deplete fluids and electrolytes, overexposure to sun or heat, recent illness with high fever, or chronic kidney disease. Possible complications of
dehydration are blood pressure drop, shock, or even death from prolonged, severe
dehydration. Severe or prolonged cases of dehydration may require hospitalization for a time with fluids being taken intravenously. Research Dehydration
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Alfisl
