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{{Short description|Region of Asia}}
'''Tropical Asia'''
▲'''Tropical Asia''' is a region in [[Asia]] that experiences [[tropical climate]]. It is physiogeographically and economically rich in natural resources and biodiversity, including many species of agricultural value.<ref name="abc">{{cite web|url=http://www.bydesign.com/fossilfuels/choice/html/ipccc6_tropical_asia.html|title=Tropical Asia needs to try something new|access-date=2007-03-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110082042/http://www.bydesign.com/fossilfuels/choice/html/ipccc6_tropical_asia.html|archive-date=2006-11-10}}</ref><ref name="cde">{{cite web|url=http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/regional/282.htm|title=Ecologically diverse, Urbanly worse|access-date=2007-03-13}}</ref> There are 16 countries of tropical Asia ranging in size from around {{convert|610|km2|sqmi}} (Singapore) to {{convert|3,000,000|km2|sqmi}} (India).<ref name="cde"/> Its population, is dominantly rural<ref name="abc"/><ref name="cde"/>—however, in 1995, a census showed a [[region]] with six out of 25 of the large cities. The population is 1.6 billion, likely to reach 2.4 billion in 2025.<ref name="abc"/><ref name="cde"/> Climate in tropical Asia is subject to seasonal weather patterns with the two [[monsoon]]s and the amount of [[tropical cyclone]]s in the three core areas of [[cyclogenesis]] (the [[Bay of Bengal]], north [[Pacific Ocean]] and [[South China Sea]]). The climate varies over several environmental factors such as: growing [[urbanization]], land [[industrialization]] and [[economic development]] or the opposite [[land degradation]], [[environmental issues]], and increased [[pollution]].<ref name="abc"/><ref name="cde"/>
==Bionetwork==
In tropical Asia, the distribution and character of the rain forest changes with elevation in the mountains. In [[Thailand]], for instance, the area of tropical forests could increase from 45% to 80% of the total forest cover, while in [[Sri Lanka]], a substantial change in dry forest and decrease in wet forest might occur.<ref name="abc"/><ref name="cde"/> With predictable increases in [[evapotranspiration]] and rainfall changeability, likely a negative impact on the viability of freshwater wetlands will occur, resulting in contraction and desiccation. Sea level and temperature rises are the most likely major climate change-related stresses on ecosystems.<ref name="abc"/><ref name="cde"/> [[Coral reef|Coral reefs]] might be capable of surviving this intensification, but suffer [[Coral bleaching|bleaching]] from high temperatures. Landward migration of mangroves and tidal wetlands is likely to be inhibited by human infrastructure and human activities.
==Coastal lands==
[[Coast|Coastal lands
==Hydrology==
In tropical Asia, the [[Himalayas]] are crucial to the provision of water
==Food ration==
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==Human health==
The occurrence and level of some vector-borne diseases have risen with global warming.<ref name="abc"/><ref name="cde"/> Diseases such as [[
==Tropical rain forest resources==
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Native to India, [[cardamom]] is the most valuable spice.<ref name="def"/> [[Cashews]], originally from tropical [[The Americas|America]], are a rich nut full of vitamins. Further on, cocoa/chocolate as well as the soft drink [[cola]], is native to lowland tropical America, but is confined through the west African tropics. Citrus fruits are of the most valued fruits in tropical Asia. More than 55 million tons are sold annually, including [[orange (fruit)|orange]]s, [[lemon]]s, [[Lime (fruit)|limes]], [[grapefruit]]s, [[tangerine]]s, and more.<ref name="def"/> The largest citrus is the [[pummelo]]. The scented flower buds of [[clove]]s come from a tropical evergreen tree native to [[Zanzibar]], [[Madagascar]], and Indonesia.<ref name="def"/> [[Coconut]]s are originally native to the [[Indo-Pacific area]] and are around every tropical area except rain forests. They can be used for oil, fruit, and [[fiber]]s. Coffee, probably native to North East Africa, is grown throughout the tropics.<ref name="def"/>
In addition, grown throughout the tropics is [[mango]], native to India (valuable in many parts) and from Southeast Asia (includes root tubers used as spice and perfumes). [[Mung bean]] is also native to India, is a potentially prosperous food.<ref name="def"/> Nutmeg comes from the trees of an island in [[Maluku Islands|Maluku]]. Mace is formed of nutmeg, and is used as spice. The peanut, native to [[South America]], is commercially spread in [[tropical]], [[subtropical]], and [[temperate]] regions—it is used as a chief source of oils and protein.<ref name="def"/> Another important tropical and subtropical plant is [[pineapple]], likely domestic by the [[Guarani people|Guarani]] of Brazil and [[Paraguay]] during the Pre-Columbian Era. Continuing on, Sesame is an early African oil seed plant—grown primarily in [[Southeast Asia]]. Squash is native to many American tropics and is cultivated tropical and subtropical America and temperate zones. Native to Southeast Asia and cultivated in India, [[turmeric]] is dried, ground rhizomes, and produce the spice. Then of the [[legume]] family, [[tamarind]], is thought to be originally from India. It is grown throughout the tropics and used as a table fruit, drink, preserves, and medicinal properties.<ref name="def"/> Vanilla is indigenous to tropical America, it is most commercially important of all the 35,000 species of [[orchid]]. It is made from the dried seeds of the [[rainforest]] orchid tree.<ref name="def"/> It is widely grown, especially in Madagascar.
==Wildlife==
Many native animals have developed adaptations that help them aerially navigate through their tropical habitats. Some vertebrates have developed the ability to glide through the air.<ref name="ghi">{{cite web|url=http://www.wildasia.net/main.cfm?parentID=2&page=article&articleID=312|title=The Flying Reptiles of Tropical Asia: Evolution Takes a Leap (part 1)|access-date=2007-03-13}}</ref> Some fish jump out of the water to escape predators, expand their large pectoral fins and glide nearly hundreds of yards.<ref name="ghi"/> As well, many frogs have long-webbed, elongate fingers and toes that function like parachutes when they leap from the leaves and branches of trees to glide across the forest.
Several groups of mammals, for example [[colugos]], and [[rodent]]s have developed many different ways to move through the air. In Southeast Asia, the ability to glide in modern, non-avian reptiles has arisen at least three, maybe four times for lizards, and once in snakes.<ref name="ghi"/>
In Southeast Asia, the gliding lizards within [[Agamidae]]
Open surfaces are often the place where ''[[Draco (genus)|Draco]]'', (black bearded) gliding lizards communicate with each other.<ref name="ijk"/> When not flying, their heads are usually seen sitting head up on the trunks of the trees; their wings creatively folded to their bodies. Most of their day is spent feeding on ants up and down trees, making for the majority of their diet.<ref name="ijk"/> Once in a while, they will want to change outings and leap from the tree, extend their ribs to open their wings, and glide to the next tree. The degree and speed of the glide depends on a couple of aspects: the height of the lizard on the tree and the surface area of the wing comparative to the weight of the body.<ref name="ijk"/>
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Geckos are another notable gliding reptile.<ref name="klm">{{cite web|url=http://www.wildasia.net/main.cfm?page=article&articleID=325|title=The Flying Reptiles of Tropical Asia: Evolution Takes a Leap (part 3)|access-date=2007-03-13}}</ref> Their wings lack the elaborate thoracic (chest) [[mutation]] of gliding lizards and are composed mainly of a large flap of skin along their flanks.<ref name="klm"/> The flaps stay rolled across the belly until the lizard leaps off a tree the time they become inertly opened by air during the fall. Additionally, the body flaps are extended flaps along the sides of the head, neck, and tail; back sides of the hind limbs; and extensive webbing on the hands and feet. In flight, all of their wings are extended and splayed, creating the parachute effect.<ref name="klm"/> [[The Frilly Gecko]], the smallest of them, travel from trees uniquely on the lowest part of the same tree to avoid predators. Geckos are cryptic species that are hidden during the day and active during the night, unlike the many arboreal agamids. In addition, their color patterns normally match the substrate where they stay allowing them to go ignored.<ref name="klm"/>
The flat-tailed gecko (''[[Flat-tailed house gecko|Cosymbotus platyuurus]]''), a species strongly related to the frilly gecko, is another example of intermediacy. It similarly folds skin along the head, body, limbs, and tail as the Frilly Gecko but not nearly as developed.<ref name="klm"/> It lays these flaps out on the trunk of the tree to prevent the curving of the body from a shadow where it meets the trunk, to give away its location. These flaps inertly open up like other geckos do when the gecko jumps from one branch to another and this imparts even a small advantage by extending the length of the jump.<ref name="klm"/>
Because of their lack of limbs, snakes are a group of vertebrates in which the ability to glide might be viewed as less likely to develop.<ref name="klm"/> However, in Peninsular Malaysia, there are three closely related species of snakes with ability to glide for significant distances. These are the tree snakes (genus ''[[Chrysopelea]]''). The flat, open body works like a parasail and its rolling movements in flight, similar to a spinning frisbee, prevents it from overturning.<ref name="klm"/> Before leaping, tree snakes hang the uncoiled forepart of their body off the branch in a
==See also==
* [[
* [[Indomalayan realm]]
* [[Tropical monsoon climate]]
* [[Tropical rainforest climate]]
==References==
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* [http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/ad908e/AD908E01.htm#ch1.3 Long detailed synthesis on Tropical Asia]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070410072729/http://www.eco-tropicalresorts.com/asia.htm Eco Tropical Resorts in Asia Ecotourism in Asia]
* [https://archive.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010420021718/http://www.ornithology.com/Checklist/asia.html Birds of Tropical Asia]
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[[Category:Southeast Asia]]
[[Category:Tropics]]
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