CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 



Introduction 5 



The Physical Features of the Rain-forest Region 7 



General Climatology of the Rain-forest Region 10 



Air Temperature 10 



Nocturnal Terrestrial Radiation 



Soil Temperature 



Humidity and Fog 13 



Rainfall 



Sunshine and Cloudiness 16 



Wind 17 



The Flora of the Rain-forest 18 



The Vegetation of the Rain-forest 22 



Ecological Characteristics of the Rain-forest 



Habitat Distinctions in the Rain-forest 26 



Windward Ravines 28 



Windward Slopes 



Leeward Ravines 



Leeward Slopes 



The Ridges 



The Peaks 



Epiphytes 



The Relation of Physical Conditions to Habitat Distinctions in the Rain-forest. ... 41 



Humidity 44 



Evaporation 



Air Temperature 43 



Soil Temperature 49 



Seasonal Behavior of the Rain-forest Vegetation. . . 51 



Rate of Growth in Rain-forest Plants 55 



Transpiration Behavior of Rain-forest Plants. . . ; .:=. 



Methods and Material 59 



Daily March of Transpiration 62 



Individual Variability of Transpiration Rate 72 



Concurrent Rates of Transpiration in Different Species 73 



Relative Transpiration 76 



Comparison of Relative Transpiration Rates in Rain-forest and Desert Plants . . . 



Relative Amounts of Stomatal and Cuticular Transpiration 



Stomatal Behavior 



Influence of Darkness on Transpiration 



Influence of High Humidity on Transpiration 102 



General Conclusions. . 106 



