Tropical Vs. Subtropical Rainforests

In this alternate scenario, five million years ago, a mass extinction hit Earth. Not a massive volcanic eruption or a devastating bolide impact, but a sudden cold snap, a transition from Miocene hothouse to Pleistocene icehouse geologically quicker than a human can say "Hi."

Half of all terrestrial species would perish in this catastrophe, and life confined to the pantropics (strictly tropical, with no other considerations of habitat) would be hit hardest. Five tropical plant species out of eight would become extinct, taking a lot of the most specialized invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals with them.

The most possible result of this aftermath are plants and animals from the subtropics (like Florida, South Africa, southern China and the Mediterranean coast) migrating to and colonizing the tropics.

Now the only difference I know between tropics and subtropics is that subtropical ecosystems are seasonal (wet/dry cycles), whereas tropical ecosystems usually aren't. But is that the only difference between the two merely similar zones? Or are there other differences that I should look out for?

posted almost 8 years ago

JohnWDailey‭

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