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Geography: Topic 8 - Taiga and Rainforests (Plant Adaptations (Epiphytes…
Geography: Topic 8 - Taiga and Rainforests
Biodiversity is high in rainforests because:
The climate is perfect for year-round growth and reproduction
Rainforests have stable climate, so species evolve
The multiple
Nutrient cycle
Refers to the movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter. This process is regulated by the food web pathways. This decomposes organic matter into inorganic nutrients.
Plant Adaptations
Epiphytes
Live in the canopy on trees and have evolved to get all their nutrients from the air and water rather than the soil.
Lianas
Their stems cling to trees and climb up to sunlight in the canopy while getting nutrients and water from the soil below.
Evergreen Hardwood Trees
Tall slender trunks with no branches but have huge buttress roots. The roots support the enormous weight of the trees. Leaves and branches are at the top where most sunlight is.
Drip tip leaves
Most rainforest plants have thick waxy leaves with drip tips, this prevents the leaves from rotting quickly.
Forest Structure
Canopy Layer
The dense canopy layer is home to tree snakes, birds, tree frogs and other animals because there is not much food available.
Understorey Layer
This layer contains young trees and those with large leaves, to capture sunlight; huge numbers of insects live in this layer.
Emergent layer
Hardwood, evergreen trees that have broken through the dense canopy layer below to reach the sunlight. Monkeys and birds live up there.
Forest Floor
The darkness of the forest floor means shade-loving ferns with large leaves here along with mammals like the jaguar.
Has big buttress roots to prevent the trees from falling and still collecting nutrients.
Animal adaptations
Primates
Lemurs and monkeys have evolved to live in the canopy where most the food is.
Big Cats
They have camouflaged fur, the dark and light fur blend in with the shade and sunlight on the forest floor
Sloths
Their huge claws allow them to hang on trees upside down. Green algae grows in their fur which allows them to camouflage from their predators
Birds
Very loud calls because it is easier to hear a mate than see them in the hidden canopy.