TROPICAL RAINFOREST ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS TO THE CONDITIONS

TROPICAL RAINFOREST ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS TO THE CONDITIONS IN THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST

WHY ADAPT Adaptations help the plants in the rainforest to • Get Sunlight, water, air or nutrients • Not to be eaten • Stay put • Reproduce Plants in the rainforest must adapt to the EQUATORIAL CLIMATE. It is a hot and wet climate.

ADAPTING TO HIGH RAINFALL With over 2000 mm of rain per year, plants must shed water efficiently The leaves of many of the plants in the rainforest has drip tips for this purpose. Also the buttress roots provide extra support for trees growing in the spongy wet soils

DRIP TIP LEAVES AND BUTTRESS ROOTS

ADAPTING TO A LOT OR LACK OF SUNLIGHT The Canopy layer of the tropical rainforest blocks out 90% of the sunlight, making the forest floor very dark. Large leaves are common in the rainforest. They increase the amount of sunlight a plant can capture. Other plants like orchids, bromeliads and ferns grow as epiphytes high up in the canopy where there is more sunlight.

THESE ARE BROMELIADS

BARK IS THIN AND SMOOTH Main objective is to grow towards the sunlight. Second, smoothness of the bark makes it difficult for other plants to grow on them.

LIANAS Lianas are climbing woody vines that drape rainforest trees. They have roots in the ground and climbing high into the tree canopy to reach available sunlight. Many start their lives in the rainforest canopy by sending their roots to the ground for food.