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A Short Guide to Tropical Rainforests

1. The vegetation and how it is adapted to the climate.

The rainforest is comprised of four main layers. The bottom layer is the Shrub Layer, which starts at ground level and ends around 5 10 metres up. It is filled with shrubs and undergrowth. Above the Shrub Layer, ending at about 20 metres, is the Under Canopy and above the Under Canopy is the Main Canopy. The Main Canopy ends at about 35 metres. It is the layer we see from the air and it protects the ground from the rain because of its thickness. Above that are the Emergents, which are trees that have grown above the average 35 metres. These trees can reach up to 40 or 50 metres high.

The rainforest trees are deciduous, despite the evergreen appearance of the rainforest. This is because, as there is no winter in the rainforest, the trees are constantly losing leaves and growing new ones. Most of the taller trees have buttress roots, which are roots that stick out above the ground for more support and a wider base, as the soil in the rainforest is very shallow.

The ground is covered in ferns, moss and plants with large leaves to aid them in getting light, as there is little to no light on the forest floor. The forest is dense and impenetrable. In the Under Canopy, lianas grow up the tree trunks like creepers, using the trees for support. It is possible that they can restrict the trees, but usually they live in symbiosis with the trees.

Also, some of the flowering plants have medical properties that could possible be used to help cure cancer.

The rainforest has a perfect climate for growing plants: sun and rainfall. However, the trees have had to adapt to the climate by growing tall, because due to their density there is little light below the canopy.

As well as there being little sunlight below the canopy, there are often flood problems during the wetter months, as nearby rivers burst their banks because of the heavy rainfall. This means that the trees have to have very strong bases, to prevent them from being washed away.

2. The cycle of life in the rainforest.

The rainforest has a rich, productive lifecycle. It starts with the leaves falling from the trees. They decay rapidly to form humus, from which the nutrients are extracted naturally and added to the soil. This causes the soil to be rich and fertile, helping the trees grow well. This is a never-ending cycle of growth and reproduction.

If and area of the forest is destroyed or cleared, the cycle is broken and it loses its productiveness. Fewer leaves fall to the ground, meaning there is less humus, and therefore fewer nutrients to be added to the soil. Other nutrients are leached away and absorbed into the ground, and are lost to the plants. The soil becomes less fertile and rich, meaning the vegetation is of poorer quality. Another effect is that the rainfall, which used to be intercepted by the canopy, protecting the soil, can now reach the ground, eroding the soil and washing away nutrients.

Learn more about this author, Nicole Du Plessis.
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