Vijay's Geographical Rainforest MindMap

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Tropical Rainforest

Introduction

Tropical rainforests are thick and luxuriant evergreen forests found in areas with highfall and high temperatures throughout the year. Tropical rainforests are the earth's oldest living ecosystems. An ecosystem refers to all the plants, animals and people in an area, and the waythey interact with one another and their environment

Main Characteristics

adaptation of plants

structure of the tropical rainforest

diversity of plant species

Adaptation of plants

Roots

- Buttress roots are large roots which grow from 1 - 5m above the ground
- Buttress roots are to support trees with heavy weight
- Roots are shallow as nutrients are mostly found in the top layer of the soil
- Rapid decomposition of fallen leaves and branches provide nutrients for the soil
- Trees do not need to develop deep roots to search for underground water as water is available throughout the year

Fruit and Flowers

- Air is sill in tropical rainforests
- Hard for seed dispersal due to lack of wind
and pollination to occur by wind
- Colorful and strong-smelling to attract insects and other animals for dispersal or pollination

Leaves

- Broad in order to capture sunlight for photosynthesis
- Waxy, leathery or hairy surface to minimise the loss of moisture through transpiration due to high temperatures
- Narrow, downward-pointing tips or drip tips to allow water to run off easily

Bark and Branches

- Tall, straight trunks
- Branches spread out near the top of the trees
- Adaptation helps trees to obtain the maximum amount of sunlight
- Smooth bark allows rainwater to flow easily from the crown to the roots of the trees

Main Food That Can Be Found

Nuts

Brazil Nuts and Walnuts

Vegetables

Corn and Pandan

Spices

Pepper and Cinnamon

Fruits

Banana and Mangoes

Layers

Undergrowth Layer

- Dark Themed as much of the sun's rays are blocked by the canopy above.
- Plants are small, thin and widely spaced
- Vegetation near the forest floor is sparse except for openings created by fallen canopy trees
(Eg: Lianas, Fungi, Moss)

Canopy Layer

- Trees grow to heights of 20 - 30m
- Crowns from almost continuous cover
- Dense unbroken canopy
(Example: Lianas and Epiphytes)

Emergent Layer

Characteristics:
- Some trees grow up to 50m and 80m.
- They rise through the canopy below and tower above other trees.
- Tall, straight and smooth trunks
(Eg: Tualang Tree and Kapok Tree)