TOPIC 3B: tropical rainforests 🦜🥭

Question 1

How are plants adapted, to the tropical rainforest’s environment ?

Hint: stratified layers

Answer 1

• plants are adapted, to the tropical rainforest’s environment because they have:
• buttress roots
• stratified layers
• and, drip tips

Question 2

How are stratified layers in plants, an adaptation of tropical rainforests ?

Hint: advantage

Answer 2

• a stratified layer in a tropical rainforest means, plants will try to take advantage of what space and light there is.
• as the typical structure of a tropical rainforest is: the forest floor [0-10m], the under canopy [20-30m], the canopy [30-40m] and the emergent layer [50-60m]

Question 3

What is the typical structure of a tropical rainforest ?

Answer 3

• the typical structure of a tropical rainforest is:
• the forest floor [0-10m]
• the under canopy [20-30m]
• the canopy [30-40m]
• and, the emergent layer [50-60m]

Question 4

What can you tell me about the forest floor, of tropical rainforests ?

Hint: large and broad

Answer 4

• the forest floor of tropical rainforests, is nearest the ground [where it’s typically dark]
• the forest floor, has large and broad leaves- to absorb as much of the available light, as possible.

Question 5

What can you tell me about the under canopy, of tropical rainforests ?

Hint: haven’t reached

Answer 5

• the under canopy of tropical rainforests, is made up of younger trees that haven’t reached their full height.
• ; these younger trees in the under canopy, are only able to survive where there are breaks in the canopy, to let a small amount of light through.

Question 6

What can you tell me about the canopy, of tropical rainforests ?

Hint: layer

Answer 6

• in the canopy of tropical rainforests, there is a continuous layer of trees.
• and like emergents, trees in the canopy only have leaves at the top; their dense layer of leaves, shades the rest of the tropical rainforest.

Question 7

What can you tell me about the emergent layer, of tropical rainforests ?

Hint: tallest

Answer 7

• in tropical rainforests, emergents are the tallest trees which come out of the canopy layer.
• emergents have straight trunks and only have branches at leaves, at the top- because, this is the only place where they can get light.

Question 8

What are lianas ?

Hint: dark lower levels

Answer 8

• lianas are woody vines, that have adapted to the dark lower levels of tropical rainforests.

Question 9

What are epiphytes ?

Hint: live in the surface

Answer 9

• epiphytes, are plants that live in the surface of other plants, receiving their nutrients from these plants

Question 10

What have epiphytes adapted to ?

Hint: growing trees

Answer 10

• epiphytes have adapted to growing on trees high up in the canopy, so they can receive more sunlight.
• This is because, the forest floor is so dark.

Question 11

How have lianas, adapted to the dark lower levels of tropical rainforests ?

Hint: roots, vines

Answer 11

• lianas, adapted to the dark lower levels of tropical rainforests because:
• lianas have roots that grow in the ground; their vines grow high up into the canopy, by climbing and wrapping around trees.
• this then means, they can then access the nutrients on the forest floor, but also access the light in the canopy

Question 12

List the ways how animals adapted, to the tropical rainforest environment ?

Answer 12

• camouflage
• modified wings and beaks
• strong limbs
• [and, poisons and venoms]

Question 13

Give an example, of how poisons and venoms, help animals adapt to the tropical rainforest environment ?

Hint: paralyse

Answer 13

• animals have adapted to the threat of being eaten by thousands of predators in tropical rainforests, by developing poisons or carrying venoms.
• for example: many frogs can paralyse or kill other animals, some animals may sting or bite and some animals, may be poisonous to eat

Question 14

How does camouflage, help animals to adapt to the tropical rainforest environment ? 🦎

Hint: gecko

Answer 14

• many species are camouflaged, to blend in with their surroundings. [to hide from predators]
• for example, the leaf-tailed gecko has a tail that looks like a leaf, to camouflage from predators

Question 15

How do modified wings and beaks, help animals to adapt to the tropical rainforest environment ?

Answer 15

• modified wings and beaks can help animals, to adapt to the tropical rainforest environment.
• for example, parrots and macaws have powerful beaks to break open nuts.

Question 16

How do strong limbs, help animals to adapt to the tropical rainforest environment ?

Hint: avoid

Answer 16

• strong limbs- animals such as the spider monkey, have adapted to develop long limbs and very strong [and long] tails.
• this helps them to swing between trees and avoid predators.

Question 17

• Fill in the gaps: long tails and strong _____ , also helps monkeys to balance.
• this means, they can collect fruit and nuts, from the main ______

Answer 17

• long tails and strong grips, also helps monkeys to balance.
• this means, they can collect fruit and nuts, from the main canopy

Question 18

What’s the difference between a good 🆚 a service ?

Hint: attained, healthy

Answer 18

• a good is a product attained from ecosystems
• ; a service, is the functions of ecosystems that keep the planet healthy

Question 19

What are examples of goods, the tropical rainforest provides ?

Answer 19

• food- such as fruits and nuts, for indigenous tribes
• medicines- a range of plant species for medicine
• raw materials- [such as timber] for furniture, construction and fuels

Question 20

What are examples of products, the tropical rainforest provides ?

Answer 20

• homes- for indigenous tribes
• income- a source of income, through tourism
• a carbon store- which removes carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere

Question 21

Explain how food is a good provided by the tropical rainforest

Answer 21

• food is a good provided by the tropical rainforest because:
• tropical rainforests produce foodstuffs [such as different nuts] for people who live in the Amazon [a tropical rainforest].
• this is because, nuts are an important part of their local diet

Question 22

Explain how medicines, is a good provided by the tropical rainforest

Answer 22

• medicines, is a good provided by the tropical rainforest because:
• many wild flowers and plants, are traditionally used in medicine, in Amazonian tribes or communities.
• for example, rosy periwinkle can be poisonous; it can be used to treat childhood leukaemia.

Question 23

Explain how raw materials, is a good provided by the tropical rainforest

Answer 23

• raw materials, is a good provided by the tropical rainforest because:
• rainforests are logged, to produce timber [such as hardwoods], for exporting garden furniture.

Question 24

Give an example of how raw materials, is a good provided by the tropical rainforest

Hint: oil palm

Answer 24

• in Indonesia, oil palm plantations cover 7.8 million hectares and employ over 2 million people.
• this palm oil, is used in a number of products such as cosmetics, food and detergents

Question 25

Explain how regulating the atmosphere, is a service provided by the tropical rainforest ?

Answer 25

• all tropical rainforest regulate the gases in the atmosphere and reduce the effect of climate change.
• this is by: taking in carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, and releasing oxygen