Tropical Rain forest biome Flashcards
How much rainfall does the tropical rain forest receive
It receives annual rainfall of around 2000mm
Does it have a year-round growing season
Yes, due to ITCZ
How does the ITCZ move during the summer
Moves north in junes and moves south in december
How does the ITCZ work
Suns Insolation heats up air and ground causing water to evaporate and air to rise creating low pressure zone. (warm air and absorb more moisture). AS air cools as it rises it can’t hold as much moisture. This means the moisture turns into clouds and releases intense rainfall
What symbiotic relationship is present in a tropical rainforest
Caulifory tree, the flowers of which it produce a pungent night-time smell that attracts bats which pollinate plants
Does the soil have a thin humus layer and how is the soil contructed
Yes - plants rapidly absorb and percolation reats which aulimiuon etc in soil to form orange colour. Up to 30m deep
What are the different layers of a tropical rainforest
Emergent layer
Canopy
Under-storey
Shrub-layer
forest floor
what is contained in the emergent layer of the tropical rainforest
All trees above the tree line have to be hardy to withstand the sunlight. Such a tree is kapok
What is contained in the canopy of the tropical rainforest
Most productive part of forest due to abundance of sun light. Linas as plants that climb using the trees to access sun light. Most have drip tip leaves that help shed water quickly before it damages the leaf.It populated with many bird and monkey species. The south American three toed sloth has has fur covered with green algae allowing it to be camoflaghed
What is contained in the understorey
Contains slender and less substantial trees. Most of the trees are shade tolarent. Animals such as the organitan live on this layer
What is containened in the shrub layer
Contains younger trees. Tends to contain herbivores that compete for seeds and fallen fruit.
What is contained in the forest floor layer
As little as 1% of sunlight passes through to the forest floor. T
What adaption do trees have in teh TRF
Buttress roots, they provide stability for large rainforest trees. ANimals have adapted for low-light conditions
Drip tip leaves - to shed water rapidly
IMpacts on TRF
Clearing land for agricultural use
Palm oil plantations
Logging
Road construction to support development
Hydroelectric power
Mining
Beef Ranching
HOw does Deforestation affect the rainforest
removes the protective canopy above which exposes fragile soil to direct rainfall. THis results in rapid soil erosion. This increases run-off - runoff and therefore soil erosion.
Kills of species such as monkeys which affects other areas of the rain forest.
