tropical rainforest

Question 1

describe the seasons in tropical rainforests

Answer 1

there aren’t any distinct seasons

Question 2

what does the temperature in rainforests range between throughout the year?

Answer 2

all year, the temperature is in the range of 21 degrees celsius to 30 degrees celsius

Question 3

how much rainfall is there each year in a tropical rainforest?

Answer 3

roughly 2,000 mm each year

Question 4

what is the soil like in tropical rainforests?

Answer 4

infertile

Question 5

why are tropical rainforest soils infertile?

Answer 5

heavy rain washes away minerals and nutrients from the soil

Question 6

why do plants grow all year in the tropical rainforest?

Answer 6

the climate is very similar in all months throughout the year

Question 7

what word describes plants in the tropical rainforest?

Answer 7

evergreen (always green): the leaves do not shed in winter

Question 8

why is there competition for sunlight for trees in the tropical rainforest?

Answer 8

trees block sunlight for each other and create shade

Question 9

how do trees counter the competition for sunlight in the tropical rainforest?

Answer 9

they grow very tall

Question 10

how tall can trees grow in the tropical rainforest?

Answer 10

up to 46 metres high

Question 11

what are epiphytes?

Answer 11

plants that live off and grow on other plants

Question 12

describe the biodiversity of species in tropical rainforests

Answer 12

extremely biodiverse

Question 13

which humans inhabit tropical rainforests?

Answer 13

tribal communities

Question 14

tropical rainforests are highly interdependent. What does this mean?

Answer 14

all the different parts depend on one another

Question 15

what happens if there is a change to an interdependent ecosystem?

Answer 15

there will be knock-on effects for the rest of the ecosystem

Question 16

what are the effects of deforestation in tropical rainforests?

Answer 16

fewer trees absorb carbon dioxide (environmental effect),
soil erosion increases

Question 17

how does soil erosion increase after deforestation and what is the effect?

Answer 17

Trees that used to catch rainwater and protect the soil have been removed, leaving the soil exposed, reducing the quality of the soil and reducing the ability of rainforests to support large animal populations

Question 18

why does decomposition of dead animals on the forest floor occur quickly in tropical rainforests?

Answer 18

because of the humid, warm, and moist climate in a tropical rainforest

Question 19

what is the effect of rapid deposition on forest floors in tropical rainforests?

Answer 19

a nutrient-rich layer of soil is created, allowing plants to grow very quickly

Question 20

what is the speed of plant growth dependent on?

Answer 20

the soil and the nutrients within the soil

Question 21

where do animals get their nutrition from in tropical rainforest?

Answer 21

by eating plants, or eating animals that have eaten plants already

Question 22

the vegetation in tropical rainforests is very dense. What does this mean?

Answer 22

there is a lot of food for primary consumers and other plant-eating animals, meaning more plant-eating animals are alive, providing food for meat-eating animals higher up in the food chain

Question 23

how much of the Earth do rainforest cover and how much of the worlds species come from rainforests, what does this suggest

Answer 23

rainforests cover 6% of the Earth’s surface area, but are home to about 50% of the world’s animal and plant species: shows that rainforest are very biodiverse