What Is The Climate In Tropical Rainforests Flashcards
What is the climate in tropical rainforests
equatorial climate
What is the characteristic of the equatorial climate
Hot and wet all year
What is the characteristic of the temperatures in equatorial climate
High annual mean temp
Small Annual range of temp
No distinct cold season
What is the reason behind the high temps
The angle of the sun is large throughout the year, inputs of solar radiation are large
What is the characteristic of the rainfall in rainforests
High annual rainfall
Convection rain
Evenly distributed
What is the cause of the high rainfall
Large energy inputs create a turbulent and unstable atmosphere
Formation of convection rain
What is the typical type of soil found in tropical rainforests
Oxisol
What are the four layers of oxisol
Thin humus layer
Reddish and acidic
Infertile
Thick soil profile
What is the humus layer
Dead plants materials, waste and dead bodies accumulate on the ground, forming a dead organic matter called litter, when litter decay, it form a layer of humus
What are the characteristics of humus
Due to the hot and wet climate, humus are quickly decomposed
What are reddish and acidic
Heavy rain causes leaching and soluble minerals are mashed down deep in the soil, except iron and aluminum oxides, which makes the soil acidic and give the soil red colour
What is infertile
Nutrients released from litter of humus through decomposition concentrate in the topsoil
What is thick soil profile
Intense weathering is f the bedrock leads to a thick soil profile of 30-50m deep
What are the characteristics of vegetation in tropical rainforests
Luxuriant and evergreen
Layered stratified structure
What is luxuriant and evergreen
The hot wet climate allow tropical rainforest to grow luxuriantly throughout the year and tree remain all green year round
What is the five layer structure
Emergent layer
Canopy layer
Young tree layer
Shrub layer
Undergrowth and ground layer
What is the characteristic of emergent layer
• It consists of the tallest trees that grow up to 50 metres or above, known as emergent
• The trees need much sunlight
- The trees are widely spaced, have high branches, broad and umbrella-shaped crowns, and are supported by thick and straight trunks and buttress roots
• The tall height and broad crowns help the trees to get maximum sunlight
What is the characteristic of canopy layer
• It consists of tall trees ranging from 20 to 35 metres high
• The trees need much sunlight, are closely packed, have high branches, oval-shaped crowns, and are supported by straight trunks and buttress roots
• The dense crowns form a close and continuous canopy
• It houses over 70% of the species found in a rainforest
• Little sunlight can penetrate to the lower layers
What is the characteristic of young tree layer
It consists of short trees that seldom exceed 15 metres
• The trees are sparse, have conical crowns and slender trunks. They are adapted to grow in the shade of the canopy layer
• Some trees in this layer are the saplings of emergent and canopy trees. They will finally replace the old trees
What is the characteristic of shrub layer
• It consists of short shrubs, ferns and other plants, mostly less than 5 metres high
• As this layer is fairly dark, most plants there do not need much sunlight
• The plants are sparse
What is the characteristic of undergrowth and ground layer
• As the canopy layer blocks most of the sunlight, only about 1-2% of sunlight reaches the forest floor. The forest floor is thus dark and damp
• There is little undergrowth, except in the opening gaps produced by fallen trees where more sunlight can reach the lower layers
• Only species that do not need much sunlight, such as mosses and lichens, can survive
• There is a layer of litter on the ground
What are the four levels of food chain
Producer
Primary consumer
Secondary consumer
Tertiary consumer
What is producer
All green plants are producers, they can produce their own food through photosynthesis
What is consumers
All animals are consumers, they cannot produce their own food . There are three types of consumers :
Primary consumers
Secondary consumers
Tertiary consumers
What is primary consumers
It is animals that are herbivore and only feed on producers
What are secondary consumers
Animals that are carnivorous and feed on other consumers at the same and lower levels
What are tertiary consumers
Animals that feed on other consumers
What is decomposer
Fungi, bacteria and some other animals can break down dead organic matter on the ground into inorganic matter , that can be readily absorbed by plants
Where does energy come from
Sun
