WHy do rainforests matter Flashcards
What is the climate of tropical rainforests
Temperatures are high throughout the year (avaerging 27)
Rainfall is high because of rising air and low pressure
There is an intense rainy season
Tropical rainforests biodiversity
Tropical rainforests only cover 6% of earths surface yet support more than 50% of all living organisms
What is the shrub layer
Lacks sunlight
Bacteria and fungi rapidly decompose
Contains ferns woody plants and younger trees0-10m
What is the soil like in tropical rainforests
Rapid nutrients support new growth.
What is the under canopy
Shaded smaller trees 10-20m
What is the canopy
20-35m
The most productive layer
Emergent layer
35-50m
Hardy, exposed trees with straight branchless trunks recieve the most sunlight
How have animals adpated to living in tropical rainforest (camoflague)
Enables creatures to blend into the environemnt hiding themselves
How have animals adpated to living in tropical rainforest (mimicry)
Pretending to be something else
How have animals adpated to living in tropical rainforest (Habitat adaptations)
SLoths with long arms and claws living in tree tops
How have animals adpated to living in tropical rainforest (Bright colours and poisens)
To warn predators to avoid them
What typically are rainforest soils like
Old,Deep,Iron rich and red in colour
Not fertile
Prone to rapid leeching
Most nutrients stored in biomas
Why is it so rainy in the rainforests
The tree canopy layers intercept the heavy rainfall
Most of the water is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration
Which leads to the formation of clouds
What is the value of tropical rainforests (population and medicine)
around 50m people live there
25% of the worlds medicines come from rainforests
What have rainforests provided
wood,nuts,fruits,rubber and rich mineral sources
