Tropical rainforests

What are tropical rainforests?

Biomes in equatorial countries in hot and humid climates

Rainforest layers - forest floor

Bottom layer covered by dead leaves and insects, the darkest and most humid layer of rainforest with only 2% of sunlight reaching layer

Rainforest layers - understory/ under canopy

Doesn’t receive as much sunlight as it’s shaded, there’s small trees and vines

Rainforest layers - canopy

Lots of sunlight and rainfall where leaves and branches act as umbrella, this is where the greatest diversity of species in forest is

Rainforest layers - emergent layer

Tallest trees in rainforest, trees are thin, branchless and supported by buttress roots - maximum sunlight

Rainforest adaptations - lianas

Woody vines that start at ground level and climb up and connect to other trees to get as much light as possible

Rainforest adaptations - buttress roots

Buttress roots stretch from ground up the trunk to help anchor the tree as some shallow soil cannot support some trees