Tropical rainforests

What’s abiotic

non living things

What’s biotic

living things

What are food chains?

direct transfer of energy

What are food webs?

interlinked food chains

What’s the role of a producer?

converts sunlight into energy to produce food

What’s the role of a consumer?

feeds on producers, other consumers or both

What’s the role of a decomposer?

feed on dead or decaying matter

What’s the temperature of tropical rainforests?

25-30 degrees

What seasons do tropical rainforests have?

none

What are the steps of the nutrient cycle?

1. Nutrients are dissolved in rainfall, leaves or dead matter

2. Once nutrients are in the soil, they will be absorbed by plants or washed away (leached)

3. Nutrients are passed through food chain when consumed and returned to the soil when dead

What are the layers of a tropical rainforest?

• Emergent- receives most sunlight

• Canopy- dense green trees

• Under canopy- bare trunks, lianas

• Shrub layer- very little vegetation, dark, young trees

• Soil- not fertile as heavy rain washes away nutrients

What is an example of a plant adaptation?

smooth bark and waxy drip-tips of leaves help water to run off quickly

What’s an animal adaptation?

Spider monkeys can climb and swing between trees to find food.