Tropical Rainforests Flashcards
(29 cards)
How are rainforests our most biodiverse ecosystem?
They have the biggest variety of living things.
They cover less than 7% of the earths land, but hold over half the known species of plants and animals.
Where are rainforests located
Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn around the equator.
Where are the main rainforests and what are they called? (On a map)
What is the climate called in a tropical rainforest
An equatorial climate
Describe the climate of tropical rainforests
It is hot and wet throughout the year.
Rainfall is heavy and falls during most afternoons.
There are no winters or summers.
One day is very similar to the next.
The weather is very predictable.
What are the 9 stages of formation of conventional rainfall?
Sun rises high in the sky by midday.
Sun heats up the ground.
Air next to the ground is heated.
Water evaporates from the ground and trees (Transpiration).
Warm air rises.
Air cools and condensation occurs.
White cumulus clouds form.
Cumulonimbus storm clouds form.
Heavy rain.
What is the diagram of the formation of convectional rainfall?
What is the diagram of the formation of convectional rainfall?
Describe the equatorial climate
The equatorial climate is hot and wet all year. Rainfall is heavy and falls during the afternoon. The weather for each day of the year is very similar.
What is the diagram about the sun in the sky
How many layers does a tropical rainforest have?
4
What are the layers of the tropical rainforest
Shrub layer, under canopy, canopy, emergents.
Tell me about emergents
Emergents are the tallest trees and are usually over 50 meters tall.
Give me an example of an emergent
The kapok tree is an example of an emergent.
Tell me about the canopy
The canopy is the sea of leaves blocking out the sun from the lower layers. The canopy contains over 80% of the rainforest wildlife. This includes birds, snakes and monkeys.
Give me an example of something in the canopy
Lianas (vines) climb to the canopy to reach the sunlight.
Tell me about the under canopy
The under canopy mainly contains bare tree trunks and lianas.
Tell me about the shrub layer
The shrub layer has the densest plant growth. It contains shrubs and ferns and other plants needing less light. Saplings of emergents and canopy trees can also be found here.
How much of the sun does each layer of the rainforest get?
Emergents 1/1.
Canopy 3/4.
Under canopy 1/2.
Shrub layer 1/4.
How does vegetation adapt to the climate of tropical rainforests?
The vegetation has to adapt to the climate, by adapt we mean that it has had to learn to live with the constant high temperatures and the heavy rainfall.
Give me 5 vague vegetation adaptations
Buttress roots, roots, vines, air plants, leaves
How are the tallest trees adapted
The tallest trees (emergents) have adapted huge buttress roots like these to stop them toppling over.
How are the soil/roots adapted
The soil is poor. So the plant roots grow close to the surface, to grab the nutrients.
How are the vines adapted
Thick vines called lianas just loop around the tree trunks to reach the sunlight.
