Tropical Rain Forest - Man-land relationship

The natural TRF – How does it look like?

Rich diversity of plant species How does a tropical rainforest look like? Evergreen Layered structure Rich diversity of plant species What characteristics of the tropical rainforest can you identify in this photo? (Credit: David Woodfall / WWI / Still Pictures)

What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 1 Evergreen Tropical rainforests are evergreen. They grow continuously throughout the year An aerial view of the tropical rainforest in Brazil (Credit: Jim Zuckerman/Corbis)

Tropical rainforests generally consist of _______ layers. What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 2 Layered structure Emergent layer Canopy layer Tropical rainforests generally consist of _______ layers. Young tree layer five Shrub layer Undergrowth and ground layer

What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 3 Trees with special characteristics of roots and leaves (Credit: Gary Braasch/Corbis) Broad-leafed Buttress roots above the soil Leaves with thick waxy surface and drip-tips Shallow roots in the soil (Credit: Jacques Jangoux/Photo Researchers, Inc.)

What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 4 Rich diversity of plant species Tropical rainforests are famous for their rich and luxuriant plant species. Trees are mostly hardwoods. Apart from trees, there are many other plants in a rainforest. (Credit: Panorama Stock Photo Co. Ltd.)

What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 4 Rich diversity of plant species A Epiphytes Small shrubs or herbs attaching themselves to trunks and branches, e.g. orchids Grow in canopy layer and capture sunlight Harmless to the host Have aerial roots to capture moisture from the air (Credit: H. Brehm / Blickwinkel)

What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 4 Rich diversity of plant species B Climbers Woody plants that climb along the trees to reach the canopy layer for sunlight, e.g. lianas (Credit: Pietro Cenini/Panos Pictures)

What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 4 Rich diversity of plant species C Saprophytes (Credit: Ron Hayes/World of Stock) Plants that feed on dead or decaying organic matter such as dead leaves and old wood, e.g. fungi Found in places where sunlight cannot penetrate (e.g. forest floor)

What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 4 Rich diversity of plant species D Parasites Do not produce their own food Grow on other host plants and live by taking nutrients from the host plants, e.g. ‘corpse flowers’ ‘Corpse flower’ (Credit: COMPOST/Peter Arnold Inc.)

Eventually block the sunlight and kill the host tree What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests? 4 Rich diversity of plant species E Stranglers Start their life as epiphytes and send roots down to the ground, e.g. strangling fig Eventually block the sunlight and kill the host tree Strangling fig (Credit: F. Poelking/Blickwinkel)

What is the climate of tropical rainforests? 1 Temperature patterns High annual mean temperature, about _____°C 27 Located at low latitudes, tropical rainforests receive ( low / high ) input of solar radiation. Hot throughout the year

What is the climate of tropical rainforests? 1 Temperature patterns High annual rainfall, usually over _______ mm Intense sunlight during daytime causes __________ rain in the afternoon. 2,000 convection Rainstorm in a rainforest

This reflects their adaptation to the equatorial climate: How do tropical rainforests look like? Why do tropical rainforests look like this? This reflects their adaptation to the equatorial climate: Plants grow luxuriantly under high temperatures and with abundant rainfall 1 Evergreen Competition for sunlight results in different layers of plants 2 Layered structure

How do tropical rainforests look like? Why do tropical rainforests look like this? Buttress roots: strong mechanical support for tall trees Shallow roots: take nutrients up from the topsoil Leaves have a thick waxy surface and/or drip-tips: to shed excess water from leaves 3 Trees with special root and leaf characteristics A hot and wet climate results in a rich diversity of plant species 4 Rich diversity of plant species

What animals can we find in tropical rainforests? Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Insects

Where do animals live in the rainforest? The animals tend to live in a particular layer in the rainforest. Drag the animal on the left onto the layer it lives. If the game cannot work properly, click here to download the latest Adobe Flash Player.

What animals can we find in tropical rainforests? (Credit: Frans Lanting/Corbis) Many rainforest animals use different ways to protect themselves. Special structure: in order to escape Camouflage: in order to hide (Credit: Michael & Patricia Fogden/Corbis) Bright colour: to indicate poisonous (Credit: Rhett A. Butler/mongabay.com)

2 Layered structure Emergent layer Height: up to _____ metres 50 Tall, straight and smooth trunks Umbrella shape for full exposure to sunlight

2 Layered structure Canopy layer Height: ranging from _____ to _____ metres 20 35 Oval-shaped crowns Close and continuous canopy blocks sunlight from penetrating down to the forest floor

2 Layered structure Young tree layer Height: seldom exceeds _____ metres 15 Conical-shaped crowns Trees die easily due to insufficient sunlight

2 Layered structure Shrub layer Height: less than ____ metres 5 Mostly woody shrubs Heliconia is found in the shrub layer in tropical rainforests

2 Layered structure Undergrowth and ground layer Only little undergrowth, e.g. mosses and fungi Little availability of sunlight Mushrooms are a kind of fungus found on the forest floor