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Equatorial Vegetation
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- 1Rainforest VegetationThere is a large concentration and variety of species in an equatorial rainforest. They grow in mixed stands and there are over 300 species in one hectare
- 2Layers of Rainforest VegetationRainforests are very diverse in terms of the height and depth of vegetation. The layers include the emergent trees (A layer), canopy trees (B layer), under the canopy or lower-story trees (C layer), shrub layer, and forest floor
- 3"A"-layer (Emergent Trees)Type of Trees: Kapok, Gommier, etc.
Height: 30 to 50 meters tall
Conditions: Open, windy environment with full exposure to the sun. Has a wide diurnal range. Strong sunshine but limited water supply
Tree Crown: Wide-spreading crowns. Epiphytes, parasites, birds, and insects live in these crowns. - 4"B"-layer (Canopy Trees)Type of Trees: Rubber Trees, Teak, Ceiba, Cecropia
Height - 20 to 3o meters
Conditions: Rounded and Elongated crowns, packed closely together. On top of this layer is an open and sunny environment (albeit less open than the emergent layer), but as a result of its packed nature, absorbs over 70% of the light from lower layers and intercepts 80% of rainfall. As a result, traps a lot of moisture.
Habitat - Is home to many birds, insects, epiphytes, and mammals like monkeys and sloths. - 5"C"-layer (Under-Canopy or Lower-Story Tress)Type of Trees: Wild Cocoa, Young trees of various species
Height - 15 to 20m
Conditions. Wet and Moist Level, with a low amount of sunlight. Crowns are closely packed together and the wind is minimal. As a result, the growth of trees is slowed, but Epiphytes and parasites thrive in this type of environment. Brids, insects and mammals reside in this area. - 6Shrub LayerType of trees - Miscellaneous small trees and bushes
Height - Up to only 5 meters
Conditions: Wind is absent and the air is still and humid. Only 1% of the light reaches this level and although moisture is abundant, photosynthesis of some plants is slowed due to the absence of light. Very little undergrowth. The plants that are here however, are adapted to survive in such conditions. - 7Forest FloorTypes of Plants: LIana stems, tree trunks, buttresses, saprophytes, mosses, ferns, fungi
Animals: Tapir, deer.
Food: Saprophytes feed off root fungi which help them use organic matter in the soil, and mammals feed off of young plants, seeds, and fruits that have fallen to the ground. - 8Rainforest Vegetational AdaptationsWith the specific conditions in equatorial rainforests, it is important for the flora to adapt to the surroundings. These include:
- 9Buttress RootsLarge, deep roots help to anchor the tall slim and branchless top-heavy trunks. They have no other source of contact or balance so the buttress roots are designed to be the strongest part of the tree
- 10Shallow RootsThe majority of the nutrients in equatorial soils are found in the topsoil. Often times, the roots of trees and plants are shallow, so that the moisture and nutrients in the soil can be retrieved before it is leached downwards and inaccessible
- 11Drip TIp LeavesLeaves often assume a pointed shape to allow water to easily run off the leaf after a downpour or condensation of moisture. This is because photosynthesis is more effective and efficient with a dry leaf rather than a wet one.
- 12Oily/Waxy LeavesTo further aid in the water runoff on leaves, oily leaves are immiscible with water and act therefore as a lubricant to facilitate the easier runoff of water.
- 13Small LeavesThe leaves of the tallest trees in the emergent layer face the largest amount of solar radiation and their leaves are adapted to be small in order to decrease the surface area of the leaf exposed to sun. To resist further radiation, they are often leathery which allows them to phototrophic
- 14Broad LeavesIn the under canopy and shrub layers, the exact opposite is achieved. The leaves are adapted to be broad and flooded with more chlorophyll (dark green) to facilitate the maximum collection of sunlight and thereby photosynthesis
- 15Smooth and thin barksThis allows rainwater to shed quickly and facilitates excess transpiration
- 16Tree CrownsThese are wide and near at the top of the tree, positioning itself to retrieve maximum sunlight, due to its lack on lower levels
- 17Tree TrunksThe trunks of trees are tall and straight as there is no need for branches. This is because little light is available at lower levels.
- 18Rainforest Vegetation - Other PlantsThese plants include Lianas, Epiphytes, and Parasites
- 19LianasStarting on the forest floor, these are thick and woody climbing plants that are rooted on the floor and wrap around trunks and branches, through the B and C layers to reach sunlight
- 20EpiphytesThey do not have roots in the soil but begin growth on the sides of trunks and other plants. Although they live on other plants, they do not take nutrients from them and instead produce their own nutrients. Examples include orchids, bromliads and ferns.
- 21ParasitesThes plants find it difficult to find the nutrients it needs to survive on its own. Therefore it attaches itself to a host tree or shrub to feed off of its host's nutrient. They live high in the canopy layer or even ont he forest floor
Información
- Descripción
- Grade 11 Geography Fichas sobre Equatorial Vegetation, creado por Matthew Wilmot el 20/04/2021.
- Creado por
- Matthew Wilmot
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