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9 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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occurrence
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-Central America, the Amazon Basin, the Atlantic coast of Brazil, West Africa, Madagascar, Malaysia, and Australia
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strata
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-from aerial view, tropical rainforest has a "bumpy" appearance
three strata: -emergents (which can reach 150ft) -canopy trees (80-100ft) -sub-canopy trees |
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shape of trees
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-like a lollipop
-long narrow trunk with a buttress (for support) and a ball of leaves at the top. -the narrow trunk reflects the importance of reaching the canopy as fast as possible |
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dominant life forms
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1) trees
2) epiphytes 3) vines (woody vines are called lianas) (shrubs are rare in the rainforest) |
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leaf shape
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-shape of leaves in rainforest strikingly similar across species
-ovoid, waxy, hairless, and usually with a "drip-tip" -these characteristics hypothesized to reduce the growth of algae, fungi, and bacteria on leaves -also very tough and difficult to eat |
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biota distribution
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-most biological activity occurs in the canopy (because it is so effective at blocking out light)
-of 59 mammals in the tropical rainforest, 31 are arboreal, and 23 are ground-dwellers |
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dispersal and pollination mechanisms
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-animals are extremely important vectors for both dispersal and pollination
-pollination by mechanical means (wind or water) is rare |
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rainfall patterns
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-rainfall patterns cue the synchronization of biological events--primary cue for plants
-this is important for plants, because they must be in bloom at the same time for cross-pollination to occur |
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soil composition
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-high humidity, high temps, and lack of dry or cold period allow bacteria and fungi to be active year-round.
-the detritus that falls on the floor is therefore decomposed incredibly fast, meaning that soil is generally low in nutrients |
