EpiphytesEpiphytes are plants that are able to grow on or attached to another plant. They usually grow on a tree’s branches, trunk, and leaves. These plants are found in the higher parts of the rainforest as this allows them to receive more sunlight. There is a wide range of plants that classify as Epiphytes such as orchids, cacti, and mosses.
Fun fact: The name ‘epiphyte’ comes from the greek words ‘epi’, which means “upon” and ‘python’, which means plant. |
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Bromeliads can be epiphytes but are also terrestrial meaning they grow on the ground, or saxicolous meaning they grow on rocks. A well-known terrestrial epiphyte is the pineapple. Bromeliads have stiff waxy leaves that overlap in order to act like a bucket to collect rain. Leaves and other debris will fall into theses buckets causing single-celled organisms such as algae to grow. This makes is a suitable place for animals like tree frogs, snails, salamanders to live in.
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The brazil nut tree reaching a towering height of 40 meters is a common tree species found in the Amazon rainforest. This tree will grow yellow flowers which will eventually turn into 5-pound, baseball sized, fruit in the months of January and February. The fruit has a hard woody exterior that there is only one known animal that can crack it. This animal is the agouti, a large rodent that uses its sharp chisel-like teeth to crack the fruit. The pods that hold the nuts will break up once they fall off and reach the forest floor. Inside the fruit there are about 12-24 seeds. These seeds are usually harvested by the locals as they are rich in protein. The oil from these nuts is also often extracted and used in various beauty products.
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Lianas are a type of climbing vine found in the rainforest. They have thick woody stems and can grow to have of up to 60 centimeters and reach 100 meters in length. Lianas will start growing from the forest floor but eventually climb upwards towards the sunlight, supporting themselves against trees. Lianas will often wrap themselves around other lianas or trees. These vines help support trees against strong winds. However, a downside of having multiple trees connected through a network of vines means if one tree were to fall, it may end up pulling down other trees with it.
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In Hawaii’s rainforest, the main native tree is the ohia tree. However, the tropical ash tree and Canary Island fire tree are starting to take over the area. These trees are creating thicker canopies than the native trees. Because of this, less light is able to get through to the lower levels. The result of this change is the suppression of the plants that live in these lower levels such as tree ferns.
The Moluccan albizia tree is another invasive species to Hawaii that has altered the soil. The soil fertility changed so that the strawberry guava tree can grow faster. These guava trees form a dense thicket that block the majority of the light from reaching the forest floor which makes is difficult or the young native plants to grow. |
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Treebark
Thick bark that is seen in drier temperate deciduous forests are able to limit the amount of moisture that evaporates from the tree trunk. However, in tropical rainforests it is very humid therefore the trees no longer need to limit the amount of moisture that escapes. Instead, the trees have a smooth thin bark. Image Source
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Growth Patterns of Lianas
Lianas, like all plants, needs sunlight to grow. They have adapted by climbing up trees in order to access the upper canopies where they can be exposed to more sunlight Image Source
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Buttress Roots
The roots of trees in the tropical rainforest are shallower than the roots in other forests. Therefore, large trees have buttress roots that allow them to have extra stability. These roots create big ridges by the base of the trunk and eventually fade into the trunk. Image Source
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The symbiotic relationship between Capuchin Monkeys and flowering trees is an example of mutualism as the relationship benefits both species. The capuchin monkey feeds on the nectar of flowers found on the various trees of the rainforest. While the capuchin monkey is lapping up the nectar in the flowers, its fur is being covered in pollen. As the capuchin monkey moves around it is not only feeding itself but transferring the pollen between flowers as well. The trees provide capuchin monkeys with food and in return they help the pollination of flowers for the trees.
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The Brazil nut tree is considered to have a conservation status of vulnerable. The biggest factor that causes it to be at risk is deforestation. Logging companies are contributing to the decline of this species as well as the demand for beef, soy, and palm oil. Farmers are clearing areas of forest in order to make room for cattle or farming.
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