Natural Vegetation- Geography
Natural Vegetation
Tropical Rainforests
10º North and South of the Equator
High rainfall and temperatures (over 1500 mm yearly; about 27º)
Typically located in the Amazon Basin in South America, Congo Basin in Africa and parts of Southeast Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia.
~400 species per hectare
5 distinct layers:
Emergent: 30m to 50m; tall thick straight trunks
Canopy: 15m to 30m; wide, shallow, umbrella-shaped crowns form a continuous leaf cover, preventing sunlight from penetrating into the lower layers
Understorey: 6m to 15m; narrower, oval-shaped crowns, trees grow where gaps in the canopy allow sunlight to penetrate
Shrub: Up to 6m; Tree saplings and woody plants
Undergrowth: Up to 5m; Fungi, mosses, grass, ferns
Epiphytes: grow along tree branches to get more sunlight (e.g. Birds’ nest fern and orchids)
Lianas: thick woody vines that wind around trees for sunlight (up to lengths of 90m)
Parasitic plants: Strangling fig wraps itself around the trunk of the host tree and competes with it for nutrients and sunlight, eventually killing the host tree
Leaf litter: leaves that fall from trees decompose quickly to form a layer of humus
Humus: rich in nutrients, supports abundant vegetation growth
Making furniture and other objects: Keruing, meranti, chengal, kapur (species of trees)
Tropical rainforests are extremely dense.
Leaves are: evergreen, large and broad to increase surface area for photosynthesis waxy with drip tips to allow rainwater to drain off easily, preventing harmful bacteria from growing. (Protects the plant from diseases; the high rainfall and temperature of the tropical rainforest promote rapid growth of bacteria)
Flowers are colourful and sweet-smelling to attract insects for pollination and animals for seed dispersal.
Bark and Branches: barks are thin and smooth (no need for protection against weather) branches only on the top 1/3 of the trunks
Roots: shallow and
Tropical Rainforests
10º North and South of the Equator
High rainfall and temperatures (over 1500 mm yearly; about 27º)
Typically located in the Amazon Basin in South America, Congo Basin in Africa and parts of Southeast Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia.
~400 species per hectare
5 distinct layers:
Emergent: 30m to 50m; tall thick straight trunks
Canopy: 15m to 30m; wide, shallow, umbrella-shaped crowns form a continuous leaf cover, preventing sunlight from penetrating into the lower layers
Understorey: 6m to 15m; narrower, oval-shaped crowns, trees grow where gaps in the canopy allow sunlight to penetrate
Shrub: Up to 6m; Tree saplings and woody plants
Undergrowth: Up to 5m; Fungi, mosses, grass, ferns
Epiphytes: grow along tree branches to get more sunlight (e.g. Birds’ nest fern and orchids)
Lianas: thick woody vines that wind around trees for sunlight (up to lengths of 90m)
Parasitic plants: Strangling fig wraps itself around the trunk of the host tree and competes with it for nutrients and sunlight, eventually killing the host tree
Leaf litter: leaves that fall from trees decompose quickly to form a layer of humus
Humus: rich in nutrients, supports abundant vegetation growth
Making furniture and other objects: Keruing, meranti, chengal, kapur (species of trees)
Tropical rainforests are extremely dense.
Leaves are: evergreen, large and broad to increase surface area for photosynthesis waxy with drip tips to allow rainwater to drain off easily, preventing harmful bacteria from growing. (Protects the plant from diseases; the high rainfall and temperature of the tropical rainforest promote rapid growth of bacteria)
Flowers are colourful and sweet-smelling to attract insects for pollination and animals for seed dispersal.
Bark and Branches: barks are thin and smooth (no need for protection against weather) branches only on the top 1/3 of the trunks
Roots: shallow and