Ecosystem and Tropical Rainforest

• Ecosystem


  Made up of living things and their non-living surroundings
• Decomposer


  Organisms that break down dead plant and animal matter, such as bacteria and fungi
• Nutrients


  Substances from the soil, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, that provide nourishment for plant growth
• Tropical rainforests


  • Located near the Equator
  • Mean annual temperature 25-30°C
  • Mean annual rainfall 500-1500mm
  • Distinct wet and dry seasons
• Nutrient cycling


  Recycling of nutrients with the breaking down of organic matter by decomposers
• Autotroph


  An organism that is able to produce its own food from the sun through photosynthesis
• Heterotroph


  An organism that obtains energy by consuming other organisms
• Deciduous forest


  • Lose leaves in the winter to cope with the cold
  • Evergreen trees found in parts of the year
• Boreal forest


  • Located in Scandinavia/Canada
  • Characterised by cold temperatures and low precipitation (less than 500mm per year)
• Tropical rainforests


  • High and constant temperatures throughout the year
  • High levels of rainfall throughout the year
  • Rapid nutrient recycling
• Rainforest structure


  • Canopy layer - where most animals live
  • Understory layer - plants and small trees waiting for gaps in the canopy
  • Forest floor - shade tolerant plants
• Causes of deforestation


  • Logging and timber extraction
  • Mining and mineral extraction
  • Clearing land for agriculture and housing
  • Building infrastructure like dams
• Plant adaptations


  • Buttress roots to support tall trees
  • Thin, waxy bark to allow water runoff
  • Drip-tip leaves to shed water quickly
• Animal adaptations


  • Gliding membranes between limbs to move between trees
  • Bright colours to warn predators
  • Strong beaks to access hard nuts and fruits
• 50% of plant and animal species on Earth are found in tropical rainforests
• 25% of medicines come from tropical rainforest plants
• Tropical rainforests absorb 28% of the world's carbon dioxide
• Sustainable rainforest management strategies

  • Ecotourism
  • Conservation and education
  • Selective logging
  • Sustainable forestry