Tropical Rainforest Adaptations

• Leaves: Broad

  • How it helps: Maximises exposed surface area -> Maximises absorption of light -> More photosynthesis
  • Why it’s needed: Abundance of sunlight in the tropics, also for the plants under the dense canopy which get less light to maximise absorption
• Leaves: Drip-tip

  • How it helps: Drains off water -> Prevents branches from breaking due to weight of the water
  • How it helps: Prevents mould from growing on leaves (grows rapidly in high temperatures and precipitation)
  • Why it’s needed: Environment where there is high rainfall throughout the year in the tropical region
• Leaves: Leathery


  • How it helps: Minimises water loss through transpiration -> Allows trees to retain more of the water they absorb
  • Why it’s needed: Environment where temperatures generally remain high throughout the year in the tropical region
• Forest: Evergreen (not leaves)


  • How it helps: Trees do not shed all their leaves over the same period of time because there is less need to minimise water loss -> With chlorophyll trees can photosynthesise throughout the year to grow
  • Why it’s needed: Environment where there is high rainfall throughout the year and no dry season
• Roots: Buttress


  • How it helps: Thick and spread out to support the weight of tall trees (otherwise they may topple)
  • How it helps: Increase area over which nutrients can be absorbed
• Roots: Plank

  • How it helps: Wavy, plank-like roots growing away from the base of the trunk -> Also help support the weight of tall trees
• Roots: Shallow

  • How it helps: Spread out to increase surface area on the surface of the soil
  • How it helps: Help absorb more water because there is an abundance of water on the surface of the soil -> Absorb as much nutrients as possible on the surface (leaf litter on forest floor decomposes rapidly due to hot and humid climate in the tropical region, so they become nutrients, but they are swiftly leached away by the rain due to high rainfall throughout the year in the tropical region) -> Shallow roots absorb the water and nutrients from the topsoil the fastest so very beneficial
• Bark: Thin


  • How it helps: High temperatures and rainfall throughout the year in the tropical region -> No need for protection from cold or dry conditions
• Bark: Smooth

  • Prevent climbers and creepers (which may be harmful parasites) from hooking onto the tree and competing with it for sunlight and food
• Flowers


  • Vibrant and nice-smelling to attract pollinators and ensure the species survives (not extinct)
• Fruits


  • Different methods of seed dispersal - wind, water, animals, explosion, splitting
• Wind seed dispersal -> Disperse a lot of seeds so that at least some of them land in suitable conditions and germinate
• Water seed dispersal -> Fruits have adaptations that enable them to float eg coconuts have hollow husks
• Animal seed dispersal -> Some fruits have hooks, others are sweet-smelling etc
• Explosive seed dispersal -> For far range
• Splitting seed dispersal -> For close range