A community of living

Ecosystem animals and plants and

their interactions with their
non-living environment (air,
water, soil etc.)

The continuous recycling of

Nutrient Cycle mineral nutrients such as
carbon and nitrogen around
an ecosystem, between the
atmosphere, soil & living
organisms

A dense, continuous upper

Canopy layer to the rainforest –
most photosynthesis takes
place here (known as the
“engine of the rainforest”)

Situated below the canopy,

Under saplings – ready to take
advantage of a gap in the
Canopy canopy

The tallest trees – may

Emergents reach up to 50m+
 Thick roots that extend up
Buttress to 10m up a tree, providing
support for tall trees
Roots growing up towards the
sunlight

Leaves have small tips at

Drip Tips the end to funnel off heavy
rainfall.

Woody climbers that use

Lianas trees to help them reach up
towards the sunlight

Characteristic of tropical
rainforests due to equatorial
Convectional location. As intense heating
occurs, warm air rises, cools &
Rainfall condenses forming thick
clouds

Deforestation The cutting down of trees

 Where although logging
takes place it is managed
Sustainable to ensure that the forest is
not damaged & that
Logging volumes of wood extracted
in a particular area are low

Non-Timber An alternative to timber for

earning money from the
Forest rainforest (e.g. includes
fibres, fruit, honey & seeds)
Products
A traditional activity using
the forest in a sustainable
Rubber way – doesn’t involve
cutting down the tree –
Tapping rubber is extracted from
slits in the bark