Year 8 Rainforest characteristics

Which of these describes the location of the tropical rainforest?

• Close to the equator

• Close to the Poles

• Near to the Tropic of Capricorn

• Near to the Tropic of Cancer

Which of these describes the tropical rainforest climate?

• Mild summers and cool winters. Winters tend to be wetter but rain all year.

• Hot and wet all year round with no seasons.

• Hot in the day and cooler at night. Dry all year round.

• A wet season and a dry season. Warm all year.

Which is the thickest layer of the rainforest where most animals live?

• Emergents

• Canopy

• Under canopy

• Shrub layer

Which country does NOT contain rainforest?

• Brazil

• Finland

• Indonesia

• Central African Republic

Why type of rainfall falls at the equator (in the rainforest)?

• Convectional

• Relief

• Frontal

It is hot at the equator because

• The sun is high in the sky, overhead at midday and the rays heat up a smaller area

• The sun is low in the sky, never overhead and heats up a larger area

Leaves have a waxy surface with pointed tips to enable excess rainwater to run-off easily

• Buttress roots

• Drip tips

• Epiphytes

• Lianas

These plants have their roots in the ground and use other trees to climb up into the canopy to receive sunlight

• Lianas

• Buttress roots

• Thin bark

• Red leaves

These plants live on the surface of other plants, mostly tree trunks and branches, which allows them to make the most of the sunlight in the canopy

• Lianas

• Epiphytes

• Stilt roots

• Buttress roots

These provide the tall rainforest trees with extra support in the thin soils. Many trees grow to over 30m!

• Lianas

• Stilt roots

• Buttress roots

• Epiphytes