Plants
The Amazon rainforest has as many as 80,000 species of plants growing in it and at least 40,000 of these species play a critical role in regulating the global climate and sustaining the local water cycle. In fact, in the Amazon rainforest there may be as many as 100 different species of plants all in a 1 hectare plot of land (0.01 square kilometres). Many of these plants are used in traditional medicine. Plants are also a main source of food in the Amazon, both for people and animals.
The Amazon rainforest has as many as 80,000 species of plants growing in it and at least 40,000 of these species play a critical role in regulating the global climate and sustaining the local water cycle. In fact, in the Amazon rainforest there may be as many as 100 different species of plants all in a 1 hectare plot of land (0.01 square kilometres). Many of these plants are used in traditional medicine. Plants are also a main source of food in the Amazon, both for people and animals.
Survival
Lots of insects in the Amazon feed on plants. Lots of plants, however, have there own ways of defending themselves. Some plants use hidden toxins. Others are covered in thorns or have spikey stems. Because of the amount of rain that falls down on the Amazon rainforest, the soil in the Amazon is generally poor in nutrients. In such harsh conditions, plants cannot afford the threat of being eaten by insects or over animals. To defend themselves, they have evolved a large range of strategies and tools.
Defence Methods
The main way plants stop animals from eating them is just by being tasteless. Just like us, animals like foods that taste good. Another effective method plants use for defence is being tough and chewy and hard to eat. Some plants are poisonous to anything that eats them. A few even eat insects and small mammals to get the nutrients the soil does not provide.
Lots of insects in the Amazon feed on plants. Lots of plants, however, have there own ways of defending themselves. Some plants use hidden toxins. Others are covered in thorns or have spikey stems. Because of the amount of rain that falls down on the Amazon rainforest, the soil in the Amazon is generally poor in nutrients. In such harsh conditions, plants cannot afford the threat of being eaten by insects or over animals. To defend themselves, they have evolved a large range of strategies and tools.
Defence Methods
The main way plants stop animals from eating them is just by being tasteless. Just like us, animals like foods that taste good. Another effective method plants use for defence is being tough and chewy and hard to eat. Some plants are poisonous to anything that eats them. A few even eat insects and small mammals to get the nutrients the soil does not provide.
Epiphytes
Some plants in the Amazon rainforest have evolved to growing in other places other than just the forest floor. Some plants grow over other plants. These plants are called epiphytes. In a tropical rainforest like the Amazon they may represent up to one fourth of all the plant species. Epiphytes contain a vast amount of plants like: some ferns, orchids, cacti and mosses. These plants have the ability to virtually live in the air. They collect the soil they need by catching little specs that have been picked up by the wind. This helps them grow roots and a litter base on a tree or other plant.
Bromeliads
Some bromeliads also take the form of epiphytes too. Bromeliads are plants with short stems and have stiff, spiny leaves. They collect water with their cup-like leaves. Small animals like frogs take sometimes take shelter in bromeliads. Over 250 tree frogs, snails and other creatures use bromeliads as shelter.
Palms
Palms are easily identified by the shape and size. Palms are useful for many things such as making hammocks and brooms. One type of palm known as the Murumuru (or tucum) is used for making oil. It is said to have 3 times more Vitamin A than carrots.
Vines
Vines are one of the most common plants in the Amazon rainforest. They are essential for life in the Amazon. They provide foods for thousands of insects and animals. There are many different types of vines in the Amazon. These include: lianas that hang from the treetops, bole climbers, which climb tree trunks and stranglers, which wrap themselves around trees and sometimes choke them. Vines do not need a certain type of soil to grow. They do need, however, sunlight and forest interiors. Humans have used vines as food, medicine, hallucinogens and poisons.