Tropical Rainforest Characteristics Soil

Transpiration from the evergreen trees results.

Tropical rainforest characteristics soil. The tropical rainforest biome has four main characteristics. The soils of tropical rainforests are characterized by rapid recycling of fallen leaves and other organic matter due to the large biomass of the rainforest. Despite the amount of vegetation in the rainforest the soil contains less organic matter than that of temperate forests because the warm humid conditions encourage faster decay and recycling of nutrients back into living forest.

Soil in the tropical rainforest is particularly very poor because the soil is more than 100 million years old. When the soil is acidic there is little difference and therefore little absorption of nutrients from the soil. The type of clay particles present in tropical rainforest soil has a poor ability to trap nutrients and stop them from washing away.

This high rate of decomposition is the result of phosphorus levels in the soils precipitation high temperatures and the extensive microorganism communities. There are major concerns about deforestation of it and the consequent damage to the soil. The forests are located in the tropical wet humid regions with an average annual rainfall of around 200-225 cm.

During the 100 million years rain wash the minerals of the soil out which make the soil acidic and poor in nutrients. Due to the high humid temperatures in tropical rainforests it speeds up and has a rapid fast growing. In the Amazon tropical rainforest the soil are mostly several metres deep.

Ground level - contains less vegetation due to the dark damp conditions a thick layer of decomposing leavesand the. The soil is thin and poor in nutrients. The roots of plants rely on an acidity difference between the roots and the soil in order to absorb nutrients.

Climatic conditions in tropical rainforests have an average of 27 degrees annually and an average rainfall of approximately 200cm with a permanently high humidity. Some tropical trees have developed huge buttress roots to absorb nutrients from the soil. Only about 20 of tropical soils are suitable for agriculture.