Lianas
Though the tropical rainforest gets up to 12 hours of sunlight a day almost none of that sunlight reaches the ground level. Lianas have adapted in a way that allows for them to gain access to the sunlight. Lianas are vines that have their roots planted in the ground and use nearby trees to climb up to the rain forests canopy level. They spread from tree to tree maximizing the amount of sunlight they can get allowing for them to grow. Bromeliads Many of the plants in the Congo tropical rain forest have adapted to have curved leaves allowing them to collect water, like that of the Bromeliads. Bromeliads have Stiff, long leaves that act as a water channel, collecting water droplets when it rains, and providing the plant with nutrients. Leaves and other substances fall into the Bromeliads leaves channels and help algae and other organisms grow; which in turn help feeds insects and other organisms. The Bromeliads is like its own habitat since there are animals like tree frogs that live inside of it. Trees In places like the Congo tropical rainforest, the soil is extremely moist and lacking in nutrients. Therefore, the trees in the rainforest have adapted to have buttressed roots providing it with more stability as well as a way of obtaining nutrients from the soil. |