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Abiotic Features in the Rainforest

The abiotic factors in the rainforest biome refer to the non-living aspect of the ecosystem. Abiotic factors refer to things like sunlight, temperatures, precipitation and soil. Biotic factors refer to living things like plants and animals.

  1. Temperature

    • The temperature in the tropical rainforest is an abiotic feature that makes up part of its ecosystem. The temperature is very warm and humid throughout the year. Rain forests are located near the equator and have low latitude. This promotes a consistently hot temperature throughout the year with hardly any variation. The proximity to the equator means that the angle of the noon sun is invariably high.

    Precipitation

    • The main reason why the rainforest is so-named is due to the very high level of annual rainfall it receives. There is no seasonal cessation of rainfall in the rainforest because it rains every month in the year. Hurricanes occur in some rainforests with coastal locations, but this does not extend inland. Humidity is also a major abiotic factor in the rainforest. Evaporation and transpiration create the humidity that can reach very oppressive levels during the day and some parts of the night. However, this creates an ideal condition for plant growth, leading to an abundance of plants.

    Sunlight

    • Light is an abiotic factor in the rainforest ecosystem. The vegetation in the rainforest is so dense in some places that sunlight from above can hardly penetrate through the foliage to reach the forest floor. Mushrooms, fungi and insects thrive in such locations. Sunlight is important because plants utilize it to perform photosynthesis. Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are dependent on sunlight for their sustenance. Plants and algae are the primary producers in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including the rainforests. They produce for the primary and secondary consumers. Without light, the whole ecosystem cycle would disintegrate.

    Soil

    • The soil in the rainforest ecosystem is very rich in nutrients. The high humidity and heat mean that dead organic matter in the rainforests decomposes very quickly. Such organic matter includes dead leaves and other vegetation, insects, animals and fecal waste matter. When the organic matter decomposes, they release nutrients to the soil, further enriching it. Rainforests contain the largest diversity of plants in the world. This is mainly due to the richness of the soil, in combination with other abiotic components like rain, sunlight and humidity.

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