Tank bromeliad
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Tank bromeliad |
| Scientific name | Bromeliaceae |
| Level | Family |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Ecosystems | Forests |
| Forests | Tropical rainforest |
| Selection and adaptations | Extreme environments |
| Conservation | Endangered ecosystems |
| Lessons | Water Relations; Distribution and Abundance |
| Date | October 23, 2004 |
| Location | Salto Morato Reserve,Parana,Brazil,South America |
How is it possible that plants in the rainforest experience dry growing conditons? Most of the rain that hits the canopy runs quickly to the forest floor.
Tank bromeliad, Salto Morato Reserve, Brazil. Although tropical rainforests are very wet, epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) living high above the forest floor actually experience very dry conditions. However, certain large members of the family Bromeliaceae--known as tank bromeliads--are able to hold a gallon (4 liters) or more of water where their leaf bases overlap. These semi-permanent pools become homes for entire small communities including the larvae and nymphs of several insect species and even the tadpoles of some frog species. This reserve is located in the Atlantic coastal rainforest of Brazil, a highly threatened ecosystem that has been mostly converted to urban areas and agriculture.
