limiting factors in a rainforest ecosystem
Limiting Factors in a Rainforest Ecosystem
That something can limit life in a rainforest biome, which is literally brimming with life, is bound to come as a surprise for most people. But then, a rainforest ecosystem does have its fair share of limiting factors, which help in maintaining the ecological balance.
Brimming with life, literally
Tropical rainforests are home to more than half of the world's plants and animals.Limiting Factors in Rainforests
Sunlight
That sunlight is a limiting factor in rainforests may come as a surprise considering that the biome largely lies in tropical and temperate areas and is full of lush-green vegetation. But, it's a fact. In rainforests, sunlight is typically restricted to the canopy layer―the second layer after the emergent layer. As the canopy layer blocks sunlight, the forest floor receives less than two percent of the same. This, in turn, limits the growth of plants in the understory. The vegetation here can be best defined as sparse. Only hardy species grow in this layer of rainforest, if at all.Soil
Yet another prominent limiting factor in rainforests will be poor soil. Once again, the characteristic lush growth of vegetation in this biome may make you believe otherwise, but the fact is that the soil in the rainforest biome is highly nutrient-deficient, as the nutrients released into the soil are quickly absorbed by the plant species. Besides, the characteristic heavy rainfall in rainforests is also known to leach the soil of its nutrients.Other Limiting Factors
◾ Both sunlight and soil are density-independent limiting factors, meaning their effects on the species are not dependent on the density of a said species. Additionally, there exist density-dependent factors, the effects of which are directly dependent on the density of population of the species. These include competition and predation.
◾ Like we said earlier, biodiversity levels in the rainforest are pretty high, which can be attributed to the fact that the environment in this biome is not harsh as in the case of deserts or tundras. The high level of biodiversity reflects in the form of competition. Even decomposers compete fiercely for forest floor litter and the remains of dead animals, such that a leaf that might otherwise take a year to decompose, disappears in six weeks on a rainforest floor.
◾ As for predation, the number of carnivores and herbivores in this biome are closely related, such that any fluctuation in the population of either group immediately reflects on the population of the other. This is important to keep the population of both sides stable. At times, a particular disease can also act as a density-dependent limiting factor in the rainforest ecosystem.