An introduction to the characteristics of a rainforest with original photos by Carole Hinding.

1. Rainforests
In Australia and worldwide.

2. What do they look like?
Tropical
rainforest is a
vegetation class
consisting of tall,
close-growing
trees with fewer
branches in the
trunk, and form
a flat crown.
They grow in
areas of high
temperature and
high rainfall.

3. The tall trees have
long branches that
branch out over
areas greater than
30 metres. Because
the weather is hot
and wet, trees do
not need thick bark
to slow down
moisture loss and
have instead thin,
smooth bark.
The layers of
rainforest are
connected by vines
and ferns, and
mosses grow on the
trees. Liana is a
climbing vine that
grows on rainforest
trees, climbing into
the canopy so its
leaves get more
sunlight.

4. Climbing
vines
Moss on
trunk

5. The forest floor
is where
decomposition
takes place.
Decomposition is
the process by
which fungi and
microorganisms
break down dead
plants and
animals and
recycle essential
materials and
nutrients.

6. Understorey
refers to plant life
growing beneath the
forest canopy without
penetrating it to any
extent. Plants in the
understorey comprise
an assortment of
seedlings and saplings
of canopy trees
together with specialist
understorey shrubs
and herbs.

7. The emergent layer
contains a small number
of very large trees called
emergents, which grow
above the general
canopy, reaching heights
of 45–55 m, although on
occasion a few species will
grow to 70–80 m tall.
They need to be able to
withstand the hot
temperatures and strong
winds that occur above
the canopy in some areas.

8. Water- the
great sustainer
of life in the
rainforest. They
are the veins
and arteries of
the rainforest
ecosystem.

10. Oecophylla
smaragdina
(common names
include weaver
ant, green ant,
green tree ant,
and orange
gaster) is a
species of arboreal
ant found in Asia
and Australia.
They make nests
in trees made of
leaves stitched
together using the
silk produced by
their larvae.

11. About 150
species of
phasmids
are found in
Australia.
They usually
live in gum
trees. When
disturbed, a
phasmid may
sway,
imitating a
dead leaf or
stick swaying
in the breeze.

12. There are
hundreds of
tarantula species
found in most of
the world's
tropical,
subtropical, and
arid regions. They
vary in colour and
behaviour
according to their
specific
environments.
Generally,
tarantulas are
burrowers that live
in the ground.

13. Scorpions are
common
arachnids found
in gardens and
forests
throughout
Australia. They
are found
under logs,
rocks and in
shallow
burrows in
earth banks.

14. Golden-Orb
Spider
The females
build large
webs, in open
areas often
high in forests.