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Douglas Rainforest information
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 The
rainforest is the
most complex and diverse ecosystem on earth.
Being home to more than half the world's plant and animals species.
The rainforest is a valuable source of cultivated plants, drugs and
medicines.
The rainforest now covers less than 10% of the earth's land surface, this
is why we must utilise the few remains of our forests wisely.
In Australia, rainforests covers 0.3 percent of the continent (about 2
million hectares)
An overview of Australia's Wet Tropics Rainforest
Treetop canopies are so dense they they are virt ually
closed and little sunlight penetrates to the forest floor. The true
tropical rainforest is only found in Far North Queensland, In isolated
areas along the east coast.
Buttresses: Are distinctive flanges at the base of large rainforest
trees. Buttressing probably helps trees breathe in waterlogged soils or
enables them to take up nutrients from shallow soil.
Epiphytes: Grows on another plant for support or anchorage. They
live on rainwater that washes
down the trunks of trees and rotting leaves and animal droppings.
Examples of epiphytes are: ferns (elfhorns & staghorn) lichens and mosses.
Lianas: Lianas are climbing vines which grow from ground roots but
use other
plants for anchorage as they climb toward the light of the sun.
Strangler Figs: Starting from seed dropped in humus (Pronounced As:
hyooms , organic matter that has decayed to a relatively stable, amorphous
state. It is an important biological constituent of fertile soil. Humus is
formed by the decomposing action of soil micro-organisms (e.g., bacteria
and fungi), which break down animal and vegetable material into elements
that can be used by growing plants.) high in a canopy tree, the strangler
fig sends down prop roots
which thicken, interlace, join and eventually strangle its host tree to
death. This process can take from
500 to 1000 years!
Cauliflory: A cauliflower like mass of flowers and fruits that grow
directly on the tree trunk and main branches of some trees. These are
essential food for many birds, fruit bats and possums.
Palms: With woody stems, few or no branches and surface roots at
the base. Typical of moist rainforests.
er-changing world of the
Rainforest:
In a typical rainforest eco system there is a never-ending cycle of
generation, growth, maturity and death.
Change can be very rapid when mother nature steps in with a cyclone,
strong wind, flood or land slip.
humans can cause catastrophic changes to any forest eco system by clearing
the forest of trees and under growth.
Although regeneration of a forest is fast, it may take a 100 years to
fully recover from a major cyclone or flood.
Threats to conserving our rainforest:
Weeds such as rubber vine and lantana, fire, feral pigs, cats and dogs,
clearing for residential development
and visitor pressures such as vandalism and littering threaten the very
life our remaining forests.
Caring for the forest:
It is up to us
to help maintain the forest when we visit. Follow these few simple rules
and every little bit will help conserve what's left of this natural
wonder.
Stay on walking tracks. Delicate ground cover plants are easily disturbed
by trampling.
Use only a fuel stove when needing a fire: Nutrient recycling is critical
in a rainforest environment, so gathering leaf litter and branches for
fires can causse unnecessary damage.
REMEMBER: Everything is protected. Don't pick, break or remove ferns,
vines or any other plant.
Take your rubbish with you when you when you leave. Don't bury it, as
feral pigs will quickly smell out the rubbish and dig it up.
Leave your pets at home: They chase, scare and even kill the local
wildlife.
Whatever you do, don't be tempted to feed the wild life. Human food can be
harmful to the animals and feeding may lead to aggressive behaviour.
Take a
with a specialist guide and visit this stunning World Heritage listed
area.
For more educational information and
images of the Reef & Rainforest, visit
at BarrierReefAustralia.com
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