Tropical Rain Forests
Tropical rain forests are mostly found around the Earth's equator, within latitudes 23.5 degrees N and 23.5 degrees S. Tropical rain forests little seasonal variation. The average temperature is 20-25 degrees Celsius and the difference of the averages of the 3 warmest months and the 3 coldest months is just 5 degrees Celsius. Precipitation in tropical rain forests is fairly consistent throughout the year as well, with an average of more than 2000 mm. The soil in a tropical rain forest is nutrient poor and acidic. Things decompose very quickly with heavy leaching due to the humidity and temperature. Tropical rain forests have highly diverse flora, with many diverse species of trees and other plants. They also have numerous species of animals that live in tropical rain forests.
Biotic Factors From the Amazon Rain Forest
Kapok Tree (Ceiba pentandra): Kapok trees are gigantic, reaching up to 200 feet in the air with a trunk that can grow to 9 or 10 feet in diameter. Kapok trees are autotrophs and primary producers. Kapok trees have foul smelling, white and pink flowers that attract bats to feed on their nectar. Pollen from the flowers are spread around by the feeding bats, effectively facilitating pollination. Kapok trees can have from 500 to 4000 fruits at one time.
Orchid (Orchidaceae): Orchids are known for their beauty and variety. There are 25000 to 30000 species around the world with at least 10000 from tropical rain forests. Some can be the size of a nickel even in full bloom, while others can weigh up to a ton with petals up to 30 inches long. Orchids come in all colors but black. Orchids are autotrophs and primary producers. They mostly rely on insects and birds to pollinate them. Orchids have a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizae fungi. Mycorrhizae fungi grows partly inside the orchid's roots, which helps the orchid absorb water and minerals. The orchid then compensates the mycorrhizae by providing nutrients for the fungi through photosynthesis.
Toucan (Ramphastos species): The toucan is instantly recognizable by its large colorful bill. Toucans are heterotrophs that are mostly primary consumers that eat fruit. However, they are also tertiary consumers that eat spiders, insects, lizards, snakes, and nesting birds and eggs.
Jaguar (Panthera onca): The jaguar is the biggest cat in the Americas. It's teeth and jaw is so powerful, they can bite through a shell of a turtle. The jaguar is a heterotroph and a tertiary consumer. Jaguars prefer large ungulates such as deer but also eat preccaries and caimens as well.
Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates; Epibpedobate; Phyllobates): Poison dart frogs are very bright, colorful creatures. They're bright colors warns potential predators of how dangerous they are. The poison that poison dart frogs have within their skin can paralyze and even kill a predator, even though poison dart frogs are only 1-2 inches long. The golden poison dart frog has enough poison to kill 10 men. Poison dart frogs are heterotrophs and secondary consumers. They eat ants and other small insects of the rain forest's floor. They only have one natural predator, due to their toxicity. The Leimadophis epinephelus, is a snake that developed a resistance to poison dart frog venom.