Plant Adaptations Click pictures to watch videos

Rain Forests Tropical rain forests are dense, which is why leaves have adapted to try to capture as much light as possible. Leaves in the dark understory of the rain forest are large so they can absorb as much light as possible. Some leaves are able to turn as the sun moves. The amount of water a plant catches is also controlled by leaf adaptations. Some leaves have drip tips and a waxy surface to allow water to run off. This stops the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Rain Forests Many bromeliads and epiphytes have a central reservoir to collect water, instead of collecting it in roots. This way the water is quickly absorbed through hairs on leaves. Many plants have dry tips and grooved leaves. Some leaves have an oily coating to shed water. Leaves in the upper canopy are dark green, small, and leathery to reduce water loss in the strong sunlight.

Deserts Most desert plants have small leaves or no leaves at all. The smaller or fewer leaves a plant has, the less H2O is lost during transpiration since it has less surface area exposed to the sun and wind. For desert plants with small leaves or none at all, the twigs and stems help to carry out photosynthesis. Plants that grow in the desert usually will have long root systems that will either spread out wide or go deep into the ground to absorb water.

Deserts Plants, like the cactus, will grow spines to discourage animals from eating them for their water that they store. Some desert plants have no leaves or small seasonal leaves that grow only after it rains. The leaves that do grow will have a wax coating to help reduce water loss. Some desert plants will grow leaves with hair to help shade the plant to reduce water loss.

Deciduous Forest Tree vegetation composed primarily of broad-leaved trees that shed all their leaves during one season. In the summer, the trees have broad thick leaves to absorb sunlight and go through photosynthesis. During the winter and fall, the leaves have to fall to minimize water loss.

Deciduous Forest Wildflowers grow on the forest floor early in the spring before trees leaf-out and shade the forest floor. Trees have thick bark to protect against cold winters. Many trees are deciduous (they drop their leaves in the autumn, and grow new ones in the spring. Most deciduous trees have thin, broad, light-weight leaves that can capture a lot of sunlight to make a lot of food for the tree in warm weather.

Tundra Trees cannot grow in the tundra. Tundra plants do not have deep root systems. They must also be able to survive the climate and low sunlight levels. Some arctic plants include: Low shrubs Lichens mosses

Tundra Tundra plants are small and low growing due to lack of nutrients, because being close to the ground helps keep the plants from freezing. Some plants grow in clumps to protect one another from the wind and cold. Some plants have dish-like flowers that follow the sun, focusing more solar heat on the center of the flower, helping the plant stay warm. Plants are dark in color-some are even red-this helps them absorb solar heat.