The big idea: In a forest, light is the resource in shortest supply. Plants have different forms that let them harvest it: by growing tall, climbing, perching, or coping with shade.
The points to remember
- Canopy trees grow tall to spread leaves in full sun.
- Lianas climb other trees to reach the light without a thick trunk.
- Epiphytes grow on high branches; strangler epiphytes also send roots to the soil.
- Shade-tolerant shrubs and herbs have large, thin leaves for the dim forest floor.
Remember it as: Tall, climb, perch, strangle, or tolerate shade.
Real example: strangler figs. In rainforests, birds drop fig seeds high on tree branches; the young strangler fig grows in the light, sends roots down to the soil and can eventually surround and kill its host tree.
Trap: Epiphytes are not parasites: they use the tree for support and light, not for food or water.
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How it is asked: Expect the advantage of growing on a branch, how a named forest plant reaches light, or a description of several forest strategies.
IB-style questionExplain[3 marks]
Explain how a strangler fig is adapted to obtain light in a rainforest.
Model answer plan
See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.