PLANT ECOLOGY

Much is made of the biodiversity of the rainforest. Here is a significant proportion of the world's biological treasures. The treasury consists primarily of the beauty and utility of the forest's plant and animal inhabitants. How did this beauty come into being? Why are there so many species? How do plants and animals interact? What are the relationships between the living and non-living components of the ecosystem? How do humans impact the rainforest? These are the questions that interest tropical ecologists. We're not going to answer them here, but rather, will use some photos to illustrate the main points.