Trees grow fast in the warm, wet rainforest. They race each other upwards to reach the sunlight. Some trees grow much taller than others. They have long, straight trunks and their branches spread out wide at the top of the tree.
Some treetops are as big as a school playground.
Huge trees, called emergents, can grow up to 70 metres tall! Their branches spread out over the forest canopy like an umbrella to make the most of the sunlight and space. They may also take advantage of the greater air movement at the top of the forest by developing winged seeds that can be carried by the wind.
Rainforest trees have large roots to prop them up.
Rainforest trees have large ‘buttress’ roots that spread out wide at their base like a skirt. They support the long trunk and anchor the huge tree firmly in place. The soil in a rainforest is shallow and nutrient-poor, so a tree’s roots fan out wide rather than dig deep.
Monkeys live high up in the treetops.
Monkeys are excellent climbers and leap or swing between branches. They use their strong tail like an extra arm and coil it around branches to help them hold on. A monkey’s tail has a bare patch under the tip, like the skin on the palm of a hand, to help it to grip on tightly.