Landforms in Tropical Rainforests

The tropical rainforests are characterized by a variety of landforms and which give rise to a complex ecosystem in this region. The tropical rainforests are found in lowland regions. Topographical features of the rainforest regions include the mountains, valleys, streams, wetlands, rivers, etc. A thick forest cover is the prominent feature of tropical rainforests, irrespective of the topography (whether it is plain or mountainous). The forest cover doesn't allow much light to reach the ground. Less availability of sunlight at the ground level is therefore, responsible for the restricted growth of smaller plants.

Major Landforms in Tropical Rainforests

The tropical rainforest biome is amongst the important ones on this planet. The regions covered by these forests are characterized by different topographical features and landforms. A short account of these landforms can be found below.

Mountain
A mountain is a topographical feature that rises above surrounding areas and has an altitude higher than a hill. South America, Asia, Australia, Africa and Pacific Islands are the regions where mountains in tropical rainforests can be found. Out of the total mountain cover of the world, 22% is found in South America. Barisan mountains in tropical rainforests of Sumatra Island, Indonesia also are the important ones.

Valley
A valley, is also referred to as dale. It is a depression that can take either a 'U'-shape or 'V'-shape. Those valleys which provide channels for the flow of rivers are known as 'vales'. The 'V' or 'U' shape of valleys change into a flat surface at their bottom. If the bottom region is large enough, it turns into a floodplain.

Wetland
The soil of wetlands is saturated with water. The different types of wetland regions are marshes, swamps, bogs, etc. The wetlands are saturated with water because their water table is just near the ground surface. Shallow pools of water are found in wetland regions. The activity of studying wetlands is referred to as paludology. Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay are the regions in South America where wetlands are commonly found. Largest of all wetlands, the Pantanal is located in Brazil.

Stream
Description of the stream can be presented as water current that flows through a path called bed. The stream is referred to by different names such rill, kill, lick, rivulet, etc. The area of biological growth adjacent to streams is known as riparian zone. Surface hydrology is the term used in reference with the process of studying about streams.

Flood Plain
It is a flat and vast area present adjacent to rivers or streams. This region easily gets flooded in times of high discharge. A floodplain is formed of meandering streams or braided rivers. This landform supports the growth of microbes due to the release of nutrients from soil following the high discharge.

River
A stream and river is differentiated on the basis of their size. River is a bigger stream of water that meets a sea or other river. Unlike that of oceans or seas, river is a source of freshwater. Just like streams, rivers are bound by beds or channels. The bed of rivers is wider than that of streams. Rivers carry silt & nutrients and make their beds fertile. Amazon river originates from the Andes mountains, traverses the continent of South America across its width and finally reaches the Atlantic ocean. The approximate length of this second longest river is 4200 miles; it has the largest drainage basin with an area of 2,720,000 sq. miles.

The different landforms of tropical rainforests give rise to a complex ecosystem with varied species. Many different plants and animals thrive in this region owing to the favorable tropical rainforest climate. Leaching of nutrients through soil is however, one of the problems observed in this region. The soil becomes devoid of nutrients due to leaching. There is a lot to study about the various landforms in tropical rainforests. The facts mentioned above should provide an overview of information about these landforms.