Climatron tour continued - Page 2 of 4Fallen tree
This exhibit shows some of the roles a fallen tree takes in the rainforest. When a tree falls, an opening is made that lets in more light to other plants, which helps them grow. Many different animals also use the fallen tree. Insects, fungi, and bacteria eat the log and help it to decompose. This decay can create water-filled cavities in the log that become home to aquatic organisms like tadpoles, and mosquito and damsel fly larvae. The red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) attaches its eggs to leaves overhanging water holes. On hatching, the tadpoles fall into the water. Cascade
Before you walk under the waterfall, glance upward to see the pentagonal vent in the center of the Climatron's ceiling. Step under the rock overhang to see the view through a curtain of roaring water. The plant with giant leaves that hangs directly to the left of the waterfall is a rare anthurium. Its leaves can grow to seven feet in length.
Tropical carnivores As you come out from under the waterfall, up in the tree directly ahead you will find the strange-looking vines of nepenthes, the tropical pitcher plant vine. These plants trap insects and other small animals in the pitcher-shaped parts of their leaves, luring their victims in by secreting nectar and imitating the look of rotten meat. Water gardens
In the center of the Climatron, on your right, are two tropical pools. Aquatic plants have adapted to life in the water, often floating with their roots dangling underneath. Look for the water lettuce, with its spongy and air-filled leaves. Cycad Ridge
When you spot these plants, they may look like palms with leathery leaves and sharp spines. They are in fact unrelated to palms. Cycads are cone-bearing plants and relatives of plants that flourished during the age of the dinosaurs, making them some of the oldest plants known. Some of the cycads in the Climatron's Cycad Ridge were exhibited in the 1904 World's Fair and are approximately 200 years old. They were planted on this site after the World's Fair, and have outlived two greenhouses. Banyan tree
Across and up from the Cycad Ridge, see the big tree with smooth bark and many stilt roots. The banyan fig tree begins as an epiphyte, growing on another plant and taking its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain. The banyan sends down aerial roots which become accessory "trunks," supporting the tree's immense canopy and allowing it to eventually extend over several acres.
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