Bromeliad plants: Nature's habitat for frogs!
Bromeliads are epiphytes, meaning they attach to other vegetation instead of putting roots into the ground. They are found in damp environments like tropical rainforests.
Rainforest bromeliads are found along the treetops away from the forest floor. Like many other plants, they photosynthesize to generate energy, and rain and humidity supply their water needs. Some of their nutrients also come from dust and debris.
Bromeliads have a waxy coating on their leaves that helps to make them watertight. They often have chambers that can store water. One species, called a tank bromeliad, lives up to its name. The leaves form a rosette that can hold up to 5 gallons (20 liters) of water!
The tank offers a small habitat for animals like frogs, crabs, and insects. When two or more organisms benefit from living together, it’s called a mutualistic relationship. Tree frogs, for example, lay eggs and raise tadpoles in these tiny pools, and their waste fertilizes the bromeliads. It’s a win-win situation!
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia. (2023, February 7). Life in a bromeliad pool. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Life-in-a-Bromeliad-Pool-1688529
Cann, A. (2013, November 15). Mutualistic ants contribute to bromeliad nutrition. Botany One. https://botany.one/2013/11/mutualistic-ants-contribute-tank-bromeliad-nutrition/
College of Wooster. (n.d.). Bromeliads and poison dart frogs. College of Wooster Greenhouse Research.https://rwwgreenhouse.voices.wooster.edu/bromeliads-and-poison-dart-frogs/#:~:text=While%20most%20research%20considers%20the,to%20help%20the%20plant%20grow.
PLOS. (2018, December 5). Not too big, not too small: Tree frogs choose pools that are just right. Science Daily.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181205142709.htm
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