Why is the Soil in the Tropical Rainforest Infertile?

If you’re like me and pretty much everyone else, the word “rainforest” tends to conjure up images of lush, green vegetation. The idea that it’s infertile can seem really insane – but it’s true. People who try to grow crops there find out pretty quickly that it’s just not going to go well.

The question is how? How can something covered in green be infertile? The answer is that the soil is lacking the nutrients necessary for things to grow.

And I know what you’re thinking: If that’s true, why do things grow there? I promise that we’ll make this make sense, but it’s going to take a breakdown of some facts, so let’s dive in.

Let’s Go Back to School

In order to really get into the nitty-gritty of why rainforests are infertile, we must start with an understanding of what is supposed to take place. To do that, we need to go back to school for a second. Or, if you prefer, you can always think back to the first Lion King movie.

It gave a pretty nice depiction of the circle of life – but I digress. Now, in a perfect world – or perfect climate – a specific series of events occurs when an animal dies. They decompose at a rate that allows their nutrients to sink into the soil and build up, making them available as plants need them.

The nutrients feed the vegetation, which the animals then eat on. Animals later die and decompose, perpetuating the cycle. Or as Mufasa stated, when lions die, they return to the ground.

Antelope feed on the grass, and then lions eat the antelope. Everything is connected. In addition to animal decomposition, when trees go to sleep, leaves fall to the ground.

Those leaves break down and feed the soil. In short, the circle of life keeps the soil fed and the plants and crops growing.

Rainforests Don’t Have a Perfect Climate

Unfortunately, tropical rainforests do not provide an environment conducive to this cycle for several reasons. We’re going to start with one of the biggest factors: … Read the rest of the story.