Question

How do the plants in a rainforest contribute to the water cycle?

Answer 1

Plants in a rainforest contribute to the amount of precipitation through the process of transpiration. Transpiration occurs when plants release water in the process of photosynthesis. The large number of plants in the rainforest produces a large amount of water, releasing up to 80% of the water they absorb back into the ecosystem as water vapor. This water vapor can then be returned to the soil for in the form of precipitation. This movement of water from the soil and back into the atmosphere is a key component of the water cycle.

Answer 2

They remove water from the soil and put it into the atmosphere in a process called transpiration.

Water is removed from the soil and transported to the leaves in a liquid form, and during photosynthesis is converted to a gaseous form and released out the stomata of the leaves. Plant respiration can contribute much more moisture to the atmosphere than simple evaporation in an area like a rainforest.