Caption

Costa Rica's Corcovado National Park protects one of the world's premier rainforests. Rainforests are somewhat of an illusion. The profusion of growth is built on but a few inches of nutrient-rich topsoil that is consistently regenerated by fallen leaves and other decaying plant matter. Underneath is thick clay that is largely devoid of nutrients. Since rain is abundant and nutrients are only at the top of the soil surface, tap roots that reach deep below the surface are unnecessary. Rainforest trees have evolved to have serpentine buttresses that spread out laterally to gather water and nutrients while at the same time helping to stabilize these giants of the forest. I photographed this ancient wild fig tree at the end of the day as late afternoon sun broke through the forest

Date

Jun 16, 2014

Credit line

Photo12/imageBROKER/Gregory Basco

Reference

BRK26C70_080

Model release

No

Property release

No

License type

Rights managed

Available size

60.2Mb (4.3Mb) / 18.7in x 12.5in / 5616 x 3744 (300dpi)

Keywords

deserted wild huge nutrition remote solitude deciduous tree forest root fruit vegetation plant soil wet jungle tropics wilderness season rain nature exotic green dense natural preserve Fig fruit tropical historic reserve plant part natural rain forest big landscape National Park food old lonely rainy nature reserve national wooded Moraceae tap root fern Common fig seminatural ecosystem precipitation ancient travel photography primeval forest natural environment tropical fruit Corcovadon National Park no one giant secluded remoteness woods open air thick nature park fig historical protected area parts of plant original rainforest large scenery N.P. grocery lonesome rain-swept forested fern plant Fig Tree semi-natural ecological system old-growth forest habitat natural surrounding Parque Nacional Corcovado No People gigantic wasteland Naturpark sanctuary great countryside NP desolate nature conservation area close to nature antique primary forest natural habitat Corcovado National Park nobody enormous conservation area landscape shot natural reserve near-natural uninhabited massive landscape photo environmental reserve empty deciduous trees forests roots fruits vegetations plants soils jungles seasons densely natural preserves Fig fruits reserves plant parts rain forests landscapes National Parks lone nature reserves raining tap roots ferns Common figs ecosystems precipitations primeval forests natural environments tropical fruits figs historically parts of plants originally rainforests sceneries groceries historical image history image history images landscape photograph foodstuff foodstuffs oldest NSG rains natural park