Chien C. Lee

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  • Bornean rainforest trees generally have relatively shallow root systems because moisture is abundant and nutrients are most available near the surface of the soil. Reinforcement of tree's stability is provided in some species by conspicuous root buttresses. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Stilt roots are a common feature among tree species which inhabit Borneo's wet alluvial forests. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Tree in lowland rainforest showing buttress roots. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Like an ancient carven sculpture, the incredible buttress roots of this huge rainforest tree (Tachigali panamensis) belie its fleeting nature. Sometime called the ‘Suicide Tree’, it is truly monocarpic: after reaching maturity it will flower and set fruit only once and then die. Although monocarpy is a common adaptation among small herbaceous plants in seasonal habitats, it is extremely rare among large tropical trees, especially since rainforests are generally quite stable environments. This strategy may have evolved because it provides several possible advantages for the tree’s seedlings. For one, the infrequency of fruiting means that fewer seed predators can specialize on this species. Also, as the mother tree withers and eventually falls over, it creates an open gap in the forest canopy which is vital for the development of its young saplings underneath. Colón, Panama.
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  • A tannin-colored stream meanders through freshwater swamp forest in Sarawak. Trees with stilt roots, pneumatophores, and buttresses, are more abundant in this waterlogged habitat, which is frequently flooded by rains. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Tea Mangrove (Pelliciera rhizophorae) showing buttress roots for stability in the intertidal zone. Utría National Natural Park, Chocó, Colombia.
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  • Dipterocarp tree (Parashorea malaanonan), showing trailing buttress roots. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Rhopalocnemis phalloides, a rare root parasite related to Balanophora. Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
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  • Looking like a cross between a dragonfly and a butterfly, owlflies (family Ascalaphidae) are in fact more closely related to ant lions and lacewings. These nocturnal predators feed on small insects that they catch on the wing. By day, they sleep concealed on twigs, or in this unusual case (Cordulecerus sp.), as a group together on a root hanging above a stream. Sleeping in an aggregation with their antennae held outstretched in a perimeter may help to better detect the approach of predators, keeping the group safer than sleeping alone. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • A large fig tree (Ficus sp.) with imposing buttress roots dominates the forest scenery in Tangkoko National Park, North Sulawesi.
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  • Parashorea malaanonan, buttress roots. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Parasitic plant (Balanophora papuana), female inflorescences. Completely lacking chlorophyll, Balanophora plants are parasitic on tree roots. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • The small and nocturnal Sunda Stink-badger (Mydaus javanensis lucifer) is a relative of the skunks (family Mephitidae) occurring in Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. It feeds on invertebrates and small animals as well as tuberous roots. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • The stilt roots of these Rhizophora trees provide stability and aeration in the soft anaerobic mud of the mangrove swamp. Similajau National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • The bizarre bloom of a Rhizanthes (R. lowii) unfurls its odorous and sinister-looking petals. A member of the Rafflesia family, this rare plant is also completely parasitic, living within its host vine and possessing no leaves, stems, or roots of its own. Like the more well-known Rafflesia, the flowers mimic a rotting animal carcass to attract carrion flies as pollinators. Measuring perhaps 30cm across, the bloom is only open for a few days before dying. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Producing the largest flowers in the world, the parasitic Rafflesia plant has no leaves or roots and lives entirely upon its host Tetrastigma vine. Each flower, which can take over 6 months to develop, is open for less than a week, during which it emits a fetid odor and attracts masses of flies for pollination. This species, Rafflesia pricei, is endemic to Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • This freshwater swamp on Halmahera is dominated by enormous tree-like Pandanus (Pandanus papuanus). Stilt roots enable the plants to anchor themselves in the unstable and anaerobic mud. This is habitat for the  rare Invisible Rail (Habroptila wallacii). North Maluku, Indonesia.
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