One reason so many species coexist in the rainforest is because some plants create microhabitats for animals.
Bromeliads (pictured above, Aechmea sp.) are a good example. A bromeliad's leaves form a rosette that holds a
small pool of water. In this resides a miniature ecosystem. Aquatic insects scrape algae growing on the leaves,
while small frogs, notably the poison-dart frog (see Amphibians), find an ideal pool of water in which their
tadpoles can live. Examples of other microhabitats are a rotting log, leaf litter, a muddy river bank or even the
fur of a sloth!
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