Get ready to rumble

When we think of rainforest, we imagine cool, shady paths between towering trees. Perhaps the sound of running water and a few exotic bird calls, or the rich smell of the soil. We come away with a feeling of peace and serenity.

But for the rainforest plants, existence is a no-holds-barred struggle to the death. To survive, plants need three basics: water, sunlight and nutrients. Water isn't ordinarily hard to find in a rainforest, so plants compete for sunlight and nutrients.

That's why, for rainforest plants, survival usually depends on winning a race in two directions at once–up towards the light and down towards the soil.