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Forest waterholes

Perched on tree branches, bromeliads have no roots. To collect water they have a central tank protected by their waxy leaves which can collect up to 10 litres of rainfall. This water is used by a host of animals in the forest. Monkeys drink from them, mosquitoes lay their eggs in the water and small predators such as water beetles come to feed on the larvae. The waste from these small animals provides vital nitrogen which the plant would normally get through its roots

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