Tropical forests have existed for millions of years. They developed on ancient land surfaces with deep layers of well-weathered soil, leached of nutrients over time due to continuous hot and moist conditions. Over the poor soils, this forest, with its trees and plants evolved into a highly nutrient efficient system. Trees have shallow root systems, located either on the top or near the soil's surface. These roots capture nutrients released from decomposers like fungi, bacteria or termites. The decomposers attack leaf litter and dead wood creating the nutrients. Very few nutrients are allowed to wash away or penetrate deep into the soil because they are quickly recycled by the plants.
