Kerangas forest

A kerangas forest is another special forest type. The word Kerangas comes from an Iban word meaning 'land where padi cannot be grown'. Rain water cannot be retained to flood the land for padi planting because it seeps into the ground very quickly. This is because the soil is very sandy, very much like the sand on the sea shore. 

In Malaysia, these forests are found mainly in Sarawak and Sabah. However, they are quite rare compared to the lowland and hill forest types.

The trees in a kerangas forest are quite small and short (about 30 m). Even the emergent trees are not as tall. Therefore, because of these conditions, the trees and other plants in kerangas forests have to adapt by being smaller. An example of a plant that shows this type of adaptation to areas with poor soil is the pitcher plant.

Do you know that plants growing in areas with poor or infertile soil have many roots? Yes, besides water, roots also absorb nutrients from rotting ground litter. The plants produces more roots so that the nutrients can be absorbed before they disappear deep in the ground.