Consider the following statements : 1. Creepers or climbers are commonly found in the tropical rain forest. 2. The epiphytes, which do not have their roots on the ground, survive on the trees in the tropical rain forest. 3. All epiphytes are not creepers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Tropical rainforests are characterized by high vertical stratification and diverse flora. Statement 1 is correct as creepers, climbers, and lianas are abundant in this biome, with approximately 90% of the world's climbing communities found in equatorial evergreen forests [5]. Statement 2 is correct because epiphytes are defined as plants that grow on other plants for physical support without being rooted in the ground, deriving moisture and nutrients from the air and rain [3]. Statement 3 is correct because epiphytes and creepers represent distinct ecological categories. While creepers (and lianas) remain rooted in the soil throughout their lives to climb upward, true epiphytes live entirely above ground [2]. Although some plants like hemiepiphytes may bridge these categories by starting as epiphytes and later sending roots to the ground, the two groups are fundamentally different in their growth forms [4].

Sources

1. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 1. Tropical Evergreen Rainforest Biome > p. 5
2. [4] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems > 3.2.5. Tropical rain forests: > p. 25
3. [5] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 2. Monsoon Deciduous Biome > p. 8
4. [2] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 1. Tropical Evergreen Rainforest Biome > p. 7
5. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Equatorial Vegetation > p. 426