Tropical Tropical RainforestRainforest

Mr. Hardt’s Science ClassMr. Hardt’s Science Class

88thth Grade Level Grade Level

What Is A Tropical What Is A Tropical Rainforest?Rainforest?

The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. a region of year-round warmth.

Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group.group.

Rainforests now cover less than 6% of Earth’s Rainforests now cover less than 6% of Earth’s land surfaceland surface

Scientists estimate that more than half of all Scientists estimate that more than half of all the world’s plants and animal species live in the world’s plants and animal species live in tropical rain forests.tropical rain forests.

Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth’s Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth’s oxygen.oxygen.

Strata Of The RainforestStrata Of The Rainforest

There are four very There are four very distinct layers of distinct layers of trees in a tropical trees in a tropical rain forest. These rain forest. These layers have been layers have been identified as the identified as the emergent, upper emergent, upper canopy, understory, canopy, understory, and forest floor and forest floor

The Emergent LayerThe Emergent LayerThe trees are spaced wide The trees are spaced wide

apart and are 100 to apart and are 100 to 240 feet tall with 240 feet tall with umbrella-shaped umbrella-shaped canopies that grow canopies that grow above the forest. above the forest. Because emergent trees Because emergent trees are exposed to drying are exposed to drying winds, they tend to winds, they tend to have small, pointed have small, pointed leaves. These giant leaves. These giant trees have straght, trees have straght, smooth trucks with few smooth trucks with few branchesbranches

The Upper CanopyThe Upper Canopy

The upper canopy of 60 to 130 foot trees The upper canopy of 60 to 130 foot trees allows light to be easily available at the top allows light to be easily available at the top of this layer, but greatly reduced any light of this layer, but greatly reduced any light below it. Most of the rainforest's animals below it. Most of the rainforest's animals live in the upper canopy. There is so much live in the upper canopy. There is so much food available at this level that some food available at this level that some animals never go down to the forest floor. animals never go down to the forest floor. The leaves have "drip spouts" that allows The leaves have "drip spouts" that allows rain to run off. This keeps them dry and rain to run off. This keeps them dry and prevents mold and mildew from forming in prevents mold and mildew from forming in the humid environment the humid environment

The Understory/Lower The Understory/Lower CanopyCanopy

This area consists of This area consists of 60 foot trees. It is 60 foot trees. It is made up of the made up of the trunks of canopy trunks of canopy trees, shrubs, trees, shrubs, plants and small plants and small trees. There is little trees. There is little air movement. As a air movement. As a result the humidity result the humidity is constantly high. is constantly high. This level is in This level is in constant shade.constant shade.

The Forest FloorThe Forest FloorThis layer is usually completely shaded, except This layer is usually completely shaded, except

where a canopy tree has fallen and created an where a canopy tree has fallen and created an opening. Most areas of the forest floor receive opening. Most areas of the forest floor receive so little light that few bushes or herbs can so little light that few bushes or herbs can grow there. As a result, a person can easily grow there. As a result, a person can easily walk through most parts of a tropical rain walk through most parts of a tropical rain forest. Less than 1 % of the light that strikes forest. Less than 1 % of the light that strikes the top of the forest penetrates to the forest the top of the forest penetrates to the forest floor. The top soil is very thin and of poor floor. The top soil is very thin and of poor quality. A lot of litter falls to the ground where quality. A lot of litter falls to the ground where it is quickly broken down by decomposers like it is quickly broken down by decomposers like termites, earthworms and fungi. The heat and termites, earthworms and fungi. The heat and humidity further help to break down the litter. humidity further help to break down the litter. This organic matter is then just as quickly This organic matter is then just as quickly absorbed by the trees' shallow roots. absorbed by the trees' shallow roots.

ClimateClimate

• An Average of 50 to 260 inches of rain falls yearly.An Average of 50 to 260 inches of rain falls yearly.• A lot of the rain that falls on the rain forest never A lot of the rain that falls on the rain forest never

reaches the ground. It stays on the trees because reaches the ground. It stays on the trees because the leaves act as a shield, and some rain never the leaves act as a shield, and some rain never gets past the trees to the smaller plants and gets past the trees to the smaller plants and grounds below. grounds below.

in the rain forests, 50 % of the precipitation comes in the rain forests, 50 % of the precipitation comes from its own evaporation.from its own evaporation.

The average temperature of a rain forest is about The average temperature of a rain forest is about 77°. 77°.

The rain forest is about the same temperature The rain forest is about the same temperature year round and never drops below 64°.year round and never drops below 64°.

PlantsPlants

A tropical rain forest has A tropical rain forest has more kinds of trees than any more kinds of trees than any other area in the world. other area in the world.

Scientists have counted Scientists have counted about 100 to 300 species in about 100 to 300 species in one 2 1/2-acre area in South one 2 1/2-acre area in South America. America.

Seventy percent of the Seventy percent of the plants in the rainforest are plants in the rainforest are trees. trees.

More than two thirds of the More than two thirds of the world's plant species are world's plant species are found in the tropical found in the tropical rainforests rainforests

About 1/4 of all the About 1/4 of all the medicines we use come medicines we use come from rainforest plants. from rainforest plants.

AnimalsAnimals

• Even though rainforests Even though rainforests cover only 6% of the cover only 6% of the earth's surface, 50% of earth's surface, 50% of the earth's animal species the earth's animal species live in the rainforest. live in the rainforest.

• Many of the animals of the Many of the animals of the rainforest are threatened rainforest are threatened or endangered species or endangered species because people are because people are cutting down more of the cutting down more of the rainforests they live in. rainforests they live in.

• Click on an animal to hear Click on an animal to hear them talk.them talk.

Locations of common Locations of common RainforestsRainforests

Tropical rain forest can be found in three major Tropical rain forest can be found in three major geographical areas around the worldgeographical areas around the world

- Central America in the Amazon river basin- Central America in the Amazon river basin

- Africa- Zaire basin, with a small area in West - Africa- Zaire basin, with a small area in West Africa; also eastern MadagascarAfrica; also eastern Madagascar

- Indo-Malaysia- west coast of India, Assam, - Indo-Malaysia- west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, AustraliaAustralia

Why are rainforests Why are rainforests important?important?

• Many of our medicines come from Many of our medicines come from plants that grow in rainforests. Some plants that grow in rainforests. Some of the medicines we now use come of the medicines we now use come from tropical rainforest plants, such from tropical rainforest plants, such as aspirin, heart disease treatment as aspirin, heart disease treatment and painkillers. and painkillers.

Things You Can Do Things You Can Do To Save The To Save The RainforestRainforest

1) Use less paper1) Use less paper

2) Use less gasoline and plastic2) Use less gasoline and plastic

3) Eat less red meat3) Eat less red meat

4) Fundraise for the rainforest4) Fundraise for the rainforest

5) Donations to global preserve 5) Donations to global preserve groupsgroups

Miscellaneous Miscellaneous

Fun Games!Fun Games! Rainforest Campaigns Rainforest Campaigns Rainforest FoundationRainforest Foundation