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The Amazon Rainforest

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What is a biome?

A biome is a large ecosystem. It is an area on the earth's surface that has similar climate, plants and animals.

There are 8 main biomes:

TundraTaigaTemperate forestTropical rainforestDesertMediterraneanSavannaTemperate grassland

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Biomes

Click on the question marks to reveal the name of each biome in the key.

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Where is the Amazon?What is the climate of the Amazon?What is the vegetation like in the Amazon?What is an example of a foodchain?How does the nutrient cycle work in the Amazon?

Lea

rnin

g o

bje

ctiv

es

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Amazing facts!

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River Amazon

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Where is the Amazon?

Amazon

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Where is the Amazon?What is the climate of the Amazon?What is the vegetation like in the Amazon?What is an example of a foodchain?How does the nutrient cycle work in the Amazon?

Lea

rnin

g o

bje

ctiv

es

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Climate graph – the Amazon

Describe the Amazon’s pattern of rainfall and temperature..

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Why does it rain so much in the rainforest?

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Convectional rain

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Where is the Amazon?What is the climate of the Amazon?What is the vegetation like in the Amazon?What is an example of a foodchain?How does the nutrient cycle work in the Amazon?

Lea

rnin

g o

bje

ctiv

es

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Plants of the Amazon

fungi

Kapok tree (emergent)

fig tree

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Emergent trees

Canopy

Small trees

Shrubs

Undergrowth

50m

0m

Layers of the rainforest

liana

saprophytesbuttress roots

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Layers of the rainforest

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Layers of the rainforest

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Where is the Amazon?What is the climate of the Amazon?What is the vegetation like in the Amazon?What is an example of a foodchain?How does the nutrient cycle work in the Amazon?

Lea

rnin

g o

bje

ctiv

es

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Animals of the Amazon

emerald boa

jaguar

sloth

leaf insects

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Simplified food chain in the Amazon

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Where is the Amazon?What is the climate of the Amazon?What is the vegetation like in the Amazon?What is an example of a foodchain?How does the nutrient cycle work in the Amazon?

Lea

rnin

g o

bje

ctiv

es

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The red, tropical soil is naturally infertile.

Soil

How does so much vegetation grow if the soil is infertile?

BUT…

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Nutrient cycle

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So what happens if we cut down the trees?

Nutrient cycle

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The broken nutrient cycle