The Rainforest

Question:Why do you think it is called a rainforest?

Where are the Rainforests?

Rainforests can be found on the continents of South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Rainforests are always around the earth’s equator.The largest one is the Amazon Rainforest in South America.

Question:On what continents can you find rainforests?

Weather in the Rainforests

Because rainforests are near the Earth’s equator, the temperature ishot- about 80°. It rains a lot, almost 6 inches a month- it rains almost everyday! It is because of the rain and high temperature that the plants grow so much.

Question:What is the weather like in a rainforest?

Animals Of The Rain Forest

Sloth OrangutanJaguar

AnteaterToucan

Poison Dart Frog

The rainforest is home to many species of animals and insects. Some of them live in the trees, some on the ground and some just fly around.

Blue Morpho Butterfly

Blue Bug

Question:Which animals live in the rainforest?

Plants Of The Rain Forest

Laelia tenebrosa Clavillia Strangler Fig

The rainforests has many plants. Because of the warm temperature and the amount of rain, vegetation is lush- plants grow big and thick. There arevery tall trees and smaller bushes.

Layers of the RainforestEMERGENT LAYER

The tallest trees are the emergent layer. There is a lot of sunlight there. Animals found there are eagles, monkeys,

bats and butterflies.

CANOPY LAYERThis layer is full of leaves and branches.  Many animals live in this area since there is a lot of food. Animals that live there are snakes, toucans and treefrogs.

UNDERSTORY LAYERVery little sunshine reaches this area so the plants have to grow larger leaves get sunlight. Many animals live here including jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs and leopards.  A lot of bugs live here.

FOREST FLOORIt's very dark down here.  Almost no plants grow in this area.  Giant anteaters live in this layer.

The People Of The Rainforests

There are tribes of people that still live in the rainforests. They get their food from plants and animals in the forest.

Major Rainforest regions

African rainforest

Approximately 9% of Africa’s land mass

rainfall is relatively low

deforested and has become savanna

relatively impoverished- areas are somewhat dry with stressful alternating dry and wet seasons

African rainforest

Secondary forest-subject to intense human pressure (had been cut down in the past)

Four forest zones in Africa:

Guinea forestrecent origin on the west coast

Nigerian Forest

Cameroon-Gabon rainforest

Congo forestwhich is by far the largest

Indo-Malayan region (South and Southeast Asia)

highly mountainous and insular, with an intensely humid and hot climate

Not subjected to much human pressure in the past

Two main areas:

WESTERN PORTION

BORNEOMALAYA

INDONESIA

SOUTHERN

THAILAND

•BURMA•CAMBODIA•VIETNAM

•LAOS

EASTERN PORTION

NEW GUINEA

SOLOMON ISLANDS

NORTHEASTERN AUSTRALIA

PHILIPPINES

Western Asia contain

a variety types of forest:

•Lowland•Highland•Swamp

•Peat

APO ISLAND, DUMAGUETE

NEOTROPICSCENTRAL AMERICA

SOUTHERN AMERICA

AMAZON RAINFOREST

Are Rainforests Essential? Why?

because millions of animals and people live there, many products including foods and medicines come from the rainforests and rainforests affect Earth’s climate