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Rainforests
Two Types of Rainforests
• Tropical– Located along the equator– 80-400 inches of rain per year– Temperature between 70-85 degrees
• Temperate– Could be located anywhere (even Alaska)– 50-140 inches of rain per year– Temperature between 50-80 degrees
Rainforest Layers
Rainforest LayersEmergent Canopy
- Top Layer- Trees are 100-240 feet tall.
- Tops of trees are shaped like umbrellas.
- Trees are 60-130 feet tall.- Most of the animals in the rainforest live in this layer. Some never go to the forest
floor.
Understory Forest Floor- Sometimes called Lower Canopy
- Trees are 60 feet tall.- Completely Shaded
- Due to little light, very few plants and animals live in this layer.
- Mostly inhabited by termites and fungi.
Tropical Rainforests
• Most of the rainforests in the world are tropical.
• They make up only 6% of Earth’s surface, but contain over half of Earth’s plants and animals.
Animals of the Amazon RainforestA few of the animals you will find in the Amazon Rainforest are:
-Toucans-Parrots-Poison Dart Frogs-Jaguars-Ocelots-Howler Monkeys-Anacondas-Electric Eels-Piranhas-Vampire Bats
Watch Video!
Plants of the Amazon Rainforest
Some plants you will find are:
-Kapok Trees-Strangler Figs-Coconut Trees-Mangrove Trees-Bengal Bamboo
Amazon Rainforest
• The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world.
• It is located in South America along the Amazon River basin.
• Covers 2.5 million square miles and is part of 9 different countries.
Amazon Rainforest
• 20% of Earth’s oxygen is produced there
• More than 5 million species of plants, animals, and insects
Rainforest Destruction
• Unfortunately, rainforests across the globe are being destroyed at a substantial rate.
Reasons for Destruction
• Logging• Farming• Ranching• Mining
Reasons to Save the Rainforests
• Millions of animals and people live there.
• Many products, including foods and medicines, come from the rainforests.
• Rainforests affect Earth’s climate. Cutting down and burning trees releases carbon dioxide, which leads to global warming.
References• Blue Planet Biomes. (2008). Rainforests. Retrieved May 28, 2010
from http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.html• Kids saving the rainforest: Animals they protect in the Manuel
Antonio Rainforest [Video], Retrieved May 28, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com
• Monabay Kids. (2009). Rainforest Facts. Retrieved May 28, 2010 from http://kids.mongabay.com
• Nature. (2010). Rainforests. Retrieved May 28, 2010 from http://www.nature.org/rainforests/explore/facts.html
• World Culture Pictorial. (2010). Rainforest Images. Retrieved May 28, 2010 from http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/images/content2/amazon_rainforest_sea_of_green.jpg