The Tropical Rain Forest
A Tropical Rainforest is described as a warm and wet environment; home to millions of precious plant and animal species. Tropical Rainforests existed ever since 400 million years ago. Back then the Rainforest we have now was nothing more than fern, horsetails, clubmoss, and more small plants. Then until about 150 millions years ago, flower plants started to grow. Scientists say that all the Rainforests once were connected, but because of Pangaea, they all broke apart. This still isn't a proven fact yet due to fossil records. All the Rainforests are all located near or on the equator and there are a total of 5 main places Rainforests exists right now: Central America, South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
Tropical Rainforests once covered 14% of the Earth's surface, now there is only 6% remaining, yet that is a home to about 50% of the plants and animals in the whole world! South America holds the world's biggest Rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest. The size of the Amazon Rainforest is about half the size of the United States . Many animals and plants are dying out because their home is being chopped down everyday. We are loosing about 1 and 1/2 acres of Rainforests a day. People don't realize that the Rainforest is what provides a home to many valuable species in this world, it also stabilizes the Earth's climate, and it has sources of medicine and food in there. Even if we try to regrow the Tropical Rainforest, it would take years you get it back to the way it was before.
The Tropical Rainforest has 4 layers. The Emergent Layer is the very top layer of the Rainforest. The Emergent layer has little trees that would grow up to about 40-50 meters; sometimes even up to 70-80 meters high. The Emergents (the tall trees) needs to be able to bare with the hot temperatures and strong winds. The 2nd Layer is The Canopy Layer. It contains the largest trees that ranges from 30-45 meters high. It is the most populated species layer. The 3rd layer is the Understory Layer. Its the Layer that lies in between the canopy layer and the forest floor. This layer is shelters birds, reptiles, small mammals, insects and predators. The plants that populate this layer are small shrubs, small trees and big woody vines. Only about 5% of sunlight would reach this layer. Since there isn't much sunlight, the trees only grow to about 5 meters. As an adaptation to this, the plants grew much larger leaves to collect the sunlight.The 4th and last layer is the Forest Floor. It receives only about 2% of the sunlight. Only plants that had adapted to this 'low light region' could survive at those layers. The Forest Floor is mostly clear of vegetation, therefore, larger animals like reptiles, amphibians and more roam that layer. All of the decaying business take place in the Forest Floor as well.
A Tropical Rainforest is described as a warm and wet environment; home to millions of precious plant and animal species. Tropical Rainforests existed ever since 400 million years ago. Back then the Rainforest we have now was nothing more than fern, horsetails, clubmoss, and more small plants. Then until about 150 millions years ago, flower plants started to grow. Scientists say that all the Rainforests once were connected, but because of Pangaea, they all broke apart. This still isn't a proven fact yet due to fossil records. All the Rainforests are all located near or on the equator and there are a total of 5 main places Rainforests exists right now: Central America, South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
Tropical Rainforests once covered 14% of the Earth's surface, now there is only 6% remaining, yet that is a home to about 50% of the plants and animals in the whole world! South America holds the world's biggest Rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest. The size of the Amazon Rainforest is about half the size of the United States . Many animals and plants are dying out because their home is being chopped down everyday. We are loosing about 1 and 1/2 acres of Rainforests a day. People don't realize that the Rainforest is what provides a home to many valuable species in this world, it also stabilizes the Earth's climate, and it has sources of medicine and food in there. Even if we try to regrow the Tropical Rainforest, it would take years you get it back to the way it was before.
The Tropical Rainforest has 4 layers. The Emergent Layer is the very top layer of the Rainforest. The Emergent layer has little trees that would grow up to about 40-50 meters; sometimes even up to 70-80 meters high. The Emergents (the tall trees) needs to be able to bare with the hot temperatures and strong winds. The 2nd Layer is The Canopy Layer. It contains the largest trees that ranges from 30-45 meters high. It is the most populated species layer. The 3rd layer is the Understory Layer. Its the Layer that lies in between the canopy layer and the forest floor. This layer is shelters birds, reptiles, small mammals, insects and predators. The plants that populate this layer are small shrubs, small trees and big woody vines. Only about 5% of sunlight would reach this layer. Since there isn't much sunlight, the trees only grow to about 5 meters. As an adaptation to this, the plants grew much larger leaves to collect the sunlight.The 4th and last layer is the Forest Floor. It receives only about 2% of the sunlight. Only plants that had adapted to this 'low light region' could survive at those layers. The Forest Floor is mostly clear of vegetation, therefore, larger animals like reptiles, amphibians and more roam that layer. All of the decaying business take place in the Forest Floor as well.
Tropical Rain Forest Locations
The major tropical rain forests of world are located close to the equator or on the equator. The largest tropical rain forest in the world is the Amazon Rainforest which is 2,123,562 square miles big and is located in South America.
The major tropical rain forests of world are located close to the equator or on the equator. The largest tropical rain forest in the world is the Amazon Rainforest which is 2,123,562 square miles big and is located in South America.
Tropical Rain Forest Climate
The average year's climate is very humid. The rain forests receives a lot of rainfall because of its moist and hot temperature. This type of climate is found near the equator, meaning that the direct sunlight hits the land and sea more than anywhere else. The main plants in this biome are the trees. Many of the rain that falls on the rain forest barely reaches the ground, because the leaves act like a shield. Most of the rain that falls past the leaves gets soaked in before reaching the forest floor. The temperature changes very little throughout the year. The temperature barely rises above 95°F but it could drop below 64°F. The average temperature in the hottest month ranges from 2 to 5° higher than the coldest months. Most rain forests gets more than 80 inches of rain yearly, some can receive more than 250 inches a year.
The average year's climate is very humid. The rain forests receives a lot of rainfall because of its moist and hot temperature. This type of climate is found near the equator, meaning that the direct sunlight hits the land and sea more than anywhere else. The main plants in this biome are the trees. Many of the rain that falls on the rain forest barely reaches the ground, because the leaves act like a shield. Most of the rain that falls past the leaves gets soaked in before reaching the forest floor. The temperature changes very little throughout the year. The temperature barely rises above 95°F but it could drop below 64°F. The average temperature in the hottest month ranges from 2 to 5° higher than the coldest months. Most rain forests gets more than 80 inches of rain yearly, some can receive more than 250 inches a year.
Tropical Rain Forest Landforms
The Tropical Rainforest made up 14% of the Earth's surface, now there are only about 6% left that covers the land. This 6% of land features mountains, valleys, flood plains, streams, rivers, and a little bit of wetlands. It also contains high and lowlands, beaches, as well as some karsts. A mountains the natural elevation on the Earth's crust that is caused by the Earth's moving tectonic plates crashing into each other.
Mountains could be seen in the South American, Asian, Australian, African, and Pacific Island rain forests. A highland is somewhat like a mountain, but not exactly. Its a mountainous region that is conserved for ranges of low mountains. In the Tropical Rainforest, a valley is usually in the shape of a 'U' or 'V'. A valley or dale (a broad valley) also provides channels for rivers. Flood Plains form at the base of a valley when a stream or river gets tangled together. Karsts is a landscape that is known for its sink holes, caves, and underground draining systems. Wetlands include marshes, bogs, and swamps. Many people mistaken the rain forest for a wetland, but the the two are in fact, different. The wetlands have saturated soil and could contain water more than a foot deep underground. It has moister environment while a Rainforest would receive a lot of rainfall that would be absorbed through the plant roots or the ground. Parts of the Rainforest may consist of wetlands though. Streams and rivers are also another landform that is blurred. Rivers are much larger, deeper, and longer than a stream. Also, a river is created by many steams combined. Rivers carry nutrients and could meet up with another body of water. Still, both are linked by channels and are gushing bodies of water. A famous river that flows through a rain forest is called the Amazon River. There are many spectacular beaches that accompany Rainforests too.
The Tropical Rainforest made up 14% of the Earth's surface, now there are only about 6% left that covers the land. This 6% of land features mountains, valleys, flood plains, streams, rivers, and a little bit of wetlands. It also contains high and lowlands, beaches, as well as some karsts. A mountains the natural elevation on the Earth's crust that is caused by the Earth's moving tectonic plates crashing into each other.
Mountains could be seen in the South American, Asian, Australian, African, and Pacific Island rain forests. A highland is somewhat like a mountain, but not exactly. Its a mountainous region that is conserved for ranges of low mountains. In the Tropical Rainforest, a valley is usually in the shape of a 'U' or 'V'. A valley or dale (a broad valley) also provides channels for rivers. Flood Plains form at the base of a valley when a stream or river gets tangled together. Karsts is a landscape that is known for its sink holes, caves, and underground draining systems. Wetlands include marshes, bogs, and swamps. Many people mistaken the rain forest for a wetland, but the the two are in fact, different. The wetlands have saturated soil and could contain water more than a foot deep underground. It has moister environment while a Rainforest would receive a lot of rainfall that would be absorbed through the plant roots or the ground. Parts of the Rainforest may consist of wetlands though. Streams and rivers are also another landform that is blurred. Rivers are much larger, deeper, and longer than a stream. Also, a river is created by many steams combined. Rivers carry nutrients and could meet up with another body of water. Still, both are linked by channels and are gushing bodies of water. A famous river that flows through a rain forest is called the Amazon River. There are many spectacular beaches that accompany Rainforests too.
Tropical Rain Forest Animals
Most of the animals that live in tropical rain forests are threatened or endangered. Some of the animals in the tropical rain forest are only found in one or two places. Fossas, for example, are only found in Madagascar. We, humans, are responsible for this. We destroy their habitat, leaving them to die. We also capture tropical animals to sell them as pets or for our own needs. An example is that a Komodo dragon is killed for their skin. Some of these animals are very close to extinction.
The Keel Billed Toucan is one of the many birds in the Tropical Rain Forest. This toucan has an enormous beak that is used to capture its prey. His beak is multi colored and eye-catching. This bird has wings, but does not use them that much. The Keel Billed Toucan either walks to its destination, or it would hop on branches.
The Komodo Dragon is a lizard that lives in the Tropical Rain Forest. This is the largest lizard in the world. This animal has only been found in 5 Indonesian islands. This animal is a carnivore and a scavenger. When an animal dies and is starting to decompose, the Komodo dragon smells it and goes to eat it before it decomposes.
Most of the animals that live in tropical rain forests are threatened or endangered. Some of the animals in the tropical rain forest are only found in one or two places. Fossas, for example, are only found in Madagascar. We, humans, are responsible for this. We destroy their habitat, leaving them to die. We also capture tropical animals to sell them as pets or for our own needs. An example is that a Komodo dragon is killed for their skin. Some of these animals are very close to extinction.
The Keel Billed Toucan is one of the many birds in the Tropical Rain Forest. This toucan has an enormous beak that is used to capture its prey. His beak is multi colored and eye-catching. This bird has wings, but does not use them that much. The Keel Billed Toucan either walks to its destination, or it would hop on branches.
The Komodo Dragon is a lizard that lives in the Tropical Rain Forest. This is the largest lizard in the world. This animal has only been found in 5 Indonesian islands. This animal is a carnivore and a scavenger. When an animal dies and is starting to decompose, the Komodo dragon smells it and goes to eat it before it decomposes.
Tropical Rain Forest Plants
Some plants that are in the Tropical Rain Forests are the Lianas Vines, Bromeliad, Rafflesia Arnoldii, Bengal Bamboo, Bougainvillea, Jambu, Banana Flowers, Tropical Mistletoe, Durians, and the Strangler Fig. The Rafflesia Arnoldii are one of the largest, rarest, and most endangered plants in the world. Yet, it could still be found in the Indonesian rain forest. The Strangler Fig is probably the most important tree in the rain forest because it provides food for many animals. The Bromeliad is like a small ecosystem that is inside the flower.
More than two thirds of the world's plant species are found in the tropical rainforests. In the third layer, the understory is always humid and it receives about 3% of light. This layer includes trunks of canopy trees, shrubs, plants and small trees. The rain forest plants made adaptations to their environment. With more than 80 inches of rain annually, plants made an adaption to help them let water fall off their leaves quickly so the branches don't get soaked and break. Many have drip tips and grooved leaves or oily coating on their leaves to help shed off the water. Since there is not much sunlight in the dark understory, their leaves are very big to absorb as much sunlight as possible, while leaves in the upper canopy are dark green and small to lessen water loss from the strong sunlight. Bromeliads grow in the upper canopy on the larger trees to get sunlight. Many trees have buttress and silt roots for support in the wet, flat soil of the rain forests. These plants give shelter and food to the animals as well as providing them oxygen.
Some plants that are in the Tropical Rain Forests are the Lianas Vines, Bromeliad, Rafflesia Arnoldii, Bengal Bamboo, Bougainvillea, Jambu, Banana Flowers, Tropical Mistletoe, Durians, and the Strangler Fig. The Rafflesia Arnoldii are one of the largest, rarest, and most endangered plants in the world. Yet, it could still be found in the Indonesian rain forest. The Strangler Fig is probably the most important tree in the rain forest because it provides food for many animals. The Bromeliad is like a small ecosystem that is inside the flower.
More than two thirds of the world's plant species are found in the tropical rainforests. In the third layer, the understory is always humid and it receives about 3% of light. This layer includes trunks of canopy trees, shrubs, plants and small trees. The rain forest plants made adaptations to their environment. With more than 80 inches of rain annually, plants made an adaption to help them let water fall off their leaves quickly so the branches don't get soaked and break. Many have drip tips and grooved leaves or oily coating on their leaves to help shed off the water. Since there is not much sunlight in the dark understory, their leaves are very big to absorb as much sunlight as possible, while leaves in the upper canopy are dark green and small to lessen water loss from the strong sunlight. Bromeliads grow in the upper canopy on the larger trees to get sunlight. Many trees have buttress and silt roots for support in the wet, flat soil of the rain forests. These plants give shelter and food to the animals as well as providing them oxygen.