RAINFOREST

WHAT IS RAINFOREST?

◦ A Rainforest can be described as a tall, dense jungle

◦ The reason it is called a "rain" forest is because of the high
amount of rainfall it gets per year. The climate of a rain forest
is very hot and humid so the animals and plants that exist
there must learn to adapt to this climate.
◦ Rain forest are found all over the world
◦ Most found in tropics LOCATION

The largest rainforests located in

◦ Amazon River Basin
(South America)
◦ Congo River Basin
(Western Africa)
◦ There are 4 layers in the rain forest LAYERS
-EMERGENT LAYER
-CANOPY LAYET
-UNDERSTORY LAYER
-FOREST FLOOR
◦ Different animals and plants at each level
 THE
◦Tallest layer EMERGENT
◦More sun than any other layer LAYER

◦Made up of tall,wide tress

-tress from 130 to 25p feet tall
-Trees have waxy leaves
◦Very windy and very warm
 THE CANOPY
◦ Primary layer of rainforest LAYER
◦ Rises to 150 feet
◦ Thick,woody vines cled lianas found in this
layer
◦ Plants grow on the trees
-Use water and sun unique to canopy layer
-Irchids,lichens,ferns mossses
 THE
◦ Receives only 2-5% of the sunloght UNDERSTORY
available to the canopy
◦ Made up of vines,smaller trees,ferns and
oalms and small bushes
◦ Poor soil with few nutrients for plants
 THE FOREST
FLOOR
◦ Very dark
◦ Almost no plant life
◦ Decay happens very quickly
◦ Lots of large tree roots
◦ Many large animals,frogs and insects
RAINFOREST
MAMMALS
 Sloths are slow moving Jaguars are the largest of
mammals that live in trees South Americas ig cats
RAINFOREST FROGS
 Poison Dart
Frogs
◦ Very bright colored
◦ Carry eggs and tadpes on their back
◦ Very poisonous
◦ Eat ants,termitee and beetles
RAINFOREST REPTILES
 Chameleon
◦ 160 different species
◦ Can move eyes independently
◦ Chameleons change colors and often
blend in
◦ Eat insects
◦ Live in the teees and move slowly
RAINFOREST BIRDS
 Toucan
◦ Known for large colorful bill
◦ Can eat fruit and insects
◦ Live in flocks of multiple toucans
◦ Nest on tree holes
◦ Females lay 2 to 4 eggs each year
IMPORTANCE
OF
RAINFOREST
Rainforests are important because
they:

◦ Are the home of many plants and animals

◦ Protect against flood,drought, and erosion
◦ Help provide oxygeb
◦ Source of foods and medicines