THE RAINFORESTS

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE RAINFOREST

Tropical Rainforests are found

close to The Equator ,The Equator is a imaginary

line around the earth, half

way between the north and

southpoles while Temperate Rainforests are found

along Coats in the temperatezone.

The tallest trees are the emergent's, towering as much as 200 feet above the forest floor with trunks that

measure up to 16 feet around.   Most of these trees are broad-leaved, hardwood evergreens. Sunlight is plentiful up here.  Animals found are eagles, monkeys, bats and

butterflies

This is the primary layer of the forest and forms a roof over the two remaining layers.   Most canopy

trees have smooth, oval leaves that come to a point. It's a maze of leaves and branches.  Many animals

live in this area since food is abundant.   Those animals include: snakes, toucans and tree frogs.

EMERGENT LAYER

CANOPY LAYER

UNDERSTORY LAYER

FOREST FLOOR

Little sunshine reaches this area so the plants have to grow larger leaves to reach the sunlight.   The plants in this area seldom grow to 12 feet.  Many animals live here including jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs and leopards.  There is a large concentration of insects here.

It's very dark down here.  Almost no plants grow in this area, as a result.  Since hardly any sun reaches the forest floor things begin to decay quickly.  A leaf that might take one year to decompose in a regular climate will disappear in  6 weeks.   Giant anteaters live in this layer.

TRIBES

We often overlook the millions of people that live inthe rainforests.  Did you know that there are

about 50,000,000 tribal people living in world's rainforests?  These people depend on the forests

for their food and shelter.  As we cut more and more trees and destroy more and more of the

forests, we are also killing people.  Many native tribes have been exterminated already because

their governments failed to protect them from logging companies, the mining companies and the

slash and burn farmers.

TRIBES

The Hula

The Hula are one of the many tribes that live in the remote highland forests of Papua New Guinea.  They live by hunting,gathering plants and growing crops.  Menand women live separately, in large group houses.  The men decorate their bodies with coloured clay and wear elaborate headdresses for ceremonies. 

TRIBES

The Panorama

One of the largest groups of Amerindian people in South America is the Panorama.  Their village life is cantered around the yank, or communal house.  The yank is a large, circular building constructed of vine and leaf thatch, which has a living space in the middle.  This picture shows Panorama men eating a meal. 

HOW TO SAVE THE RAINFOREST

Rainforests are disappearing very quickly. The good news

isthere are a lot of people whowant to save rainforests. Thebad news is that saving rainforests is not going to be say. It will take the efforts of many people working together in order to ensure that rainforests and their wildlife will survive for your children to appreciate, enjoy, and benefit from.

There are over 5.6 million animals living in the rainforest .And more than half are endangered species . The lost of these animals is cause by people cutting down to make space for farm land.

SPIDER MONKEYS• . Spider monkeys are found in the

tropical rainforests of Central and South America, as well as in regions as far north as Mexico. They dwell in the evergreen rainforests, mangrove forests and even lowland to mountain forests. These monkeys prefer wet forests rather than dry regions and are mostly found living in the upper canopy, almost never coming near the ground. The spider monkey is considered to be a primitive new world monkey, which means they originated in the North or South America. They have less complex brain, unopposable thumbs, wide apart nostrils, feet with big toes and small heads. They have slender bodies (weigh about 20 pounds), hands and limbs and depend highly on their keen binocular vision. Before heading to the interesting spider monkey facts, let us check out the scientific classification of spider monkeys

ANACONDASAn anaconda kills its prey by coiling its

muscular body around the creature and squeezing until the can no longer breathe. Jaws attached by stretchy ligaments allow the to swallow its whole, no matter the size. Anacondas can go weeks or months without eating after a big meal. Anacondas like to be in or near water, and they are excellent swimmers. Their eyes and nostrils are on top of their heads, so they can keep their body hidden underwater as they wait for . Humans are the anaconda’s most dangerous . In many parts of South America, they are hunted, both legally and illegally for their skin and for sale in the illegal pet trade. Often, these snakes are killed just because people fear and dislike them.

RAINFOREST PLANTS• There is a fantastic variety of rain forest plant life. A typical 10km

square area contains 1,500 kinds of flowering plants and 750 tree species. These plants form a system of layers. The top layer consists of giant trees up to 75 metres tall that tower over the rest of the forest.

• Canopy Trees, 20 to 30 metres tall, form the next layer. Shrubs and young trees make up the under layer, whilst the last layer is the forest floor itself. Ferns, herbs and seedlings that need little sunlight for growth are found in this bottom layer. Small plants called epiphytes that need more sunlight attach themselves to the trunks and branches of the canopy trees. They never touch the ground, but their aerial roots absorb water from the moist air. Vines that have roots in the ground climb trees of the top layer to obtain the sunlight they require.

• Most tropical rain forest plants are exotic and very beautiful. Orchids and bromeliads for example are found throughout the canopy and under-story. The flowering Rafflesia arnoldi which grows on the forest floor has the largest flower in the world measuring up to 1 metre across. Unfortunately it smells like rotting meat! How ever the odour attracts flies which carry out the necessary pollination.

RAINFOREST PLANTS• The huge top layer trees are also quite strange. Many of them have

huge base fins known as buttresses, which help support them in the poor soil, and prevent them being blown over by the high winds that can accompany the monsoon. Other trees send their roots down from their branches to provide extra support. Many trees have also evolved protection from leaf eating insects and animals, as they produce disagreeable chemicals in their leaves making them unpalatable. Others grow spines on their trunks and branches making it hard for animals to reach their leaves. Some have hollows in their branches for ants to nest in, and they return the favour by attacking those insects and vines that can harm the tree.

• Many rainforest plants are very useful. Food such as pineapple, banana, grapefruit, avocado and coconut originated there, as did many spices like chocolate, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger and paprika. Chicle, (chewing gum) as well as bamboo and balsa wood also come from the rainforest.

WATER LILIES

Water lilies are the world's largest flowers. Water lilies can reach up to 6 feet wide. They are found in lakes or rivers, in calm water. Water lilies are lightweight and float on the top of the water. They can hold a small child, and are pollinated by a beetle that is attracted to the fragrance. Water lilies are used as food for many invertebrates, including insect larvae, worms and crustaceans.

ORCHIDSMore than 230 orchid species are located in

Queensland rainforests of Australia. They grow on trees, on rocks and in the ground, and some do not require sunlight to grow and thrive. They rely on fungi and are pollinated by animals and the wind. Insects are also attracted to the fragrance of the orchids. Many people collect and propagate orchids.

BIRD OF PARADISE FLOWERBird of paradise is found in the South African

rainforests. The bird of paradise is related to the banana plant, and is 3 to 5 feet tall. Although the bird of paradise cannot tolerate prolonged freezing temperatures, it can tolerate temperatures as low as 24 degrees Fahrenheit for brief periods of time. The plant is an evergreen in the rainforest, and it blooms nearly all year. Bird of paradise is popular in gardens and as a cut flower.

I learned a lot from doing this project and I hope you all did too . Also a big thank you to Ms.Sheehan for all of her help and assistance .