Uses of Tropical Rainforests

What are the uses of tropical rainforests?

1. Water catchment 2. Green Lungs of the Earth 3. Habitat to flora (plants) and fauna

(animals) 4. Habitat to indigenous people 5. Source of timber 6. Medical application

The uses of the rainforest

What is “water catchment”? An area drained by a river and the smaller

rivers that flow into it.

How do rainforests act as water catchment areas?

The trees stop rainfall from reaching the ground directly.

Rainwater slowly drips down the trees and seeps into the ground.

The rainwater is finally stored as groundwater.

Water Catchment

Water Catchment

What does the soil in the rainforest do?

The soil trap impurities before the water flows into the reservoir.

This provides a clean water supply for everyone.

Water Catchment

Where is the water catchment in Singapore?

It is the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. It is located in the middle of Singapore.

Four reservoirs can be found here : Upper Seletar Upper Peirce Lower Peirce MacRitchie

Water Catchment

Central Catchment Nature Reserve

Tropical rainforests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

They release oxygen back through photosynthesis.

More than 20% of the Earth’s oxygen is generated by the Amazon Rainforest alone.

Green Lungs of The Earth

Tropical rainforests act as a natural purifier.

The trees absorb about 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide in a year.

(comparison - one blue whale weighs 100 tonnes!)

The dense forests also help to keep the Earth cool.

Green Lungs of The Earth

What is flora and fauna? Flora means plants. Fauna means animals.

More than 2 million species of plants and animals live in the rainforests.

There is an abundance (many) and diversity (different types) of flora and fauna.

Habitat to Flora and Fauna

Why are there so many species in the rainforest?

Reason 1 Ample (A lot of) sunlight More plants grow because of more sunlight. Many animals survive because there is a lot

of plants available for food.

Habitat to Flora and Fauna

Why are there so many species in the rainforest?

Reason 2 The canopy provides a great amount of

food for animals. Many plants and fruit trees grow in the

canopy. Animals can obtain food easily and quickly.

Habitat to Flora and Fauna

Turn to your textbook page 82 and complete the table by categorising the examples given for flora and fauna. Write in one example of your own choice.

Habitat to Flora and Fauna

Fauna Flora

Trilobite beetle Peace lily

Macaque Heliconia

Flying lemur

Your Example Your Example

What is “indigenous”? It means “original”, “belonging to a place

before others”

Who are the indigenous people of the rainforests?

People who have been living in the rainforests.

There are about 60 million indigenous people depending on the rainforests.

Habitat to indigenous people

What are some examples of indigenous people?

Embera in the rainforests of Panama. Yanomami in the Amazon Rainforest. Penan in the rainforests of Sarawak,

Malaysia.

Habitat to indigenous people

Why is the rainforest important to the indigenous people?

It provides them with daily necessities such as food, clothing and medicine.

It provides them with wood as fuel to cook their food and heat their homes at night.

Habitat to indigenous people

Read Page 83 of your textbook. Complete the missing blanks.

Habitat to indigenous people

Food of the indigenous people is obtained by...

Hunting and Gathering AgricultureOr

Subsistence Cultivation

Grow their own plants for

food and medicine

Hunt fish and wild animals

Gather wild fruit and nuts

Read Page 83 of your textbook. Complete the missing blanks.

Indigenous people who get their food by hunting animals and gathering fruit and nuts are known as hunter-gatherers.

Indigenous people who farm plants for food and vegetation as known as shifting cultivators.

Habitat to indigenous people

Read Page 83 of your textbook. Complete the missing blanks.

What do shifting cultivators do in the forest?

First, they clear the forest by burning the vegetation. This burnt vegetation provides nutrients to fertilise the plants. When the nutrients are finished, the shifting cultivators move to a new plot of land.

Habitat to indigenous people

What is “timber”? Timber refers to the wood used to build or

make things.

What are examples of trees used for timber?

Tropical hardwoods like teak, ebony, mahogany and meranti.

Source of Timber (Pg 83)

Teak Tree and Furniture

Mahogany Tree and Furniture

Why are these hardwoods popular? They are strong, durable with beautiful

texture.

What is made from these hardwoods? Doors, window frames and furniture.

Source of Timber (Pg 83)

Tropical rainforests contain a huge source of medicine.

More than 3000 species of rainforest plants have cancer-fighting properties.

Many other plants provide various medical uses.

Less than 1% of the rainforest plants have been tested for their medicinal properties.

Medical Application

Read page 84 of your textbook and complete the blanks.

Medical Application

Plant Medical Use

Cinchona Tree Treat malaria

Clavillia plant Treat eczema and itchiness

Madagascar Periwinkle Treat childhood leukaemia

1. Water catchment 2. Green Lungs of the Earth 3. Habitat to flora (plants) and fauna

(animals) 4. Habitat to indigenous people 5. Source of timber 6. Medical application

What did you learn today?