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Rain Forest 1

Page history last edited by Matt F 15 years, 1 month ago

Rain Forest

Description

The rainforest is an area of large trees and great vegetation in a year round warm climate.
It receives much rain and is normally very humid.
More than half of the plant and animal species live in the rainforests.
Many of the plant species have adaptations to quickly shed water.
The largest rainforest are found in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Climate

The Rainforest receives about 250cm of rain per year.
It is very hot and wet (humid) because it is near the equator.
It rains more than 90 days per year.
A lot of the rain never reaches the ground because the canopy of trees act like a shield.
In only a month the rainforest receives 4in of rain.
50% of its precipitation comes from its own evaporation.
The average temperature is 77 degrees Fahrenheit
The temperature never drops below 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
The climate zone is tropical and moist.

Biomass and Productivity

The floor is covered with thick vegetation.
The trees provide a thick and dense canopy over the rainforest.
The widest variety of species live here. The most diverse plant life and animal species exist in this biome.

Threats

The biggest threat to the rain forest is man!
The expanding population is causing the resources of the rainforest to be over used.
Slash-and-Burn technique is being used to clear areas for housing, farming, ranching, and logging. Every second of every day a slice of the rainforest the size of a football field is demolished.
½ of earth’s original rainforest have already been destroyed.
Fire and storms are the natural threats to this ecosystem.

Animals

Orangutans live in the tree tops of the rainforest and rarely descend.
Orangutans have about an 8ft wing span so they can easily climb through the trees.
The digits on their feet act as fingers for better grip while climbing.
Build nest about 40-50 ft up in the trees to avoid predators.
They have curved feet for better balance while traveling through the trees. Humans are the only predators to the orangutans.

Plants

There straight trunks grow to diameter of 9 ft.
Has an open umbrella shape crown and many plants and animals live there.
An adaptation that this tree possesses are spikes located around the trunk to discourage damage from animals.
They also have wind borne seeds which can rise above the canopy of the rainforest and requires breezes that are only above the tree tops due to the density of the rainforest.