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The Rainforest! BY ALLY B 8F
Emergent • The Emergent Layer of a rainforest is the tallest layer. This layer gets more sun than any other layer in a rainforest. The Emergent Layer is made up of a few tall, wide trees (which are called emergent trees). The trees of the Emergent Layer have small waxy leaves. They are waxy because they have a coating on them that helps them to stay moist and not dry out, so they can survive the hot climate. It is very windy in the Emergent Layer, so trees get blown about a lot, which is good because it helps spread the seeds all over the forest.
Canopy • The primary layer of the rainforest, the canopy, extends beneath the emergent. Most canopy trees have smooth, oval leaves that come to a point. They are like this because they are umbrella shaped and shed rain quickly, so that lichens and mosses don’t grow. Thick, woody vines are found in the canopy. These vines, are sometimes are as big around as a person. They climb the tree in the canopy to reach for sunlight.
Understorey • Little sunshine reaches this area so the plants have to grow larger leaves to reach the sunlight. The plants in this area rarely grow to 12 feet. Many animals live here including jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs and leopards. There is a large amount of insects here.
Forest Floor • The forest floor of the Rain Forest contains very few plants due to the low amount of light and high humidity. Plants that do grow in the forest floor must tolerate lots of shade. The forest floor is covered with vegetation and organisms that break down into usable nutrients.
THE CANOPY LAYER!! THREE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN THE CANOPY LAYER: • Coatis • Toucans • Squirrel Monkeys THREE PLANTS THAT LIVE IN THE CANOPY LAYER: • Epiphytes • Orchids • The canopy tree
Coati: (non-endangered) • In the canopy layer there is an animal called the coati. The coati ventures to ground once in a while looking for bugs and seeds to eat. But they usually stay in the higher branches while looking for pieces of fruit to eat. • I have chosen to study this animal because the look like possums and foxes combined. • The coati has fur and when are fully grown are about the size of a large house cat. • It’s enemy's are hawks and eagles and other meat eating birds. • Coatis can live up to eight years and there pregnancy takes up to 11 weeks and gives birth to litters of 3-7 kits. • Coatis live in areas such as the humid Amazonian rainforests or even cold Andean mountainslopes, including grasslands and bushy areas.
Squirrel monkeys: (non-endangered) • I decided to study this animal because I never knew it lived in the rainforest. • It looks like a squirrel-sized monkey that can leap from tree to tree like one and can grow up to average 30cms tall. • They are usually found in Southern and Central America. • It lives in the canopy layer because it has access to spiders, bugs, fruit and small birds to eat. • When squirrel monkeys are born, they cling to their mother’s back until they are a few moths old. And usually hang about in groups of 20-30. • It’s enemies are mainly snakes and Large Falcons.
Orchids: (non-endangered) • I decided to study the orchid because I have seen the flower before and it is very pretty. • It looks like a person frowning with a long nose. • It can be grown anywhere but it came from the rainforest. • It lives in this part of the rain forest because they grow on sides of trees, epiphytes is what the can be known as. • Orchids can be used for medicinal purposes ands is known to treat some dieses.
