Tropical forests

Tropical forests By: ocyrusleemoui brown and caleb race

Table of Contents Animal Life-Background info. Examples with pictures Questions Plant life – Background info. Examples with pictures Questions Physical Landscape/habitat –Background info. Examples with pictures Questions Human Influences-Background info. Examples with Pictures Questions Weather –what is the average precipitation? -what is the average temperature? Warnings –What are some threats to this biome? –Are there any endangered species?

Animal life • Many of the animals adapted to life in trees. • Bright colors and sharp patterns loud vocalization and diets heavy in fruits. • Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in the tropical forest. • There may be 40 to 100 different species that live in 2.5 acres of the tropical forest.

Exampls • COYPU.Coypus (also called nutrias) are semi-aquatic rodents that are originally from South America • GREATER APESThe great apes (family Pongidae) include the gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans.The great apes (family Pongidae) include the gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans.

Animal question Are these animals adaped well to living in the trees? Are the animals in the rainforest colorfull?

Plant life • Majority of the plants have a smooth and thin bark. This is because, they are already exposed to warm, humid and wet conditions. • The second stratum is the canopy layer of the rainforest, which represents broad-leaved trees of about 90 feet height. • The lowest layer is the forest floor, which hardly receives 2 percent light. • The lowest layer is the forest floor, which hardly receives 2 percent light.

Examples Curare Bougainvillea Bengal Bamboo

Plant life question

Physical landscape/habitat • Rain Forest Canopies • All rain forests have four specific layers to their structure. The topmost is the emergent layer. These are trees between 100 to 240 feet in height, have umbrella-shaped canopies and are spaced apart from each other. Under the emergent layer is the canopy, a dense layer of leaves and branches that are 60 to 130 feet high. The canopy absorbs almost all the sunlight. It is this layer that contains more than half of a rain forest's wildlife. Beneath the canopy is the understory that comprises tree trunks and other vegetation that reaches up to 60 feet. • Shrub Layer • The shrub layer of a forest grows up to 15 feet high and comprises shrubs, vines, ferns, as well as saplings of trees that will later form the canopy layers of the forest. Vegetation is dense, as each plant and tree competes fiercely for any sunlight not blocked by the canopy. Many nocturnal animals are found in the shrub layer, as well as other species that cross between the shrub and the canopy layers. • Forest Floor • Only 2 to 3 percent of sunlight reaches the forest floor. The only vegetation that lives here has adapted to low-light levels. The forest floor is littered with leaves and decaying vegetation. Decomposition by bacteria and molds is rapid, and nutrients are quickly recycled into new plant growth. This is due to the poor soil quality of many tropical rain forests. Nutrient layers only exist in a thin topsoil that is replenished by dead plant and animal remains. However, there are rain forests that have rich soils; these are typically areas of volcanic activity where volcanic soils comprise a nutrient-rich base for forest growth. Rain forest topsoil is held together by dense root systems. • Adaptation to Conditions • Rain forests are shaped by intense competition for sunlight and soil nutrients; as a result, the physical characteristics of the vegetation reflects that. Tree roots are buttressed to huge proportions so as to support a high trunk and wide branches. Canopy leaves are large to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight, and are layered with wax to remain waterproof in the humid environment; this is to minimize mold growth. Vines and epiphytes are able to proliferate because they are adapted to grow on existing trees to reach available light. Vines and roots dangling from higher vegetation is common in rain forests.

examples

Physical landscape questions

Human influences • Humans have cut down and destroyed more than half the world's rainforests for its timber, minerals and for place to settle in. • The rate of destruction is about 93,000 square miles a year. • If man continues to destroy them we might lose some of the most beautiful and unique species on the planet.

Human influence question

Weather • The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches (125 to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly. • The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 °F (34 °C) or drops below 68 °F (20 °C);

Warnings Threats Some threats of the biome are, • Logging interests cut down rain forest trees for timber used in flooring, furniture, and other items. • Power plants and other industries cut and burn trees to generate electricity. • The paper industry turns huge tracts of rain forest trees into pulp. • The cattle industry uses slash-and-burn techniques to clear ranch land. • Agricultural interests, particularly the soy industry, clear forests for cropland. • Subsistence farmers slash-and-burn rain forest for firewood and to make room for crops and grazing lands. • Mining operations clear forest to build roads and dig mines. • Governments and industry clear-cut forests to make way for service and transit roads. • Hydroelectric projects flood acres of rain forest.

Warnings Endangered Species • There are more endangered species in the rainforest then anywhere ells in the world.

Work sited • http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm • http://rainforests.mongabay.com/0802.htm • http://www.buzzle.com/articles/endangered-rainforest-animals.html

Tropical forests