By: Emily Pharr Mrs. Akers’ Homeroom

1. Rain Forest By: Emily Pharr Mrs. Akers’ Homeroom

2. Deforestation • Rainforests once covered 14% of Earth’s land surface; now Rainforests cover 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years. • Nearly half of the world’s species of plants, animals and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next quarter century due to rainforest deforestation. • Experts estimates say that we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. http://en.wikipedia.org

3. Animals Of The Rainforest • The rainforest is home to more than half of the world’s animals. • All different kinds live there. Toucans, Macaws, Monkeys, Poison- arrow frogs and more. • The region Central America was once entirely covered with rainforest, but large areas have been cleared for cattle ranching and for sugar cane plantations. http://www.srl.caltech.edu/ personnel/krubal/rainforest/ Edit 560s6/www/animals.html

4. The Layers • The tallest trees are the emergents, towering as much as 200 ft. above the forest floor with trunks that measure 16 ft. around. • The Canopy Layer is the primary layer of the forest and forms a roof over the 2 remaining layers. • Little sunshine reaches the Understory Layer so the plants have to grow larger leaves to reach the sunlight. http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/whlayers.html