Download Eshly Cruz Geronimo Vanessa Akah Karen Martinez Tropical Rain

Eshly Cruz Geronimo
Vanessa Akah
Karen Martinez
Tropical Rain Forest Biome
Tropical rain forests are located near Earth’s equator. This biome is warm throughout
the year. It also receives more rain than any other biome on Earth. The soil in tropical rain
forests is acidic and low in nutrients. Even with poor soil, tropical rain forests have some of the
highest biological diversity on earth. Dense layers of plants develop in a tropical rain forest.
These layers block sunlight from reaching the forest floor. Some plants such as orchids grow on
tree branches instead of the dark forest floor in order to acquire sunlight. Birds, monkeys, and
sloths live in the upper layers of the rain forest. Animals such as leafcutter ants, jaguars, snakes,
and anteaters live in the lower layers.
There are different levels in a tropical rainforest. At the top is the emergent layer below
that is the canopy and then the understory, at the bottom you got the forest floor.
The Emergent Layer contains a small number of very large trees called Emergents which
grows above the general canopy. They need to be able to withstand the hot temperatures and
strong wings that occur above the canopy in some areas. Eagles, butterflies, bats, and certain
monkeys inhabit this layer.
The Canopy Layer contains the majority of the trees. It is also the densest area of
biodiversity. The canopy, by some estimates, is home to 50 percent of all plants species,
suggesting that perhaps half of all species on Earth could be found there.
The Understory Layer lies between the canopy and the forest floor. The understory is
home to a number of birds, snakes, and lizards, as well as predators such as jaguars, boa
constrictors and leopards. The leaves are much larger at this level, insect life is also abundant.
Many seedlings that will grow to the canopy level are present in the understory. Only about 5%
of the sunlight shining on the rainforest canopy reaches the understory
The Forest Floor, the bottom most layer, receives only 2% of the sunlight. Only plants
adapted to low light can grow in this region. Away from riverbanks, swamps and clearings,
where dense undergrowth is found, the forest floor is relatively clear of vegetation because of
the low sunlight penetration. It also contains decaying plants and animal matter, which
disappears quickly, because the warm humid conditions promote rapid decay.
Eshly Cruz Geronimo
Vanessa Akah
Karen Martinez
Tropical rainforests are disappearing at about 80 acres per minute, day and night due to
deforestation and other treats. The rainforest is home to over half of all of the species known in
the world and hundreds of plant species. Efforts to protect and conserve tropical rainforest
habitats are diverse and widespread. And you can help too by supporting programs like
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) who work to protect
our forests.