Download Economic Values of Rainforests Source: Peters, Charles M. “Rain

Economic Values of Rainforests
Source:
Peters, Charles M. “Rain forest.” World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 1 Nov.
2012. <http://worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar458390&amp;st=rainforest>.
Quote:
Economic value. Wood ranks as the most important rain forest product. Foresters
harvest millions of trees from rain forests each year. People use about 80 percent of rain
forest wood for fuel and about 20 percent for timber. International trade in tropical
hardwoods averages billions of dollars a year.
Other valuable rain forest resources
include fibers, fruits, nuts, oils, and resins. Indonesia and the Philippines export millions
of dollars in furniture and other products made from rattan, a kind of palm. Amazon rain
forests provide thousands of tons of Brazil nuts and rubber. Mexican and Central
American forests yield various types of chicle, a natural latex once used in chewing gum.
Paraphrase:
Rainforests should be used for:Rainforests have a lot of wood that can be usedWood is
also very good for trade which brings a ton of money for the governmentThe Amazon
Rainforest of Brazil give's its country a lot of nuts and rubbersThere are many useful
resources the rainforest provides for people are fibers, fruits, nuts, and oils
Values of Rainforests
Source:
Peters, Charles M. “Rain forest.” World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 1 Nov.
2012. <http://worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar458390&amp;st=rainforest>.
Quote:
Environmental value. Tropical rain forests help regulate Earth's environment in
several ways. For example, tropical trees help control the amount of rain water that
reaches the ground. These trees absorb an enormous quantity of rain. In a process called
transpiration, much of this water evaporates from the trees' leaf pores and reenters the
atmosphere as vapor. Eventually, the vapor condenses into water and falls again as rain.
Transpiration may account for as much as half of the rainfall in some rain forests. By
regulating rainfall, rain forest trees keep floods and droughts from becoming too severe.
The dense rain forest vegetation also reduces soil erosion.
Rain forests help control
temperatures in their own regions and in other parts of the world. Rain forest trees absorb
light and heat. This absorption keeps tropical climates from becoming too hot or too cold.
The forests also take in and store massive amounts of carbon dioxide, preventing the
build-up of this gas in the atmosphere. Scientists believe the accumulation of carbon
dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere increases temperatures around the world. By
absorbing carbon dioxide, tropical rain forests may help keep worldwide temperatures
from becoming too warm.
Paraphrase:
help to regulate the enviromenttrees take in large amount of rainrainforests keep floods
and droughts from being too badhelp keep worldwide temperatures normalkeeps lots of
carbon dioxide, so it doesn't clog up the atmosphere
Life in the Rainforest
Plants and Animals
Source:
Peters, Charles M. “Rain forest.” World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 1 Nov.
2012. <http://worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar458390&amp;st=rainforest>.
Quote:
Plants and animals. About 45 percent of the world's plant species occur in tropical rain
forests. Scientists have counted over 250 species of trees in small areas of Asian and
South American rain forests. A similar plot of land in a northern temperate forest would
have only about 10 to 15 tree species. In addition to trees, rain forests support a variety of
bamboos, herbs, and shrubs. Climbing vines, ferns, mosses, and orchids grow directly on
the trunks and branches of large trees.
Because of continual moisture and warmth,
tropical rain forests stay green all year. Most rain forest trees continually lose old leaves
and grow new ones. Only a few species lose all of their leaves for a brief period.
Fish,
amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals abound in the rain forest and its rivers.
However, insects rank as the most plentiful rain forest animals. An individual tree in a
South American rain forest may support more than 40 species of ants. Scientists have
counted about 1,200 species of beetles living in only 19 tree crowns from
Panama.
Plants and animals in the rain forest depend on one another for survival.
Many animal groups, especially insects and birds, pollinate the flowers of rain forest
trees. Such animals receive food from the flowers' nectar. In return, they pollinate the
next flowers they visit. Some trees rely on only one species of insect for pollination.
Many rain forest trees also depend on animals to disperse their seeds. In the Amazon rain
forest, fish disperse the seeds of some trees.
Paraphrase:
45% of species occur live in rainforests250 tree types have been foundHave varieties of
bamboo, herbs, and shrubsfish, amphibians,reptiles,birds, and mammals all live around
riverslots of insectsplants and animals need eachother to survive
Life in the Rainforest
Source:
Jukofsky, Diane. Encyclopedia of Rainforests. Oryx Press, 2002.
<http://worldbookonline.com/student/media?id=sr403007&amp;st=rainforest>.
Quote:
The floor of a tropical rain forest is usually more dim, barren, and quiet than the other
layers. But that is not so surprising, considering that no more than about 2 percent of the
sunlight that strikes the treetops reaches the ground. Likewise, only a third of the rain that
falls on a tropical rain forest makes it to the forest floor. Mosses, herbs, fungi, and a few
flowering plants that can tolerate deep shade live here. They are surrounded by the litter
of decaying leaves and branches and by the tangled roots of trees. Because the soil layer
in a tropical rain forest is infertile and very thin, many trees have roots that protrude
above the ground to draw nutrients from the surface litter. Other trees grow broad, woody
support structures called buttresses from their trunks.
Insects such as termites, ants,
cockroaches, scorpions, and at least 8,000 species of beetles live on the forest floor. They
use the litter for food and help the fungi to process the debris into organic (carboncontaining) nutrients. The nutrients are absorbed by the thin layer of soil and then taken
up by the tree roots to continue the cycle. Some flightless birds, such as pheasants, and
animals--including frogs, lizards, snakes, rats, and piglike animals called tapirs that are
related to the horse and rhinoceros--forage on the forest floor.
Paraphrase:
There are so many different types of different plantsIn the rainforest, there are so mnay
different mosses, herbs, and fungiAll of the living things in the rainforest affect one
anotherThe living things, trees, insects, animals, and fungi all help a processThe
rainforest floor is home to many diverse species
People in the Rainforest
African Pygmies
Source:
Zanca, Russell. “Pygmies.” World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
<http://worldbookonline.com/student/
article?id=ar452880&amp;st=people+of+the+rainforest>.
Quote:
Pygmies are small people. The word pygmy is a general term for anything small.
Spelled with a capital P, it usually refers to a member of one of several groups of African
people. African Pygmies live in thick tropical rain forests. Most live in central Africa,
in parts of Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Many scholars believe they once lived throughout central Africa. Bantu-speaking peoples
later invaded much Pygmy territory and cut down the forest to grow farm crops and set
up villages. Today, the Pygmies continue to lose territory to the construction of roads and
towns in the forests where they live. Together, the Pygmy groups have a population of
about 150,000. The number of Pygmies who follow their traditional way of life has
declined at a rapid rate.
Pygmies have traditionally lived by hunting and gathering. The
men hunt antelope, birds, elephants, monkeys, and other animals. Most of the hunters trap
animals in large nets and kill them with spears. Some Pygmies hunt with small bows and
poisoned arrows. The women gather berries, mushrooms, nuts, and roots. Men often
gather wild honey from forest hives.
Some Pygmies live in bands of fewer than 50
members. Each band has its own territory in the forest. Pygmies establish temporary
camps in clearings and build huts of saplings and leaves. A band moves its camp to a new
area of the forest when the food supply runs low.
Pygmies see the forest as the giver of
all life. It provides them with clothing, food, and shelter. In return, Pygmies try not to
harm the forest. They perform various ceremonies to maintain friendly relations with the
natural and supernatural worlds.
Paraphrase:
Pygmies live in tropical rainforests around AfricaThe Pygmy are losing their homes to
loggers and farmersHunting and gathering are some of the privileges of living in a
rainforestEach group, or band, of Pygmy have their own home/ territory in the forestThey
make use of the resources they find in the rainforests, making small huts and finding
foodThe rainforests provide food, clothes, and homes
Yanomami Indians
Source:
Ferguson, R. Brian. “Yanomami Indians.” World Book Student. World Book, 2012.
Web. 5 Nov. 2012. <http://worldbookonline.com/student/
article?id=ar612740&amp;st=people+in+the+rainforest>.
Quote:
Yanomami Indians of South America live in rain forests and scattered grasslands along
the Brazil-Venezuela border. Until the late 1900's, they were the largest American Indian
group whose way of life had been relatively unchanged by contact with Western culture.
The group's name is also spelled Yanoama, Yanomama, and Yanomamö.
There are
about 25,000 Yanomami. Their communities range in size from a single extended family
to about 300 people. In most cases, the entire community lives in a large circular
structure made of poles and thatch. The Yanomami have gardens where they grow a
number of food crops. But the main crop is a type of banana called the plantain.
Traditional Yanomami also travel several months each year hunting animals and
gathering wild plant foods. Intense wars have broken out between some Yanomami
groups. Anthropologists have offered a number of possible reasons for this warfare,
including scarcity of game, competition over women, and competition for Western
manufactured goods.
Paraphrase:
Yanomami are some people that live in the rainforestThey live around the BrazilVenezuela borderAbout 25000 YanomamiCommunities live in structures made of thatch
and polesPlantain-a type of banana- is their main cropYanomami survive by hunting and
gathering foodWars break out over game, competition for women, and manufactored
goods
Rainforests
Amazon Rainforest
Source:
Coomes, Oliver T. “Amazon rain forest.” World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web.
30 Oct. 2012.< <http://worldbookonline.com/student/
article?id=ar015850&amp;st=rainforest+resources>.
Quote:
The Amazon rain forest contains a wider variety of plant and animal life than any other
place. Tens of thousands of different plant species live there. A 21/2 -acre (1-hectare)
area of the rain forest may contain up to 280 or more species of trees. Many economically
important plants live in the rain forest. They yield such products as Brazil nuts, cocoa,
curare (an important drug), dyes, pineapples, and rubber. More than 1,300 species of
birds make their homes in the rain forest. The region's rivers contain up to 3,000 species
of fish. Scientists also believe that up to 30 million different insect species may live in the
forest.
Increasing demands for land and natural resources have seriously threatened
the Amazon rain forest. Loggers cut down trees for wood products. Ranchers and farmers
clear land to graze beef cattle and to grow such crops as soybeans.
Paraphrase:
Many kinds of plantsmore than 280 types of trees1,300 kinds of birdsimportant plants for
economybrazil nuts, cocoa, curare,dyes,pineapples, and rubber are some products the
rainforest producesdemands for land and natural resources
Rainforest
Source:
Peters, Charles M. “Rain forest.” World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 1 Nov.
2012. <http://worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar458390&amp;st=rainforest>.
Quote:
Tropical rain forests occupy only 6 to 7 percent of Earth's surface. However, they
support more than half of the world's plant and animal species (kinds). More kinds of
frogs and other amphibians, birds, insects, mammals, and reptiles live in rain forests than
in any other area. Scientists believe millions more rain forest species remain
undiscovered.
The rain forest provides people with many benefits. Its plants produce
timber, foods, and medicines. Rain forests also yield such industrial products as dyes,
fibers, gums, oils, and resins. Rain forests help regulate Earth's climate and maintain
clean air. The forests' lush, green beauty and rich wildlife offer enjoyment.
In addition,
rain forests provide homes to millions of people. Such groups as the Yanomami of South
America, the Dayaks of Southeast Asia, and the Mbuti of central Africa have lived in rain
forests for centuries. They make their living by hunting, fishing, collecting forest
products, and farming. Traditional forest peoples have acquired much knowledge about
the rain forest's plants and animals.
In spite of these benefits, people cut down vast areas
of rain forest each year. This destruction eliminates thousands of species of animals. A
number of governments and conservation organizations are working to preserve the rain
forests.
Paraphrase:
Not many rainforests in the worldsupport half of worlds speciesproduces fibers, dyes,
gums, resin, oilmillions of people live therelive by hunting,fishing, and farmingcutting
down rainforests eliminate thousands of species and animals