Download Tropical Rain Forest - Great Neck School District

Tropical Rain Forest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=m4bNrIIe0bk
Rainfa
ll
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Rainfall falls regularly throughout the
year
The tropical rainforest receives 80-400
inches of rainfall per year, and even more
moisture comes from the coastal fog that
hovers among the trees.
Temperature
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The overall temperature of the tropical
rainforest is warm. The average temperature
is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit However,
the temperature ranges from 68 degrees to
93 degrees. The tropical rainforest has an
average humidity between 77 and 88%.
Physical Features
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More kinds of trees than any other area in the world.; scientists have
counted about 100 to 300 species in one 2 1/2-acre (1-hectare) area in
South America.
Most tropical rainforest soil is relatively poor in nutrients. Millions of years
of weathering and torrential rains have washed most of the nutrients out of
the soil. More recent volcanic soils, however, can be very fertile
Most of the available nutrients are found in the living plant and animal
material. Nutrients in the soil are often in forms inaccessible by plants.
Constant warmth and moisture promote rapid decay of organic matter.
When a tree dies in the rainforest, living organisms quickly absorb the
nutrients before they have a chance to be washed away. When tropical
forests are cut and burned, heavy rains can quickly wash the released
nutrients away, leaving the soil even more impoverished.
There are four very distinct layers of trees in a tropical rain forest. These
layers have been identified as the emergent, upper canopy, understory, and
forest floor. (Click here for more information on the layers of the
rainforest!)
Emergent Layer
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Emergent trees are spaced wide apart, and are 100 to 240 feet tall with
umbrella-shaped canopies that grow above the forest. Because emergent
trees are exposed to drying winds, they tend to have small, pointed leaves.
Some species lose their leaves during the brief dry season in monsoon
rainforests. These giant trees have straight, smooth trunks with few
branches. Their root system is very shallow, and to support their size they
grow buttresses that can spread out to a distance of 30 feet.
Upper Canopy
The upper canopy of 60 to 130 foot trees allows light to be easily
available at the top of this layer, but greatly reduced any light
below it. Most of the rainforest's animals live in the upper
canopy. There is so much food available at this level that some
animals never go down to the forest floor. The leaves have "drip
spouts" that allows rain to run off. This keeps them dry and
prevents mold and mildew from forming in the humid
environment.
Understory
The understory, or lower canopy, consists of 60 foot trees. This layer is made
up of the trunks of canopy trees, shrubs, plants and small trees. There is
little air movement. As a result the humidity is constantly high. This level is
in constant shade.
Forest Floor
The forest floor is usually completely shaded, except where a canopy tree has
fallen and created an opening. Most areas of the forest floor receive so little
light that few bushes or herbs can grow there. As a result, a person can
easily walk through most parts of a tropical rain forest. Less than 1 % of the
light that strikes the top of the forest penetrates to the forest floor. The top
soil is very thin and of poor quality. A lot of litter falls to the ground where it
is quickly broken down by decomposers like termites, earthworms and
fungi. The heat and humidity further help to break down the litter. This
organic matter is then just as quickly absorbed by the trees' shallow roots.
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Geographical Locations
Tropical Rainforests are located near the equator. 57%
of all tropical rainforests are found in Latin America.
One third of the world's tropical rainforests are in
Brazil. Other tropical rainforests are located in
Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands (25% of the
world's tropical rainforests) and West Africa (18%).
Types of Plants
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More than two thirds of the world's plant species are found in the tropical
rainforests: plants that provide shelter and food for rainforest animals as
well as taking part in the gas exchanges which provide much of the world's
oxygen supply.
Competition at ground level for light and food has lead to evolution of
plants which live on the branches of other plants, or even strangle large
trees to fight for survival.
Some plants:
o Double Coconut
o Banyan Tree
o Coccoloba
o Talipot Palm
o Freycinetia
o etc
See Also:
o http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/rforest/plants/inter.htm
Types of Animals
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Africa Forest Elephant
Bengal Tiger
Chimpanzee
Common Palm Civet/Musang
Dawn Bat
Golden Lion Tamarin
Harpy Eagle
Jambu Fruit Dove
King Cobra
Kinkajou
Linn's Sloth
Orangutan
Proboscis Monkey
Red-shanked Douc Langur
Silvery Gibbon
Slender Loris
Sumatran Rhinoceros
Toco Toucan
Vampire Bat
Wagler's Pit Viper
Lakes
Type of Water
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Lakes are composed of fresh water.
Some lakes are large enough to create waves.
Temperature
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In the summer, lake temperature is split
between three layers'
1. Top: around 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Middle: around 45-65 degrees F
3. Bottom:around 39-45 degrees F
Most lakes are large enough to not freeze
during winter
Temperature is uniform during spring and
fall
Physical Features
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Large body of freshwater, larger than a pond
Too deep to support rooted plants except
near shore
In winter, top layer develops a layer of ice
Can be the sources of rivers or can be at the
end of a river
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Geographical Locations
Occur all over the world
Roughly around 35o million lakes total
Types of Plants
Emergents- plants that grow out of water
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Examples-broadleaf arrowhead and soft rush
Floating Plants-plants that have adapted so
that their leaves float on the surface of the
water
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Examples-spatter dock, floating pondweeds, and
duckweed
Submergents-plants that grow completely
submerged under the surface of the water
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Examples-milfoil and coontail
Types of Animals
(Invertebrates)
Insects- Dragonfly, Damselfly, Mayfly, Stonefly,
Dobsonfly, Caddisfly, Cranefly, Water Bugs, Beetles
Crustaceans- Crayfish, Scuds
Mollusks- Snails
Annelids- Leeches
Types of Animals (Vertebrates)
Fish- Bluegill, Bass, Catfish, Sculpin, and
Minnow
Reptiles- Snakes and Turtles
Amphibians- Frogs
Tropical Rainforest/Lake
Quiz
Y'all ready for
this??
1. Which is not a layer of trees in the
rainforest?
a. Emergent
b. Understory
c. Submergent
d. Upper Canopy
INCORRECT
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2. Where are more than 50% of the
world's rainforest located?
a. Pacific Islands
b. Latin America
c. Africa
d. Southeast Asia
INCORRECT
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3. Which of the following best
describes the tropical rain forest?
a. Hot and humid
b. Hot and dry
c. Dry
d. Warm
INCORRECT
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4.True or False? Lakes are made of
freshwater.
a. True
b. False
INCORRECT
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5.True or False? Tropical rain forests are
home to more species of plants and animals
than all the other biomes combined.
a. True
b. False
INCORRECT
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6. When is the temperature of all
three layers of a lake uniform?
a. It is always uniform.
b. Summer
c. Winter
d. Spring and fall
INCORRECT
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7. Which animal does not appear in a
lake?
a. Snake
b. Tony Huang the Tiger
c. Frog
d. Leech
INCORRECT
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8.Which of the following describes the
rainfall in the rainforest?
a. Rarely
b. Moderately
c. Year-round
INCORRECT
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9. True or False? Most lakes freeze solid
during winter.
a. True
b. False
INCORRECT
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10. Around how many lakes are there
in the world?
a. 50 million
b. 350 million
c. 500 million
d. 1 billion
INCORRECT
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