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Tropical Rainforest Gloria Larson and Kendra Sultzer Locations Band around equator Solar radiation highest in this area-affects rainfall Vegetation 4 layers of rainforest: emergent, canopy, understory, forest floor Average Rainfall Location makes rainforest rainy – Solar radiation leads to evaporation, condensation, rain – 250-450 cm. of rain/year which is about 8-14 feet/year Temperature vs. Precipitation Temperatures Somewhere around 68°F to 86°F regularly – But annual change in temperatures is much less Diurnal pattern – Evaporation and condensation during the day promote high change of temperature Sunlight Canopy format prevents sunlight from reaching lower layers – Understory and forest floor pretty dark Plants and animals adapt to lack of sunlight Soil Fertility Soil in rainforest not very fertile – Nutrients from different sources fall into soil but then swept away by rain – Animals and plants adapt ways to get nutrients Seasonal Changes Not a big change in temperature No winter 2 seasons: rainy and dry – Differs due to position relative to equator North- rainy = summer South- rainy = October – April East – dry = 5-7 months West- dry = 1-3 months Limiting Factors Lack of nutrients- unfertile soil Wet environment- climate Large amount of trees in environment Lack of sunlight for lower layers Animal Adaptations Camouflage Locomotion in trees Survival in wet environment Nocturnal Bright colors for warning Animals Spider Monkey Sloth Animals Toucan Harpy Eagle Animals Anaconda Jaguar Animals Poison Dart Frog Dawn Bat Plant Adaptations Epiphytes Parasitic plants Shallow root system – Buttresses Drip tips and large leaves Smooth bark Plants Epiphytic Orchid Strangler Figs Plants Lianas (vines) Kapok tree Plants Bromeliads Mangroves (stilt and prop roots) Plants Bracket Fungi Jelly Fungi Food Web Plants (fruits, berries, leaves) Insect Tapir Anaconda Monkey Jaguar Sloth Lizard Past Century Changes Only 2.5 million square miles of tropical rainforests left on planet – Losing 93,000 square miles/year – Losing 137 species/day = 50,000 species/year – Indigenous peoples losing their homes Human Contributions to Changes Deforestation = huge problem – Timber, agricultural purposes, cattle ranches – Economic hardships in areas of rainforests Unequal distributions of land Killing of animals for skins – Highly prized in Berlin, Paris, Tokyo Conservation Proposed: Linden-Lovejoy-Phillips Plan – Divide natural areas into blocks and get variety of organizations to support Big emphasis on protecting the indigenous people and helping them to preserve their natural homes Various other conservation organizations – Adopt-a-Rainforest