Transcript Characteristics of a Rainforest

Characteristics
of a Tropical Rainforest
By Sasha Heath
Facts about Rainforests.
DID YOU KNOW…?
- Rainforests are amongst the oldest
environments in the world.
 - It takes 100 million years to make a
rainforest.
 - Up to 90% of all animal and plant species live
in the rainforest and nowhere else.
 - At the current rate of destruction, experts
believe all rainforests will be gone by the year
2030.

Tropical Rainforests:
why are they hot and wet?
Wet?
Hot?
☼ Sun’s rays hitting
the earth have a
smaller area to heat
than at higher
latitudes.
☼ Sun’s rays have
not travelled as far so
have more heat in
them.
 Convectional
rainfall occurs when
warm, moist air is
heated when it
moves over a hot
surface on earth.
 Air rises,
condenses and rain
occurs – most often
in the afternoons.
How does the climate of a
rainforest differ from Melbourne’s?
MELBOURNE
MANAUS (Brazil)
☼ defined seasons – summer,
autumn, winter, spring.
☼ average monthly temperature
range 11oC
☼ hot all year around
☼ average monthly temperature
range 2oC
Quite constant rainfall amounts averaging between 40-65mm per
year
Periods of higher rainfall in winter
and spring
 Fluctuating rainfall amounts –
averaging between 30-200mm per
year
 Extremely high periods of rainfall
from December - April
40
200
30
100
20
10
0
0
Melbourne
Rainfall
°C
300
Ja
Fe n
Mb
ar
A
M pr
Jauy
n
AJuul
Seg
Op
Noct
D
Yeecv
ar
mm
Comparison of Climates
Manaus
Rainfall
Melbourne
Temperature
Manaus
Temperature
Characteristics of rainforests –
layers
Emergent
Canopy
Mid storey/under storey
Forest Floor
Characteristics of rainforests –
layers
Emergent
Tallest trees, towering like chimneys above the forest. Leaves are
broad and get lots of sunlight.
Canopy
Forms the “roof’ of the forest. A maze of branches and leaves. Lots
of animals found here.
Mid Storey
Smaller plants with broad leaves because of very little sunlight
Forest Floor
Very dark and damp so almost no plants grow here. Lots of
decaying plant and animal matter. Recycling of nutrients happens
here.
What plants are found in a
rainforest?
Tropical plants comprise about 160,000
of the estimated 250,000 species of
plants on Earth.
Some interesting plants include: ferns,
kapok trees, orchids, palm trees, rubber
trees, banyan tree, vines, strangler fig.
And the most interestingly named Idiot
Fruit!
Works Cited
Bliss, Susan, and John Paine. GeoActive 1. Milton: Jacaranda, 1998.
Learning about Rainforests
•
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/whlayers.html
I obtained the layers of the rainforest images (slide 2,3,4,5) from this website.
Learning about Rainforests
•
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/where.html
Blue Planet Figures
•
http://www.usd.edu/esci/figures/158280.JPG
I obtained images for slide 3 from this website
Tropical Rainforest Plants – Missouri Botanic Gardens
•
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/plants/
I obtained facts about rainforest plants from this site.
Daintree Rainforest
•
http://www.daintreerainforest.com/flora.html
I obtained information about interesting plants from this site.
Plant life in the Rainforests
•
http://www.abcteach.com/RainforestFacts/plants.htm
I obtained information about interesting plants from this site.
"Making a difference: An appeal to Corporate Leaders to Save Our Rainforest"
•
http://www.waterbirthinfo.com/makingdiff.html 21 Jul. 2003 <Rainforest Action Network>
I obtained the “Did you know…?” facts from this site.
World Climate
•
http://www.worldclimate.com
I obtained the climate comparison data from this site.
© State of Victoria 2003
This work has been created by the teacher/s listed below as employees
of the Department of Education and Training, Victoria and copyright
is owned by the Crown in right of the State of Victoria. It may be
reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes, subject
to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source and no
commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for the purposes other
than those indicated above requires the written permission of the
Department of Education and Training. Requests and enquiries
concerning reproduction and copyright should be addressed to the
Liability Management Manager, Department of Education and
Training, 2 Treasury Place, Melbourne, VIC, 3002
The State of Victoria accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any
part of this material and bears no responsibility for any modifications
made.
List of teachers name and materials produced – S. Heath - ‘Tropical
Rainforests of the World’ Unit Plan & Multimedia presentation.