Transcript Tropical Rainforests

Tropical
Rainforests
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By: Ria Singla, Risansha Chhabra, Pratha Trivedi, Shanna-Lee Dixon
Table Of Contents:
 Introduction
 Map,
definition and characteristics
 Beautiful Plants
 Cool Creatures
 Physical landscape/habitat and weather
 Human influences
 Conclusion
 Glossary of terms
 Bibliography
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Introduction:

Tropical Rainforests are the Earth’s most spectacular natural
wonders. They have an extremely beautiful landscape. It is a
place of wilderness where there are a lot of trees plants and
animals. Did you know that scientists estimate that the
rainforests maintain more types of plants and animals than all
the other biomes combined? Tropical Rainforests provide a
home for many of the world’s fascinating animals. But sadly this
precious biome is being destroyed very quickly. Now, lets go
into more details about those topics.
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Map, Definition And
Characteristics Of The Tropical
Rainforest:
Definition: A tropical
rainforest is a biome
characterized by high levels
of precipitation and warm
temperatures year-round.
Tropical Rainforests of the World:
Central American Rainforests
 Amazon Rainforest South America
 Congo River Basin Rainforest
 Madagascar Rainforest
Australasian Rainforests
 South East Asian Rainforests
Characteristics: All tropical
rainforests can be
characterized in two words:
warm and wet. They have
tall trees and also a wide
variety of unique animals
and plant species.
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Physical
Landscape/Climate &
Habitat!
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Climate:

Tropical Rainforests are both warm and wet. They have a lot of
heat and moisture and it rains here almost everyday! This biome is
located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
The average temperature consists between 70 – 90 degrees
Fahrenheit. The tropical rainforest has an annual rainfall of 80 –
400 inches and 50% of its precipitation comes from the
evaporation of its own water!
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Physical Landscape and Habitat:
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The tropical rainforest has an extraordinary landscape! This biome is divided into
four layers, the emergent (overstory), upper canopy, understory and the forest floor.
The emergent layer includes trees that are usually spaced wide apart and have an
umbrella shape that grow tall over all the other trees. The leaves on these trees are
small and pointed, the reason they are shaped this way is because since they are so
tall and grow above all other trees, they are exposed to dry winds. The emergent
trees have very few branches with straight and smooth trunks and also have a very
shallow root system. The Canopy layer forms a type of room over the understory and
forest floor. The trees that make the canopy layer have large smooth leaves that
come to a point. The many leaves of the canopy attracts more sunlight for
photosynthesis which provides fruits, seeds, flowers, and leaves which supports a
wide number of different animal life. The trees create good living conditions for
wildlife such as snakes, toucans, and tree frogs. The canopy layer provides shelter
under the trees from harsh weather conditions. The layer under the canopy is the
understory. The leaves block the rest of the light that gets through the canopy from
the forest floor. The huge broad leaves in the understory captures the light making it
humid and dark which give a home to large amount of insect life.
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Questions:

What if Something were to Change the Landscape of the Tropical
Rainforest?
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If something were to change the landscape of the Tropical Rainforest, then
many of the animal species living there would not have a place to live and
eventually die. This is because a tropical rainforest has tall trees, in which
many birds live in and so if it was cut down then the birds would have no
where to live. Also the plants that live there might not be able to grow the
way they are supposed to because of the change in the landscape.
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Questions:

What if the Temperature were to lower of Rise Significantly?
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If the temperature were to lower or rise significantly it would effect the
landscape of the tropical rainforest. That is because if the temperature
rose, then it would not rain much and the plants would not be able to grow
because plants in the rainforest need a lot of rain to grow. Also if the
temperature lowered then it would still effect the plants because they also
need a warm weather to grow. This would effect the landscape because
then the trees might dry up and die which would effect many animal
species which live in the tropical rainforest.
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Questions:

What if a developer wants to build on the land; what if an animal
becomes extinct?
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If a developer wants to build on the land, then it would effect the entire
landscape of the tropical rainforest. This is because to work on the land
the developer would need to cut down all the plants and trees which would
effect the animals because they would lose their habitats. It would also
create a lot more pollution on our land. If an animal becomes extinct then it
would effect many other types of animals in the rainforest. This is because
if one animal becomes extinct, then a different animal which eats it will
starve and eventually die and this will go on which many other animals.
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Questions:
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What if a plant were destroyed, or if the rainfall greatly increases or
decreases?
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If a plant were destroyed then it would effect some animals which eat that
plant because then they won’t get their food. If it was a big plant which
were destroyed it can also effect some other animals living in the tropical
rainforest because if that plant was some animals habitat and it got
destroyed, then the animal would have no where to live. If the rainfall
greatly increases or decreases then it would effect the climate of the
tropical rainforest. This is because if there was too much rain then plants
might not grow the way they are supposed to and if decreased then both
the plants and animals would die because they would not get enough
moisture to live.
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Further Questions:
 Where
is the Tropical Rainforest located
between?

The Tropical Rainforest is located between the
Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
 How many layers is the Tropical Rainforest
divided into and what are their name?
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The Tropical Rainforest is divides into four layers
and their names are the Emergent layer, the Canopy
layer, the Understory Layer and the Forest Floor.
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Beautiful Plants!
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Beautiful Plants:
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Rainforest plants have made many adaptations to their environment. Here constant heat
and humidity allows trees and plants to grow year round, without seasonal time-outs. With
over 80 inches of rain per year, plants have made adaptations that help them shed water
off their leaves quickly so their branches don't get weighed down and break. Many plants
have drip tips and grooved leaves, and some leaves have oily coatings to shed water. To
absorb as much sunlight as possible on the dark understory, leaves are very large. Leaves
in the upper canopy are dark green, small and leathery to reduce water loss in the strong
sunlight. Some trees will grow large leaves at the lower canopy level and small leaves in
the upper canopy. Many trees have buttress and stilt roots for extra support in the shallow,
wet soil of the rainforests. Vines are the most common type of plant found in the tropical
rainforest. They are called lianas. Did you know that there are over 2500 species of vines
growing in this biome? The vines grow from one tree to another and make up 40% of the
canopy leaves. Tropical Rainforests contain an estimated 80 percent of the plant's green
plant life. However, they only represent 2 percent of the Earth's surface. This means we
need to take care of all these beautiful plants that are a part of our planet. If we don’t start
to care for these plants now, they can easily become endangered or extinct.
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Questions:

What if Something were to Change the Landscape of the Tropical
Rainforest?
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If something were to change the landscape of the tropical rainforest then
many of the plants can become endangered or even extinct. If one plant
gets extinct it can effect the whole biome because if an animal eats the
plant and it can’t find it then it will die and will effect many other animals
too.
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Questions:

What if the temperature were to rise or lower significantly?
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If the temperature were to rise or lower significantly, then the plants would
not be able to grow properly and could die and even become endangered
or extinct. This would also effect the animals that eat the plant or use it as
a habitat because then they won’t be able to find that plant to eat or live in
and will soon die.
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Questions:

What if a developer wants to build on the land; what if an animal
becomes extinct?
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If a developer wants to build on the land then he/she would have to cut
down all the trees and plants which would effect the whole ecosystem.
That is because if all the plants are cut down then animals who eat plants
won’t have any food or habitat. Also it will cause global warming because
the trees that are going to be cut down and will release the carbon dioxide
that they have stored in them. If an animal becomes extinct then it would
effect the plant because when the animal eats a plant and then walks
somewhere else, it drops the seed from the plant which causes the plant
to reproduce. If the animal which eats that plant gets extinct then it will be
hard for the plant to reproduce.
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Questions:

What if a plant were destroyed, or if the rainfall greatly increases or
decreases?
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If a plant were destroyed then it would be hard for the animal that eats that
plant because it won’t get food and will eventually die. Also it would be
hard for the animal if the plant was its habitat. If the rainfall greatly
increases or decreases then the plants won’t be able to grow properly
because they would either be getting too much water or too less water.
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Further Questions:
 What
are some features that Tropical Rainforest
plants have that help them shed water off of
them?
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Some features that the plants have are drip tips,
grooved leaves and sometimes oily coatings which
help them shed water off of them.
 What is the most common plant found in the
Tropical Rainforest and what is it called?
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The most common plant found in Tropical
Rainforests are vines and they are called lianas.
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Cool Creatures!
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Cool Creatures:
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Did you know the Tropical Rainforest is home to more than half the animals in the world! Life inside the
wet and dangerous tropical rainforest can be hard to survive for some while cougars and pumas ready to
attack, the python ready to bite and the birds chirping overhead. “The intense competition from other
species makes rainforest species the most interesting.”
Endangered Species
There are millions of endangered species in the tropical rainforest such as the gorilla, the orang-utan, the
southern cassowary and Queen Alexandra Birdwing Butterfly, etc. One day these species can become
extinct unless we start helping the environment by less pollution and reusable resources.
Extinct Species
There are probably thousands of extinct animals in the world that you have ever even heard about. The
most interesting species are the giant boas, the Cerrejonisuchus and phoberomys, they have been extinct
many years ago but the world is still surprised with the size and format of them. Sixty million years ago the
world was filled with giants such as the giant boas. It was about 40 feet long and weighed about 2500
pounds. The Cerrejonisuchus is very much like the crocodile, but it is only 7 or 8 feet tall. Eight million
years ago there was a creature that looked like the guinea pig but is the size of a bull, it’s the Phoberomys.
This giant rodent lived in the Amazon and eats underwater vegetation.
These amazing creatures did exist once and scientists are doing research on why they got extinct.
Cool Fact: Did you know the southern cassowary weighs 130 pounds!
So remember to always try and save animal life by taking care of our planet because “every little bit
counts”.
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Questions:

What would happen if something were to change the landscape of
the tropical rainforest?
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If the landscape of the tropical rainforest were to change the animals could
be affected by losing their shelter. Also some animals could become
endangered or even extinct because their bodies won’t be used to the new
landscape and so they could die which would effect many other animals
which eat that animal.
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Questions:

What if the temperature were to rise or lower significantly?
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If the temperature were to rise, some animals could become extinct and
there might not be enough water for the animals to be hydrated (the water
could evaporate due to the heat). If the temperature were to lower the
animals habitats could be destroyed and/or the animals could die of the
cold because their bodies won’t be used to that temperature.
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Questions:

What if a developer wants to build on the land; what if an animal
becomes extinct?
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If a developer wants to build on land, the animal’s habitat and food could
be destroyed. It would also be bad because the construction will cause
pollution (sand flying, the vehicles/transportation that brings the supplies to
the area). If an animal becomes extinct then it would affect other animals
which eat that animal and if can’t find it then it will die which will cause
more problems to other animals.
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Questions:

What if a plant were destroyed, or if the rainfall greatly increases or
decreases?
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If a plant were destroyed the animal that eats that particular plant could
also be endangered or extinct because it would be starving for that plant. It
is like the food chain if something becomes extinct so does the other
species that eats it and so on. If the rainfall greatly increases or decreases
it would cause animals to die because the animal’s bodies won’t be used
to that climate. The animals in the rainforest need the right amount of rain
so if there is too much or little of it, it can really harm them.
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Further Questions:
 Why
do more animal species live in the tropical
rainforest than any other parts of the world?
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Scientists believe that there is a great diversity of
animals in the rainforest because the tropical
rainforest is one of the oldest places on Earth. Many
tropical rainforest have been around for millions of
years, when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
 Do different species of plants and animals ever
help each other out?
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Many animals have developed relationships
among each other that benefit both species. Did you
know even the animals help out the trees/plants?
Just like the trees/plants helps the animal species by
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Human Influences:
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Human Influences:
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Tropical rainforests are the beauty of our earth but right now they are facing a major
problem from us humans which is deforestation. Humans have cut down and
destroyed more than half the world’s rainforests for its timber, minerals, medicines
and a place to settle in. We also cut down this biome to make space for roads, farm
land and buildings. But what we don’t know is that deforestation also has a big
impact on us. Rainforest canopies absorb carbon dioxide which is a gas in the
atmosphere. When the rainforests are burned and cleared, the carbon is released.
Also, when trees are cut down they can no longer absorb carbon dioxide. This
means more carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide allows heat
through the atmosphere (sun’s rays). However, it will not allow reflected energy to
escape from the atmosphere. This is called the greenhouse effect and causes global
warming. Deforestation can also cause increase in pollution and global warming.
Another big effect from deforestation is a loss of habitat for millions of species. About
70% of the earth’s land animals and plants live in rainforests, and many cannot
survive the deforestation. There are many negative effects from deforestation and
the only solution to this is to simply stop cutting down trees.
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Questions:

What if something were to change the landscape of the tropical
rainforest?
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If something were to change the landscape of the tropical rainforest then
the plants and animals will not be able to survive because they have lived
in the tropical rainforest for their whole life and their bodies have adapted
to it, so they won’t be able to live in a different landscape. If the plants and
animals die, we would lose some of the resources that we get from them
such as medicines, food, fur, leather and many other things. The change
in the landscape will also cause the soil to die or dry out. And if there is not
any good soil on the land then plants won’t be able to grow properly.
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Questions:

What if the temperature were to lower or rise significantly?
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If the temperature in the tropical rainforest were to lower or rise
significantly, then the plants, animals and soil would get disturbed. The
soil, animals and plants would die or would not grow properly because
they have not adapted to that climate. It would also effect everyone who
uses the rainforest for resources because those resources might be
provided for us anymore.
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Questions:
Questions:

What if a developer wants to build on the land; what if an animal
becomes extinct?

If a developer wants to build on the land then he/she would have to cut
down the trees which would effect the plants and animals living there
because there habitat and food would be cut down. Cutting down trees
also effects humans because by doing that we are creating more pollution
and global warming. If an animal becomes extinct then it would have an
affect to the whole ecosystem. That is because if one of the animals gets
extinct then another animals which eat it will not get food and will die
which will effect the rest of the animals too and if that keeps happening we
could lose many of the Earth’s animals.
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Questions:

What if a plant were destroyed, or if the rainfall greatly increases or
decreases?
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If a plant were destroyed, then we would not get the medicines, wood and
paper that we get from it. It would also effect the animals that eat that plant
because they won’t get their food. If the rainfall greatly increases or
decreases then it would effect the plants and the soil because they would
be getting more or less water then they need. So the plants won’t grow
properly if don’t get the right amount of water. And that also effects us
because the plants that we use are not growing properly.
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Further Questions:
 What
are two effects of deforestation?
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Two effects of deforestation are that it causes
global warming because the trees release the
carbon-dioxide that has been stored in them which
heats up the atmosphere (greenhouse effect).
Another effect is that there is habitat loss for millions
of species.
 Why do humans cut down Tropical Rainforests?

Some reasons for why humans cut down tropical
rainforests is for timber, minerals, medicines, a place
to settle in, roads and other buildings and offices.
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Glossary Of Terms:
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Absorb: to suck up or drink in (a liquid); soak up: A sponge absorbs water.
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Adaptation: the act of adapting; adjusting
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Deforestation: to divest or clear of forests or trees: Poor planning deforested
the area in ten years.
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Endangered: threatened with extinction: The bald eagle may be endangered.
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Extinct: no longer in existence; that has ended or died out: an extinct species of
fish.
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Humidity: hot condition; moistness; dampness.
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Lianas: any of various usually woody vines that may climb as high as the tree
canopy in a tropical forest.
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Moisture: condensed or diffused liquid, especially water: moisture in the air.
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Conclusion:
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Now you know everything about Tropical Rainforests like its
climate, landscape, plant life, animal life and human influences.
We hope you learned something new and enjoyed our
presentation and also learned to take care of our Tropical
Rainforests! Thank-you for listening!
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v
http://www.ehow.com/list_6456928_extinct-animals-amazon-rainforest.html
v
http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/trforest.htm
v
http://www.lizasreef.com/hope%20for%20the%20rain%20forests/endangered_r
ain_forest_plants.htm
v
http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/samoset/rfplants.htm
v
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/rforest/index.htm
v
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/nature/trfindex.htm
v
http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/main.html
v
http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/
v
http://www.rainforestanimals.net/menu.html
v
http://www.rainforesteducation.com/
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