Transcript The Magic Rainforest

The Magic
Rainforest
Information about the
Amazon Rainforest
Did you know there are two
types of rainforest?
The temperate and the
tropical!
 Tropical
rainforests are found close to
the equator.
 Temperate rainforests are found
along coasts in the temperate zone,
such as the Pacific Northwest of the
USA.
 Both are endangered!
 Fifty
seven percent of all tropical
rainforests are found in Latin America.
 One third of the world's tropical rainforests
are in Brazil.
 The Amazon Rainforest is the largest
tropical rainforest in the world. It covers
2.5 million square miles – about two thirds
of the United States would fit into it! It
stretches across South America and
occupies regions including Brazil, Peru,
Colombia and Ecuador.
The Amazon Rainforest
 It
is home to around 2 and a half million
different insects species as well as over
40,000 plant species.
 There
are also a number of dangerous
animals living in the Amazon rainforest
such the cougar, jaguar, and anaconda.
The four layers
of tropical
rainforests
 Emergent
 Canopy
 Understory
 Forest
Floor
Emergent Layer
 These
giant trees enjoy the greatest
amount of sunlight but also must endure
high temperatures, low humidity, and
strong winds
Canopy Layer
 The
tops of these trees form a tight,
continuous canopy 60 to 90 feet above
the ground
Understory Layer
 Only
a little sunshine reaches these plants
so they have to grow larger leaves to
reach the sunlight
Forest Floor
 Since
there is almost no sunlight, only
certain plants that have have adapted to
very low light grow here
The “Lungs of the Planet”
 The
plants of the rainforests provide a
large part of the earth's oxygen supply so
the Amazon Rainforest is referred to as the
“Lungs of the Planet”
 More than 20% of the world’s oxygen is
produced by the Amazon
 Destruction of rainforests could mean
increased global climate change and
worsening pollution
 Sadly,
the Amazon is being destroyed by
climate change and deforestation.
 Trees
are being cut down to make
paper, cardboard, and furniture.
 There are more cattle than ever
before which means they need
more rainforest land to satisfy their
needs.
 Roads are being built through the
rainforest, endangering the
environment as well as the lives of
native Amazon tribes.
 Because
we are not taking care of the
Amazon Rainforest, there is:
 Soil erosion,
 Water and air pollution, and
 A loss of biodiversity because plans and
animals are becoming extinct.
 If we don’t do something about it, our
planet will lose oxygen and many plants
and animals.
Questions to think about:
 What
are the characteristics of a
rainforest?
 What animals and plants live in the
rainforest?
 What do you think it would be like to live
in the rainforest?