Location of Rainforests Most of them are in LEDCs!

Climatic Characteristics Rainfall- up to 250 cm annually Hot, Wet and Humid all year round Temperature ranges between degrees C Hardly any variations in the temperature though it rains more in wet season.

Layers in a Rainforest

Adaptations made by trees- flared buttress roots to help hold them up waxy leaves to stop fungi growing on them and reduce transpiration (loss of water) in the heat large, flat leaves to catch as much sunlight as possible drip tips on their leaves to help drain water quickly when it rains heavy; branchless trunks to grow up quickly and fill any gaps in the canopy; an evergreen appearance as the continuous growing season allows them to shed their leaves at any time

Some facts- An area of a rainforest the size of a football field is being destroyed each second. The trees of a tropical rainforest are so densely packed that rain falling on the canopy can take as long as 10 minutes to reach the ground. Some rainforest monkeys are omnivores, eating both animals and plants. More than 2,000 different species of butterflies are found in the rainforests of South America. Flying animals of Asian rainforests include frogs, squirrels and snakes. 1 out of 4 ingredients in our medicine is from rainforest plants. Scientists believe that there may be millions of plant and insect species in rainforests that have yet to be discovered.

A typical four-square-mile patch of rainforest contains as many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies. Seventy percent of the plants identified by the U.S. National Cancer Institute as useful in the treatment of cancer are found only in rainforests. Rainforests are critical in maintaining the Earth's limited supply of drinking and fresh water.

Flora and Fauna

Why is this biodiversity reducing? Growing population needs more space to live- rapid urbanization Clearing forests for cultivation, cattle-ranching and mining Logging- trees like teak, sandalwood, rosewood etc. Medicinal plants are being exploited for research Animals are being hunted for their skin/bones Loss of animal habitat leading to extinction of species Climate change- will increase threats to rainforests For Commercial plantations-palm oil

What could be done to protect it? Minimize the exploitation- logging/mining Countries are selling portions of their rainforests to MEDC- for conservation- Guyana Enforce stringent laws Spread awareness about their importance Encourage eco-tourism Effective monitoring

Some agencies involved in sustainable use of rainforests