The Layers of the Rainforest By Linn Kissinger

Emergent Layer The tallest trees, towering as much as 200 feet above the forest floor. Animals found are eagles, monkeys, bats and butterflies.

Canopy Layer This is the primary layer of the forest and forms a roof over the two remaining layers. Many animals live in this area since food is abundant.   Those animals include: snakes, toucans and treefrogs.

Understory Layer The plants in this area seldom grow to 12 feet.  Many animals live here including jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs and leopards.  There is a large concentration of insects here.

Forest Floor It's very dark down here.  Almost no plants grow in this area, as a result.  Since hardly any sun reaches the forest floor things begin to decay quickly.  A leaf that might take one year to decompose in a regular climate will disappear in  6 weeks. Giant anteaters live in this layer.

Macaws Macaws are very social and intelligent animals. They can be found in Central and South America in the canopy and emergent layers of the rainforest. They like to nest in holes in trees. Macaws are on the endangered species list because their numbers are declining due to rainforest destruction and people capturing them for pets.

Sloths Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals found in the rainforest canopies of Central and South America. There are two species of sloths:two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are about the size of a small dog and they have short, flat flat heads. Their hair is grayish brown but, at times they look grey-green in color because they move so slowly that tiny camouflaging algae grow all over their coats.

Toucans Toucans are found in South and Central America in the canopy layer of the rainforest. When they sleep, they turn their heads around and tuck their bills under their wings and tail. The toucan is very important to the rainforest because they help to disperse seeds from the fruits and berries they eat.

Bromeliads Bromeliads are related to the pineapple family. Their thick, waxy leaves form a bowl shape in the center for catching rainwater. Some bromeliads can hold several gallons of water and are miniature ecosystems in themselves providing homes for several creatures including frogs and their tadpoles, salamanders, snails, beetles and mosquito larvae. Those that die decompose and furnish the plant with nutrients. One bromeliad was found to contain several small beetles, crane flies, earwigs, a frog, a cockroach, spiders, fly larvae, a millipede, a scorpion, woodlice and an earthworm!

Vines Ninety per cent of the world's vine species grow in tropical rainforests. Lianas are a type of climbing vine found throughout tropical rainforests. They have thick, woody stems and come in various lengths (up to 3,000 ft) and varying shapes. They begin life on the forest floor but depend on trees for support as they climb upwards towards the sunlight they need for survival. They do this by attaching themselves to trees with sucker roots or tendrils and growing with the young sapling, or they climb by winding themselves round the tree's trunk. When they reach the top of the canopy they often spread to other trees or wrap themselves around other lianas.

The rainforest has many special animals and plants The rainforest has many special animals and plants. What can you do to save the rainforest?