Rainforest By Doran Logsdon

Rainforests Rainforests are very dense,warm, wet forests that are havens for millions of plants and animals.The plants in the rainforest generate much of Earths oxygen. But that is not the only use of these plants, some are used to make new drugs that fight disease and illness.

Where are rainforests? Tropical rainforests are located in a band around the equator, mostly in the area between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5N Latitude) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5S Latitude). This 3,000 mile wide band is called the “Tropics”. Tropical rainforests are found in South America, West Africa, Australia, Southern India, and Southeast Asia.

Animal Life Many species of animal life can be found in the rainforest. Most species have one common characteristic, that they adapt to life in trees. Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in the tropical rainforests. They include butterflies, mosquitoes, stick insects, and huge colonies of ants.

Plant life Plant lie on the forest floor receive 3% of the light the light that filters through the the canopy..

Layers of the rainforest There are four very distinct layers of trees in a tropical rain forest. These layers have been identified as the emergent, upper canopy, understory, and the forest floor. Emergent trees are spaced wide apart and are 100 to 240 feet tall with umbrella –shaped canopies that grow above the forest. The upper canopy of 60 to 130 foot trees allow light to be easily available at the top. The understory consists of 60 foot trees. The forest floor is usually completely shaded, except where trees have fallen and light shines through.

Deforestation About 2,000 trees per minute are being cut down in the rainforest. If this keeps up many animals and plants will become extinct.

Some random facts Giant bamboo plants can grow up to 9 inches a day. 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. In the moist rainforests of South America, Sloths move so slowly that algae are able to grow in their fur.

Conclusion If we keep destroying our rainforest we will lose hundreds of plant species and animals alike.

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