1. Tropical Rainforest: An Introduction

2. Description of a rainforest
Densely wooded
Location: Warm, tropical and wet climate
Soil: Nutrient Poor-hard to grow crops
Rainfall: Average 80 inches/year
(sometimes as high as 400 inches/yr)

3. Difference between tropical rain forest & temperate rain forest
1. Tropical rainforest: Located in the tropics; very warm climate and LOTS of rain
2. Temperate rainforest: More seasonal, less rain

4. Remaining rainforests
Dark Green Areas= only remaining rainforest left

5. Layers of the tropical rainforest
* Tall Trees- 150ft tall; branches at the highest level; act like an umbrella
* VERY THICK! Less than 2% of sunlight reaches the next layer; animals live here
* Trees grow to about 12ft. Home of leopards, snakes, and insects
Shrub layer
* Grow shorter than 12 ft
* No growth, no sunlight & 100% humidity

6. The Soil: Few nutrients, decomposition occurs quickly
The Soil: Few nutrients, decomposition occurs quickly. The nutrients are absorbed by the trees
Buttress Root System: Above ground or very shallow root system

7. Why is the rainforest so important?
Contains 90% of all living “things”
70% of all plants have cancer fighting properties
Large amount of oxygen produced in the rainforest

8. How & why the rainforests are being destroyed
Slash and Burn:
Cutting down the forest for farms, roads, & other development. The trees are then burned

9. Bio Diversity: Many types of animals, insects, & plant life
Deforestation: Cutting down large areas of forest