The Rainforest

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The Rainforest
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What is a Rainforest?

• -A tropical woodland with an annual rainfall of
  at least 80 inches/year

-located near the equator
-Temp. between 70oF 80oF
-Has 4 levels
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Canopy

• Emergent layer

Understory
Forest floor
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Layers of the Rainforest

• 1. Emergent layer

- Where the tallest trees are found -up to 60 m
(200 ft.) tall!!
- 1-2 trees per acre
- Above the canopy
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- Animal Life eagles, monkeys, bats, snakes,
butterflies

• 1. Emergent layer

- Trees have buttress roots
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2. Canopy

• Primary layer
• -23 46m (75 150 ft.)

-Shields lower levels from rain and sun - 90
of photosynthesis
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2. Canopy

• Flowering and fruiting occurs here

- Attracts animals and insects
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2. Canopy

• Epiphytes- plants that grow on (are supported
  by)other plants.

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2. Canopy

• Extremely Diverse

Animal Life sloth, snakes, parrots, bats,
monkeys, spiders, ants, beatles, hummingbirds,
tree frogs, etc.
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3. Understory

• - Under the Canopy

- Dark and moist

• Small trees, vines, palms
• - 3.5 m (12 ft.)

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3. Understory

• Animal Life jaguar, leopards, lizards, frogs,
  snakes, parakeets, MOST INSECTS

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4. Forest Floor

• - Few plants

- buttress and prop roots
Lots of decomposition
Ex. Rate of decomposition Temperate vs.
Rainforest 1 yr. 6 weeks
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4. Forest Floor

• - No wind

- 90 Humidity
Animal Life Decomposers insects, worms, (fungi,
bacteria)
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Where are the tropical rainforests?

• - On or near the equator

Our siteThe Rift Valley of East Africa
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What is the climate of the rainforest?

• - Canopy 80oF

- Mild Subtropical conditions year round
Fairly constant temperature
- elevation - Temperature
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Why are the rainforests being destroyed?

• - People need to make money to live

- Many do not know any other way to make money
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Why are the rainforests being destroyed?

• - For big companies this land (wood) can be
  purchased cheaply

- Mitsubishi packing crates
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Why are the rainforests being destroyed?

• - Make chopsticks

- Grazing land for cattle
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How is the rainforests important on a global
scale?

• Plants take in CO2 and release O2
• Animals take in O2 and release CO2

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When the rainforests are burned it produces LOTS
of CO2

• CO2 builds up and causes the atmosphere to trap
  heat from the Sun and warm the Earth Global
  Warming

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What problems does cutting the rainforest cause?

• Diversity( of species of life)is reduced

• Animals loose their homes and may become extinct

• Some species of plants (that may hold cures) may
  go extinct

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What problems does cutting the rainforest cause?

• When crops (corn) are planted good soil does not
  last long

• Rain is not slowed down
• Soil washes away (soil erosion)
• Desert remains

• Trees take a long time to grow back

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What problems does cutting the rainforest cause?

• Indigenous tribes are being wiped out
• 90 Brazilian tribes are gone

• Water cycle is changed

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Migratory Birds

• 9000 species of birds world wide

• 660 species in North America

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Migratory Birds

• Resident birds- stay all year round

• Migratory birds move as the seasons change

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Migratory Birds

• Neo-tropical Migratory Birds

• Neo New New World
• Tropical around the equator

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Migration

• Other Animals that Migrate

• Caribou, salmon, monarch butterflies, whales, etc.

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Migratory Birds

• When do birds migrate?

• Temp. (less food) birds migrate towards the
  tropics Mexico, Central America, Caribbean,
  South America

• Temp. birds return from the tropics to nest
  (more food)

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Migratory Birds

• How do birds migrate?

• Photoperiodismlength of day or night

• Visual and auditory cues

• Daytime migrants steer by the sun

• Night flyers star patterns

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Migratory Birds

• How do birds migrate?

• Geographic landforms -coastlines
• - rivers
• - mountains

• Magnetism

• Wind currents

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Migratory Birds

• How do we know they migrate?

• Banding

• Nest records

• Point counts

• Radar

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What are some environmental threats to birds?

• -Pesticides - DDT

• Collisions with power lines

• Oil spills

• Parasites

• Predators (mammals,birds, people)

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What are some environmental threats to birds?

• -Loss and fragmentation of habitat

- loss of the rainforest (their winter homes)
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How can you save the rainforest?

• -Sell T-shirts donate (fund raiser)

- Write letters to companies who are cutting down
the trees ask them to start a reforestation
project

• Boycott companies that cut down the rainforest

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How can you save the rainforest?

• -Tourism - See the rainforest
• - brings to the area which can be used to
  help save the rainforest

• Buy products from the rainforest (not wood)

• Products that can be taken without doing damage
  to the forest

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Plants and Animals in the Rainforest