Title: Ecosystems: Rainforests of the World
1Ecosystems Rainforests of the World
- A presentation by
- Carol Cleveland
- NSF NMGK-12 Fellow 2000-2001
22 Kinds of Rain Forests
Tropical
Coastal Temperate
3What is a Rain Forest?
3 Main Layers of the Forest (Emergent) Canopy
Understory Forest Floor
Over 100 inches of rain in a year (we get about
60 inches)
4Where do you find rainforests?
5Where do you find rainforests?
Tropical rainforests are mostly around the
equator. 50 are in South America.
6Tropical Rainforests
- Near equator
- Warm Temperature (70-80oF)
- Rainy - 2 inches/hour sometimes
- Up to 400 inches rain in a year
- Many species of plants and animals
- In danger from people
7Tropical Rainforest Animals
8Tropical Rainforest Animals
9Tropical Rainforest Plants
10Coastal Temperate Rainforests
Scattered around the world Mostly on Pacific West
coast of North America
11Coastal Temperate Rainforests
- Alaska to Oregon
- 35 to 80oF - not extremes
- Rain - 140-167 inches per year
- Trees can grow to 300 feet high and 23 feet in
diameter
12Coastal Temperate Rainforest Animals
13Coastal Temperate Rainforest Plants
14 Why shouldnt we cut down rainforests?
- Rainforests - very high diversity of animal and
plant life (lots of different kinds) - Very difficult to replace - not many nutrients in
the soil so once the plants are gone it is hard
to grow any plants in that area - Add oxygen to the atmosphere (40)
- but also use much oxygen by decay