Rainforests of Africa

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Rainforests of AfricaThe Heart of the Dark
Continent

• Found in Western Central Africa, West Coast of
  Africa and Madagascar.

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The Facts

• A rainforest is a biome, a forested area where
  the annual rainfall is high (usually 60 inches
  per year)
• Rainforests are primarily found in tropical
  climates, although there are a few examples of
  rainforests in temperate regions as well.
• Tropical rainforests lie in the "tropics,"
  between the Tropic of Capricorn and Tropic of
  Cancer.
• Many rainforests are characterized by a high
  number of resident species and many diverse plant
  species.
• Even though rainforests cover only 6 of the
  earth's surface, 50 of the earth's animal
  species live in the rainforest. The climate is
  always the same all year round and the animals
  that live there cannot tolerate a change in
  temperature, light, or rain. There may be 15,000
  different animal and plant species in a single
  acre of lowland rainforest. Many of the animals
  of the rainforest are threatened or endangered
  species because people are cutting down more of
  the rainforests they live in.

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Some more facts

• It is also estimated that rainforests provide up
  to 40 of the oxygen currently found in the
  atmosphere.
• In the rainforest region of Africa sunlight
  strikes Earth at roughly a 90-degree angle
  resulting in intense solar energy (solar energy
  diminishes as you move farther north or south).
  This intensity is due to the consistent day
  length on the equator 12 hours a day, 365 days
  per year (regions away from the equator have days
  of varying length).
• This consistent sunlight provides the essential
  energy necessary to power the forest via
  photosynthesis.

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The 4 Layers of the Rain Forest

• Starting at the top is the emergent layer. These
  are the tallest trees that can grow to be 200
  feet high. This layer gets the most sun and wind.
  
• The next layer down is called the canopy. It is
  60 - 90 feet above the ground. Scientists
  estimate that 70-90 of life in the rainforest is
  found in the trees making this the richest
  habitat for plant and animal life. During the
  day, the canopy is drier and hotter than other
  parts of the forest and the plants and animals
  that live there are specially adapted for life in
  the trees. For example, because the amount of
  leaves in the canopy can make it difficult to see
  more than a few feet, many canopy animals rely on
  loud calls or lyrical songs for communication.
  Gaps between trees mean that some canopy animals
  fly, glide, or jump to move about in the
  treetops.

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2 more layers

• The next layer is the understory. Very little
  sunlight reaches this far down into the
  rainforest, so it is dark and humid.
• The bottom layer is, of course, the forest floor.
  The forest floor is where decomposition takes
  place. Decomposition is the process by which
  decomposers like fungi and microorganisms break
  down dead plants and animals and recycle
  essential materials and nutrients. Both large
  and small animals are found in the forest floor
  layer. Many of the largest rainforest animals
  are found on the forest floor . Millions of
  termites, beetles, ants and other insects live on
  the forest floor.

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More to learn

• The undergrowth in a rainforest is restricted by
  the lack of sunlight at ground level. This makes
  it possible for humans and other animals to walk
  through the forest.
• If the leaf canopy is destroyed or thinned for
  any reason, the ground beneath is soon colonized
  by a dense tangled growth of vines, shrubs and
  small trees called jungle
• Because of the ample solar energy, tropical
  rainforests are usually warm year round with
  temperatures from about 72-93F (22-34C),

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Take 2 minutes and brainstorm with a partner to
answer the questionHow do the people of the
African rainforest live? Think about what
they eat, where they live, how they work and
travel
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How do people live and travel?

• The people of the rainforest have learned how to
  use the plants and animals of the rainforest
  without harming it.
• They have taught us about many of the foods and
  medicines from the rainforest that we use today.
• Through thousands of years of living in the
  rainforest, rainforest people have adapted to the
  rainforest climate.
• They don't need to drink a lot of water because
  they get so much water in the foods they eat.
• People live along the river and in the river
  basin as well. They fish in the river. They use
  it for irrigation to help water their peanut,
  cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane crops, all of
  which grow quickly in the humid air.
• Just as has been done for hundreds and hundreds
  of years, people today use the Congo River for
  transportation, of both people and goods. It is
  not an uncommon sight to see a barge that is
  carrying wood or fuel or crops going up or down
  the river. With gasoline-powered barges, however,
  comes pollution.

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The Congo River

• The Congo is the world's eighth-longest river at
  2,914 miles long. It begins at the junction of
  the Lualaba and Luvua rivers, in the Altai
  Mountains, and flows southwest to the Atlantic
  Ocean. Major tributaries include the Aruwimi,
  kasai, and Lomami rivers.
• It has within its banks 30 waterfalls and
  thousands of islands, at least 50 of which are
  more than 10 miles in length.

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The Animals in and around the River

• Because the river flows for the most part near
  the Equator, the area around it is very hot. Much
  of the land surrounding the river is tropical
  rain forest and is home to hundreds of kinds of
  animals, including hippos, manatees, water
  snakes, crocodiles, tortoises, pigs, elephants,
  and 200 species of fish. In addition, insects
  such as mosquitoes and gnats are prevalent in the
  hot, humid conditions
• It's not all tropical rainforest, though. Some
  parts of the surrounding land are full of long
  grass called "barnyard grass." Many animals graze
  in this tall grass, including buffalo, antelopes,
  zebras, gazelles, and giraffes.

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Here are a few of the animals of the rainforest
.
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