Introduction Have you ever wondered what lives in the Amazon Rainforest? What goes on in the there? Well this will help you understand more about the Amazon Rainforest and how deforestation – cutting down trees – can possibly have an impact on it in the near future. Journey through Brazil and the Amazon Rainforest with Jenna Johnson and Jeremy Holoy and see the world through their point of view!
SECTION 1 I sat on my bed, imagining what would happen in 24 hours. I would walk in, investigate the conditions, and then leave and come back here. Yeah, Right! If only it was that simple. I took a handful of mechanical pencils and stuffed them into my overflowing bag. I checked those off of my list. I’m not really organized so don’t even start with that. I thought about my favorite animal in the whole entire world, the Three Toed Sloth and hoped that I would get the chance to see one.
Hmmmm… let me think… what do I know about Three Toed Sloths? I know they are Herbivores, so they only eat plants and fruit, I thought to myself. I hope they aren’t becoming endangered because of deforestation.
I wonder how they adapt or adjust to that environment. I slammed my suitcase shut, put it on the floor and drifted off to sleep. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!!!!!! My alarm went off signaling it was time to get ready for the Journey to the Amazon Rainforest. All I know is that I am supposed to be on flight 261 in 2 hours at 7:45.
SECTION 2 When I arrived in an airport in Brazil, the heat was pouring into the lobby. “Whew!” I took off my coat and slung it over my shoulder. “Hola Senorita!! May I have de pleasure as to take your bags to de car?” A tall Mexican dude asked me with one eyebrow raised and a glimmer in his eye. “Um sure?” I replied not sure what he wanted from me. “Muy bien! Muy bien!” Good thing I take Spanish classes or else I would be startled, and I wouldn’t know that “muy bien” means very well. “Senorita, which car is yours?” I snapped back into reality which consisted of answering this Mexican man with a curly-q mustache and focusing on the question. Where was my ride? Where was my assistant Jeremy? “Jenna!” I heard Jeremy’s voice from across the airport. I searched for Jeremy’s familiar brown, spiky hair. “Excuse
me mister,
can you bring my bags this way?” “Why of course Senorita!” I dodged a baggage cart, a dog cage, and a squeaky suitcase, and made my way to Jeremy. When I got into the car with Jeremy and the driver, we saw it. A sheet of green so thick, you wouldn’t know it ever ended. “It’s amazing!” Jeremy said in a whisper so fast I couldn’t be sure he actually said it. “But with Eco-Tourism, it might not be destroyed as easily and quickly as it is right now.” I could hear hope in his voice. “Jeremy,” I asked.
“Yeah,” “this is going to be a long week!” I said yawning. “Tell me about it.” SECTION 3 Journal of Jenna Johnson: Today we entered the Amazon Rainforest. We saw a lot of Carnivores, like a Jaguar, Omnivores, like a Spider Monkey and Herbivores, like a three Toed Sloth. Today was the day that we started studying animals. I spotted a Giant River Otter and these are the notes I got on them: They have a short coat of hair or fur; they also appear brown when they are dry, and a dark shiny brown when they are wet. They live in slow moving rivers and creeks
within
forests
and
rain
forests, like the Amazon. Their predators are people. We eat Giant River Otters. Their prey is fish and crayfish, they love to eat them. They have special flaps that cover their eyes and ears when they are swimming. These are my notes on the Three Toed Sloth: They have three toes, a furry coat, and their fur has a
greenish tint. They live in tropical rainforest canopies (the 2 nd from the top layer.) This is their habitat. Big cats, like Jaguars and Sloth.
Ocelots
eat
The
sloths
the are
Three
Toed
herbivores
who eat plants, leaves; twigs and fruit. Their bodies are built for life in the trees. Their arms are longer than their legs. They have curved legs, grooved fur, and three extra neck bones.
Section 4 “Here paradise
we
are
and
in
this
tropical
exploring
this
wonderful place!” Spencer, the head Scientist
said
proudly.
“Tell
me,
what are you looking forward to most?” He pointed at me. “I am looking forward to helping the Amazon Rainforest and helping all of the plants, animals, and tribes that live here.” Jeremy winked at me from across the trail. “Cool,” Spencer said to me. “Now everyone, go explore and find the answers to your questions. I will see you back at the site at 10:00 p.m. Remember, it is your responsibility to get yourself food and your partner food.” Jeremy walked over to me. “Shall we get a move on?” “Yeah,” I said with a smile. We headed towards the pond. “Jenna? What are those giant green things that are floating on the pond?” Jeremy pointed ahead of us at a Giant Water Lily. “That’s a Giant Water Lily. They are just as their name suggests, big and they are green, and round. Fish and other wildlife feed on them and they live in shallow waters, but they can be found in deep waters too. They are used for relaxation and sensation.” I explained. “Whoa, how do you know all of that?” I told him all about how when I was in seventh grade, I got to choose any plant I wanted to research. “I learned all about the Giant Water Lily and I got an “A” on my project.” Jeremy smiled and said, “Let’s continue moving. We have a lot more to explore in the next day or two.” “One thing I love about the rainforest is that it has so much to offer and so much to explore.” I listened to my friends talk about what they have explored in the last few hours. We had found our way back to the sight for lunch. I looked at my watch and it was only 11:45. “Jeremy, come on. We still have about 10 hours of exploring left.” “Okay, okay, I’m coming.” He tossed two granola bars, two water bottles, and a bag of trail mix into his backpack. “Let’s roll.”
I couldn’t help but giggle when he stood, hands on his hips, chin held high. We walked, and walked, until we heard voices. Our instincts told us to jump behind a giant tree. The voices were approaching us. Somewhere in the process of trying to stay hidden, Jeremy tripped me and I fell flat on my face. I winced in pain. “What hurts?” He was suddenly kneeling by my side. His face had concern written all over it. “Nothing really just…” I didn’t get to finish my sentence because the mysterious voices were now staring holes through me. “Hello?” a boy about my age asked nervously. “My-y-y name is Ham.” He stammered. “Who names their child Ham?” Jeremy whispered into my ear. I shushed him. “Hi. I am Jenna and this is Jeremy. Please excuse him if he is rude to you,” I said politely, with a kind, gentle smile on my face. Soon, we were sitting on logs in the middle of the village of Tikuna people. “We are lucky we are not Nomads. I don’t know how we would survive moving place to place, rather than having a place to call home,” Ham told me. He is a really nice person, I thought to myself. “What do you guys do for fun?” Jeremy asked curiously. We enjoy basketry, wood and stone sculpting, and mask making. We also make bark cloth which is a natural fiber that is Paper-like. When a Tikuna dies, they bury them in a canoe that has a top then they will cross the river of death.” “That is really cool. I never knew that.” I apologized for all the questions, but he said we could ask as many as we wanted to. “How are all 70 of your villages set up?” “Well, they are located in the Alto Solimones area close to the Solimones and Santo Antonio do Ica Rivers. I know it’s hard to understand. Our normal language around here is Tikuna.” “That’s really cool,” I commented.
“I guess,” Ham said doubtfully. “How do you use products
from the rainforest?” Jeremy chimed in. “We have grown to be indigenous people to the Amazon Rainforest. That means we have grown to understand it and we are used to it.”
“We use trees to make canoes, and caskets when Tikuna die. Some trees and plants have sap that can be used as medicine.” He said. He really knows his facts about his tribe. “I only have one more question.” I said apologetically. “What do you use for shelter?” Ham explained, “We build our own houses. They are built on stilts because of flooding. That is what our culture is like.” Sometime on the way back to the sight, Jeremy and I stumbled upon a tree. It was not just any tree but a cacao tree. “Ha ha! Now it’s my time to shine!” Jeremy exclaimed startling me. It had such great camouflage, that I completely looked passed it. It blends in so well near all of the tall grass surrounding it. “What? I don’t get it!” Why does Jeremy have to be so confusing at times? “I love the Cacao tree! It is my most favorite tree in the whole world! I think I have some old notes on it in my notebook. Let me check.” He pulled out his notebook that had papers sticking out of it. Sure enough he had written down lots of notes on it. The Cacao Tree! ~Jeremy Holoy Cacao trees have bright green leaves that can sometimes have a brownish or greenish tint. People call them cacao trees but their scientific name is Theobromal. Cacao grows on the tree. People compress cacao into blocks and use
them
baking.
for
cooking
Theobromal
trees
and are
mostly located under the canopy near rivers and streams. SETION 5 When Jeremy and I reunited with our group at the site, we were asked to create a list of stuff we know about the Amazon Rainforest. This is what we came up with:
I learned a lot about the Amazon Rainforest. A rainforest is a tall jungle with a high humidity and a high average rainfall. In this wet and humid climate, there is normally 50 to 260 inches of rain a year and it is usually either 93˚Farenhiet or above or 68˚farenheit or below. We know what we need to do to help conserve or save the Rainforest. We have to encourage Eco-Tourism and stop deforestation. The Amazon Rainforest has 4 layers. The Emergent layer is at the very top of the rainforest. It can be described as bright. It has 200 feet tall trees. They have 16 feet ‘round trunks. Eagles, monkeys, bats and butterflies live in the Emergent layer. Treetops are the plants that you will find in this layer. The Canopy layer is the primary layer. It is like a roof to the layers below. It is smooth, it has oval leaves, and it is like a maze. Snakes, toucans, and tree-frogs live in this layer. Most plants in the Amazon Rainforest have foliage, which are the leaves on a plant. Limbs, vines and orchids can be found within this layer. Photosynthesis- the process in which a plant turns sunlight into food- happens a lot here because of all the plants that occupy this layer. The Understory is the next layer of the rainforest. It is low and very dark. The trees are very large with trunks that are 12 feet in diameter. Jaguars, red-eye tree-frogs, leopards, and few types of insects live here. Two types of trees that are found here are the Shrub and Broadleaf Trees. The very bottom layer is the Forest Floor. It contains most of the rainforest’s insects. Giant Ant Eaters can also be found here. It is the darkest layer and it has very little plants. Ferns and coarse moss are some of the very few plants that live there. Decomposers such as Algae and mushrooms are found here. They break down dead plants and animals and turn them into nutritious soil. Amazonia or the Amazon Rainforest is located in the continent of South America. It is in the Northwestern and Southwestern hemispheres. It is located at 75˚ to 45˚ latitude and 0˚ to 15˚ longitude near the border of Peru and Brazil. Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana all contain parts of the Amazon Rainforest. Humans damage the rainforest by cutting down Mahogany trees and logging. Cattle Ranching can also be effective and damaging to the Amazon. The environment provides trees, and trees produce paper and they also produce the filling for Plywood. The Amazon Rainforest provides us with a whole bunch of products and foods that we can’t get anywhere else. It produces about ¼ of the Earth’s medicines. Some products are bananas, Curare, which is a medicine that relax muscles during surgeries, Quinine is used to help treat Malaria, and much, much, MUCH more!
“Now everyone, if you can draw your attention back to me that would be wonderful!” Spencer looked at everyone, one by one. “How about you, Bob, what did you write down?” Bob looked puzzled. Finally he
shrugged
“Deforestation
his
shoulders
provides
us
and
started
with
less
reading oxygen.
down
his
list.
Umm…
Conservation helps save the rainforest. Ecotourism is becoming one of the top ways to help conserve the rainforest. People can get around the Amazon Rainforest by foot, truck, boat, and raft. SECTION 6 We
woke
to
the
sound
of
people but it wasn’t Spencer or any of the members on this trip. When we got dressed Spencer introduced us to the tribe of Yanomami. A girl about my age came up to me and said, “Hi.” “Hi what is your name? My name is Jenna.” “Ana,” she replied softly. “That is a pretty name!” Spencer announced, “Everyone take a seat. I am going to tell my group members about this tribe.” “They live in about 350 scattered villages all throughout the rainforest, so you can imagine how devastating it is to have deforestation ruining their villages. Every 3 to 4 years they move to another place so they have new soil to work with. They live in round circular houses called yanos or shabonos. Up to 400 people live in a house. There are headmen within the village who keep everything orderly and decide the relationships between other tribes. They use resources like parts from trees to heal cuts and/or illnesses.” Spencer explained. “Well, be sure to
thank each and every one of the Yanomami people for coming to visit us!” After we packed our stuff and we were in the airport, I hugged Jeremy and said, “This has been a wonderful experience. I hope we get to do something like this in the future!” I waved goodbye and headed off to my plane. Once I got into my seat, I drifted off into a deep sleep, dreaming about Three Toed Sloths, Giant River Otters, Ana, and Ham. Who knows, I might be back one day!
Conclusion:
Why destroy the rainforest if it contains trees with cancer fighting medicines that help people? Think; how would you feel if you got cancer and the rainforest was gone? Think about
how
deforestation
can
affect
the
Yanomami and Tikuna tribes! They might not be able to survive one day. So just sit back and
watch them suffer. Is that really what you want? Think about that.
This Land cover map shows The Amazon Rainforest and the area that is remaining and what areas have had deforestation make in impact on them!
This climate map shows the temperatures and temperature zones of South America.
Food Web This Food Web shows how energy transfers from one living organism, to another! It contains producers, consumers and decomposers!! :) The animals are either herbivores, omnivores, or carnivores.
Sources :) Thank you to all of these websites :)
•
Animal Sources: - http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/three-toed-sloth/ - http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/giant-river-otter/ - http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animal- http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animalbytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/mammalia/carnivora/gia nt-river-otter.htm - http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/SmallMammals/fact-sloth.cfm - http://www.exploringnature.org/db/detail.php?dbID=5&detID=18 http://www.tnaqua.org/OurAnimals/Mammals/RiverOtter.aspx Basic Info: http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/whlayers.html http://www.chocolate.org/choctree.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm http://www.tigerhomes.org/animal/layers-rainforest.cfm http://www.fmpsd.ab.ca/schools/df/brazil/cphysicalfeatures.htm http://rainforests.mongabay.com/1004.htm http://www.micktravels.com/peru/transportation.html Vocabulary: http://www.dictionary.refrence.com Pictures: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/giant-river-otter/ http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/three-toed-sloth/ http://leslietaylor.net/gallery/forest/forest.htm http://mayang.com/textures/Manmade/html/Paper/index.html http://www.chocolatewrappers.info/cacao.htm http://thomasfortenberry.net/?p=1763 http://thegreenape.blogspot.com/2009/07/obama-fdr-and-politics-of-health-care.html http://blabbeando.blogspot.com/2008/08/brazil-deep-in-amazons-ticuna-tribe.html http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/peru/peru-5.htm http://www.tourisminvenezuela.com/2010/05/02/amazon-rainforest-vacations-photos-travelholidays-and-location/ http://www.globalwhisperer.com/tag/rainforest/ http://bobmastersphotography.com/en/showphoto/Editorial/173/Portrait+of+Yanomami+woman Social Studies: Human Environment Interaction Video http://save-the-trees.tripod.com/id6.html
http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/ http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/yanomami/wayoflife#main http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/amazon.htm Plants: http://www.chocolatewrappers.info/cacao.htm http://www.amersol.edu.pe/ms/7th/7block/jungle_research/cards/card30.html http://www.squidoo.com/Amazonwaterlily http://www.chocolate.org/choctree.html http://www.kingtutshop.com/freeinfo/Lotus-Flower.htm Food Web: http://scienceray.com/biology/botany/producers-of-the-amazon-tropical-rain-forest/ http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/02004/pages/insects.htm http://blog.fortumo.com/web-20-start-up-smart-trilogy-ii-neo-relativity-%E2%80%9Cmany-a-littlemakes-a-mickle%E2%80%9D/ http://www.petsintouch.com/ Story: http://www.stars21.com/translator/spanish_to_english.html http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/jaguar.html http://www.callunafineflowers.com/memorial_middle_school/webquest/studentwebsites/21/omni vores.htm Tribes: http://indian-cultures.com/Cultures/ticuna.html http://www.latinartmall.com/Tribes%20of%20the%20Brazilian%20Amazon.htm http://crazyidiot74.tripod.com/id4.html http://www.gymmuenchenstein.ch/stalder/klassen/hie/indigenous/yan.htm http://meshelle-lynn.tripod.com/ http://www.latinartmall.com/Tribes%20of%20the%20Brazilian%20Amazon.htm