The Amazon Rainforest By: Greyson H. Block 3
Introduction Have you ever wondered what a rainforest is. A rainforest is a dense jungle that gets a lot of rain. The Amazon Rainforest is in South America. It’s located in eight different countries Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana. The climate is 25 degrees Celsius the range of The Amazon Rainforest 5n and 13s and 75e and 50w. The Amazon Rainforest is getting smaller due to deforestation.
Layers Forest floor This is the bottom layer of the rainforest. It’s very dark not many plants or animals live here. Mostly omnivores live their along with decomposers live here with Tapirs, Giant Anteaters, and insects. The forest floor is filled with dead and decomposing plants and animals.
Understory This is the layer above the forest floor it doesn’t get much light either. So not many plants live there the ones that do have really big leaves to absorb light to use photosynthesis . The animals that live there are Jaguars and Red- eye Tree Frogs.
Canopy The canopy is the second highest layer in the rainforest. This is where most of the plants and animals live. They live here are Snakes, Tree Frogs, and Toucans. There is lots of light in the canopy.
Emergent Layer It is the highest place in the rainforest it gets the /most light. It’s the tallest trees. The animals that live here are Monkeys, Butterflies, and Bats. The trees are over 200 feet above the ground in this layer.
Plants Foxglove The foxglove has purple leaves that are bunched together. The foxglove doesn’t have a lot of predators. People use the foxglove It is used to treat heart problems. It has very few predators because it is poisonous. The flower stalks grow up to 6 feet.
Coca The Coca is a producer it grows off of trees and has green leaves and the branches are straight. People take the leaves from it and chew them to help with a variety things it is also made into tea . The uses for the Coca treat headaches, tiredness, altitude sickness, hunger fatigue, aches, and pains. It grows to a height of 2-3 meters. It has very few predators which are pests. Coca is an ingredient in Coca-
Cola
Animals Jaguar The Jaguar has spots, claws, and sharp teeth and is the third biggest big cat in the world. It’s a carnivore. Its habitat is in the understory. The only predator’s it has are people. The Jaguar’s prey is tapirs, rodents, sloths, birds, and frogs. Its adaptations are that it couldn’t live without its teeth and claws.
Toucan Toucans are omnivores their diet consists of fruits, insects, and small lizards. They have long beaks and they are colorful all their color helps them camouflage in the canopy. Their predators are Eagles, Snakes, and Jaguars. They eat fruit and berries. Their beak is what helps them eat. They live in small flocks with up to 6.
Food Web
Tribes Yanomami The Yanomami an Indian tribe that lives in The Amazon Rainforest they are a large population of indigenous Amerindian people of South America. They live in big huts that hold up to 400 people. They use lean roofs for shelter. They make arrows and spears from trees. The men hunt and fish to get their food the women tend to the garden. They have to get their food from hunting and fishing or gardening.
Kayapo They have lived in the rainforest for a very long time they have evolved a lot though. Using Global media and international attention they have established political power. They farm to get crops and they have livestock. They are not nomadic. At one time mining and logging threatened their land but their forceful tactics banished miners and loggers. The rainforest gives them houses, transportation which they have to make paths for, food and medicine.
Saving the Rainforest Deforestation- Cutting down trees Conservation- to protect a part of land Ecotourism- a place that is naturally spoiled • All of these things are going on in The Amazon Rainforest deforestation is happening and more and more trees are cut down every day. Conservation is in use to try to protect The Amazon Rainforest. But before rainforests used to cover over 14% of Earth now they only cover 6%. Ecotourism isn’t really a bad thing because The Amazon Rainforest attracts a lot of people.
Conclusion More and more of the rainforest is cut down each day. 80% of our oxygen comes from the rainforest and if we keep cutting them down we won’t have that much oxygen. So how will you help save the rainforest?
Citations www.buzzle.com http://www.5rl.caltech.com www.indian-culture.com www.manatee.k12.fl.us www.traveldestination.com