Rainforest
By Brooke Peller
What is a Rainforest Tropical rain forests are hot, rainy places full of giant trees and leafy plants. More than half of the world's plant and animals species live in a rainforest habitat. Tropical rain forests are found near the equator, in regions of Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. The average year round temperature I the rainforest is 80 degrees. The average yearly rain fall is up to 260 inches compared to 34 inches a year for the rest of the earth.
Layers of the Rainforest A rain forest is like a very tall building with different floors. Each floor or layer is home for certain plants and animals, some of which never visit the ground. The emergent layer: In this windy layer, some trees burst through the roof. The branches at the top spread out, some to the size of two soccer fields and fill with leaves to soak up sunlight. The canopy: The canopy is the hot roof of the rain forest. The tall trees spread out their branches and bust with leaves to absorb sunlight and bear fruit. They provide plenty of foods, so most rain forest animals live here. The understory: Very little of the sunlight that the rainforest receives reaching the damp, shady understory. Plants here grow big leaves to catch whatever light they can grow big leaves to catch whatever light they can. Snakes twist around the vines that climb the tree trunks, insects buzz, and tree frogs thrive in dripping, steamy air. The forest floor: Only 2 percent of the sunlight reaches the hot forest floor. The ground is damp from all the rain insects scuttle around, and colorful fungi grow out of dead.
Why Rain Forests Matter Rain forests are very important not just to the plants, animals, and people who live there, but to every single person on Earth. If the rain forests disappeared, our lives would change. Help us breathe: Rain forest plants produce much of the oxygen that we breathe in so that we can live. Clean our air: The plants absorb huge amounts of damping carbon dioxide gas, which our cars create. Produce rain: Rain forests produce a lot of the world's water, which travels to every country and falls as rain. Keep us well: About 25 percent of all medicines that we use to stay healthy originate from rain forest plants. Give us rubber: Did you know that rubber comes from the Sao of rain forest trees. Nor rain forest, no rain boots! Feed us: Lots of foods that we eat every day, such as tropical fruits, grow in the rain forest.
Ways You Can Save the Rain Forest A few centuries ago, there was twice as much rain forest on Earth as there is today. What can we do: 1. Learn: find organizations that help gas rain forests, and spread the world, 2. Recycle: recycle paper and tell others to so that fewer trees need to be cut. 3. Be aware: Make sure that flowers and foods you buy are from sustainable sources.
Fun Facts 1. There are around 2.5 million different types of insects living in a rainforest. 2. Rainforests act like a sponge,storing water in soil and atmosphere. 3. Every second, approximately two acres of rainforest is destroyed around the world. 4. There are rainforests in countries around the world including Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. 5. Rainforests get their names from the large rain.