Levels of layers

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Levels of layers

• Each layer is a different level of life. All the
  living things in the rainforest depend on each
  other for survival.

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Uppermost layer EMERGENT
PLATFORM ROOF LAYER CANOPY
UNDERSTORY
FOREST FLOOR
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EMERGENT Uppermost, new growth, Open to
Sun CANOPY Umbrella, Thick, lush, dense, tall
branches join to form a platform
roof. Not much sun will get through
this layer to the next level. UNDERSTORY
Underneath yet above FLOOR Most common
household plants originated here Leaf
cutter ants (carry the weight equal to a man
carrying a bulldozer and they can strip the
foliage from an entire tree in just minutes) chop
up plant and animal matter that will decay (ROT)
into nutrient-rich food for new plant growth.
They bury the pieces of leaves, secrete
substances like saliva onto them, and a Fungus
grows on the leaves. The ants then eat the
fungus. Ground water gets to the
roots of the plants. HARDLY ANY SUNLIGHT DARK
AND VERY MUGGY
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TROPICAL OR TEMPERATE?

• 160 to 170 inches rainfall
• per year. 75-80 degrees
• all day/year long. Very,
• very, wet and warm. It
• Rains every day. The Sun
• shines for 12 hours a
• day.

Humid, but not as wet Very Warm, but not as hot.
The rainfall is a little bit less, and the sun
does not shine for as long.
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What do we get from rainforests?

• ¼ or 25 of all drugs/medicines
• 1/5 or 20 of the whole worlds OXYGEN
• 1/5 or 20 of the worlds fresh water is supplied
  by the Amazon river basin
• Over 3,000 plants that contain cancer-fighting
  properties scientists are hoping will give us a
  cure for cancer
• More species of living things than anywhere else
  on earth
• Foods and spices that cannot be grown elsewhere
• Materials such as latex and chide that are used
  to make things like chewing gum,
  rubber, oil- based paints, soaps,
  perfumes/cosmetics

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Tropical Amazon Rainforest
In the space of one football field, you can find
over 100 different kinds of trees. On just 1
evergreen tree, you can find over 50 different
kinds of ants. On the forest floor there will be
over 3,000 different types of plants.
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FOODSTUFFS ORIGINIAL TOThe Rainforest

• Bananas, Oranges, Lemons, Pine-apples,
• Tomatoes, Ginger, Cinnamon, Onions,
• Coffee, Cocoa Tree /Chocolate, Kola nut/Cola
• Coconuts, Cashews, Peanuts, Corn, Rice,
• Avocados, Popcorn, Eggplants, Peppers
• Some of these are now grown in other
• places.

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Animals that can Only be found in the Tropical
Rainforest

• Aye-Aye, Okapi, Ocelot, Jaguar, Black-faced
  Spider Monkey, Howler Monkey, Blue and Yellow
  Macaw, Harpy Eagle, Orange-winged Parrot,
  Three-toed Sloth, Squirrel Monkey, Iguana,
  Tarantula, Strawberry Poison-dart Frog,
  Long-tailed Hermit Hummingbird, Unique Turtles,
  Green Anaconda, Many species of Butterflies, and
  thousands of others.

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Invertebrates (insects) of the Rainforest

• 50 million different species of insects live
  here
• In addition to the famous leaf-cutter ants
  that really dont cut leaves, consider the
  Symbiotic relationship between the Azteca Ant and
  the Swollen Thorn Acacia Tree
• The tree provides the ant with food, water,
  lodging, and protection. The ant provides the
  tree with armed security. It
  is the only tree with a
  built-in alarm system. When the
  ant senses something near the tree, it
  violently attacks the intruder.

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Time is running out for the Rainforests. People
are taking and using all the resources of the
forests. Ecosystems are being destroyed, and that
disrupts food chains causing extinction of
various species of living things. People need to
be responsible with Natural Resources!