Plants of the Tropical Rainforests Tropical Rainforests T ropical rainforests are the wettest places on earth Billions of different kids of animals and plants live in tropical rainforests The tropical rainforests have billions of species (kinds) of plants and animals, more than anywhere else on Earth. Scientists do not yet know all the species that are to be found in a tropical rainforest and new ones are still being discovered. The reason there are so many species is because rainforests are very old, some almost 100 million years old, which means dinosaurs probably lived in them. In the tropics it is always hot and it rains every day. Tropical rainforest plants Some canopy trees grow over to over 100 metres high. Many 'every day' foods originated in rainforests, including tomatoes, peppers, corn, rice, coconut, banana, coffee, cocoa, cassava (tapioca), beans and sweet potatoes. Because the weather is hot and wet, trees do not need thick bark to slow down moisture loss and have instead thin, smooth bark. us@kidcyber.com.au
Fun Fact! Tropical Rainforest The layers are: Emergent layer Top layer is the emergent layer, the tops of huge trees as big as 100m that rise high above the rest of the forest, therefore receiving the most sunlight. Canopy The second layer the canopy, tall trees growing close together so that their tops are close, forming a fairly continuous cover. Understorey The third layer is the understorey, smaller trees, bushes, and plants such as ferns. Forest floor The fourth layer is the forest floor, where few plants grow because almost no sunlight reaches it. Why do tropical rainforests have so many species of plants and animals? There are billions of species (kinds) of mammals, insects, birds and reptiles found in tropical rainforests, so many that scientists do not yet know all the species, and new ones are still being discovered.
Earth Floor: Biomes Tropical Rainforest: Plants Although tropical rainforests receive 12 hours of sunlight daily, less than 2% of that sunlight ever reaches the ground. The tropical rainforest has dense vegetation, often forming three different layers--the canopy, the understory, and the ground layer. Frequently, people think of the tropical rainforest as a "jungle" where plant growth is dense even at ground level. However, the canopy created by the tall trees (100-120 feet) and the understory, prevents sunlight from reaching the ground. The soil is, therefore, always shaded, and very little vegetation is able to survive at ground level. Vegetation can become dense at ground level near riverbanks and on hillsides. Plant adaptation Plant survival in a tropical rainforest depends on the plant's ability to tolerate constant shade or to adapt strategies to reach sunlight. Competition for sunlight by plants is sometimes deadly. Back | Next
Did you know? Science for Kids: Tropical Rainforest Biome One of the most fascinating biomes on planet Earth is the tropical rainforest. It is filled with tall trees, interesting plants, giant insects, and all sorts of animals. What makes a forest a rainforest? As you might have guessed from the name, rainforests are forests that get a lot of rain. Rainforests are also very humid and warm. Where are the world's rainforests? There are three major areas of tropical rainforests: Africa - The major tropical rainforest in Africa is in the southern central portion of the continent with the Congo River running through it. Biodiversity The tropical rainforest has the most biodiversity of all the land biomes. Layers of the Rainforest The rainforest can be divided up into three layers: the canopy, the understory, and the forest floor. The canopy - This is the top layer of trees. What makes this biome so important? The rainforests are important to the world for many reasons. The Disappearing Rainforests Take a ten question quiz about this page.
About the Rainforest - Information and Facts on Tropical Rainforests, Save the Rain Forest | Rainforest Adventures The role of the rainforest transcends scientific definitions. Even though only 7% of the world’s original rain forests remain, more than half of the planet’s species still live there. This wealth of life benefits us every day. Simply put, rainforests are the Earth’s lungs. Additionally many food items you enjoy every day originally came from rainforest across the globe. Due to deforestation, some 100 species will become extinct every day – many of them are still undiscovered and their qualities will be lost forever. More facts! KDE Santa Barbara Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: There are two types of rainforest biomes: temperate and tropical rainforests. Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in temperate regions. The largest temperate rainforests are on the Pacific coast in North America, stretching from Alaska to Oregon. Other temperate rainforests are found along the coast of Chile, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, New Zealand, and S. WEATHER: Rainforests are important because they help maintain global weather patterns and rain. Tropical rainforests are lush and warm all year long! Temperate rainforests are also wet, but not as rainy as tropical rainforests. PLANTS: One type of plant often found in a rainforest is an epiphyte. There are about 10 -2 0 species of trees in temperate rainforests that are mostly coniferous, meaning they have needles. Most trees in tropical rainforests have thin, smooth bark. Tropical rainforests are so big that they are divided into four zones. Mongabay.com
Tropical Rain Forest As you can see from the map to the right, the tropical rainforests are, indeed, located in the tropics, a band around the equator from 23.5 N (the Tropic of Cancer) to 23.5 S (the Tropic of Capricorn) (red lines on map, right). Because the Earth tilts 23.5 degrees on its axis as it travels around the sun, at some point in the year (the solstices, June 22nd in the north, December 22nd in the south) the sun will be directly overhead on one of these lines. At the equinoxes the sun is directly over the equator. Within this band, solar radiation is most intense, and thus the surface of the planet warms the most. The warmth leads to a lot of evaporation, and as warm, moist air rises, it cools, the water condenses, and the water falls back to the earth as rain. Not all of the land in the tropics is tropical rainforest. {*style:<a href=''>*}{*style:</a>*}Another biome similar to the tropical rain forest is the{*style:<b>*} cloud forest.