The Rainforest Biome

It’s hot and humid!

Intro• Two types of rainforests: Tropical and

Temperate• Tropical = in the tropics (band around the

equator)• Temperate = found near costal areas (Canada,

USA, Chile, Ireland, etc.)• Tropical rainforests are hotter and wetter than

temperate• More tropical forests than temperate

Tropical Rainforests

• More well-known• All located close to the equator, solar

radiation is most intense (see map) • Warmth leads to evaporation,

condensation, and eventually rain.• Around 8-14 FEET each year.• Perspective: we get2-5 inches in phoenix

Temperate Rainforests• Found near coastal areas rather than tropics• Thus, not as hot/humid as tropical• About 10,000 years old, while tropical =

millions of years old

The Climate

• Tropical rainforests are regions of year-round warmth.• It rarely gets over 93 degrees

Fahrenheit or drops below 68 degrees.• Although, the average

humidity = 77-88%

The Layers• The tropical rainforest has 4 distinct layers (from

lowest to highest): Forest floor, Understory, Upper Canopy, and Emergent.

• Forest floor- usually completely shaded, little vegetation/animals, and the soil is thin and of poor quality.

• Understory- also known as lower canopy, in constant shade, very humid, small trees (60 ft) and plants.

• Upper Canopy- most life in this level, allows light and food to be easily available. Trees are 60-130 feet tall.

• Emergent- trees widely spaced, straight, smooth trunks, few branches, 100-240 feet tall and finish off with umbrella shaped canopies shading the forest

• Temperate forests have two layers only: Canopy and Floor.

Here’s a diagram…

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FUN FACTS YA’LL!• More than half of all the world’s plant and

animal species live in tropical rain forests• One fourth of all medicines come from

rainforest plants, and more than 1,400 plants are thought to be potential cures for cancer

• Tropical: 95 countries Temperate: around 8• Largest rainforest- Amazon Rainforest (S

America) Also has the largest river, the Amazon (go figure).

THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.