Ecosystems: Rainforests of the World : Ecosystems: Rainforests of the World A presentation by:
Carol Cleveland
NSF NMGK-12 Fellow 2000-2001
2 Kinds of Rain Forests : 2 Kinds of Rain Forests Tropical Coastal Temperate
What is a Rain Forest? : What is a Rain Forest?
3 Main Layers of the Forest
(Emergent)
Canopy
Understory
Forest Floor Over 100 inches of rain in a year
(we get about 60 inches)
Where do you find rainforests? : Where do you find rainforests?
Where do you find rainforests? : Where do you find rainforests? Tropical rainforests are mostly around the equator.
50% are in South America.
Tropical Rainforests : Tropical Rainforests Near equator
Warm Temperature (70-80oF)
Rainy - 2 inches/hour sometimes
Up to 400 inches rain in a year
Many species of plants and animals
In danger from people
Tropical Rainforest Animals : Tropical Rainforest Animals
Tropical Rainforest Animals : Tropical Rainforest Animals
Tropical Rainforest Plants : Tropical Rainforest Plants
Coastal Temperate Rainforests : Coastal Temperate Rainforests Scattered around the world
Mostly on Pacific West coast of North America
Coastal Temperate Rainforests : Coastal Temperate Rainforests Alaska to Oregon
35 to 80oF - not extremes
Rain - 140-167 inches per year
Trees can grow to 300 feet high and 23 feet in diameter
Coastal Temperate Rainforest Animals : Coastal Temperate Rainforest Animals
Coastal Temperate Rainforest Plants : Coastal Temperate Rainforest Plants
Why shouldn’t we cut down rainforests? : Why shouldn’t we cut down rainforests? Rainforests - very high diversity of animal and plant life (lots of different kinds)
Very difficult to replace - not many nutrients in the soil so once the plants are gone it is hard to grow any plants in that area
Add oxygen to the atmosphere (40%)
but also use much oxygen by decay