Tropical Rainforest

Woodolph M. Richard

06/09/2014

Week 1 I.P

AIU Online

Environmental Science

“THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST”

Tropical rainforest are usually found near the equator. Fifty seven percent of all tropical rainforests are found in Latin America. One third of the world's tropical rainforests are in Brazil. Other tropical rainforests are located in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands (25% of the world's tropical rainforests) and West Africa (18%). (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2002) An example would be the Amazon, which is the largest tropical rainforest.

The structures of the tropical rainforest are the rainforest has four layers. The top layers are the canopy. It consists of the tallest trees of the rain forest. They may get over 50 meters tall but only very few reach that height. The canopy is the part that gets the most sunlight. The sub canopy is a layer of trees that is below the canopy. More than 70% of rainforest animals and plant species live in the canopy and sub canopy. The understory is the shadowy lower area. It has young trees and plants like ferns or palms that do not need much light. Only 1 or 2 percent of the sunlight reaches the understory. The final structure is the floor. The floor has a thin layer of leaves, seeds, fruits, and branches that fall from the trees. It decomposes fast and new material takes its place. (Tom Chayet, 2013)

Three examples of common biotic factors of the rainforest are trees, animals, and bacteria. Three examples of common abiotic factors of the rainforest are sunlight, temperature, and humidity. While rainforests may seem like a distant concern, these ecosystems are critically important for our well-being. Rainforests are often called the lungs of the planet for their role in absorbing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and producing oxygen, upon which all animals depend for survival. Rainforests also stabilize climate, house incredible amounts of plants and wildlife, and produce nourishing rainfall all around the...