Ecosystems: Rainforests of the World

A presentation by:

Carol Cleveland

NSF NMGK-12 Fellow 2000-2001

2 Kinds of Rain Forests

Tropical Coastal Temperate

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?

Tropical rainforests are mostly around the equator.

50% are in South America.

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 Plants

Coastal Temperate Rainforests

Scattered around the worldMostly on Pacific West coast of North America

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 Plants

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