Biomes Virtual Tour

Tropical Rainforest
General Description
General Description
- Near the equator
- Absorbs carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and increasing local humidity
- Most biodiversity
- Many vegetation
- Heavy precipitation
Abiotic (non-living) Factors
- Precipitation: 50 to 300 inches of rainfall per year.
- Temperature: Between 20C and 34C (equator)
- Shade: vegetation filters out sunlight before it reaches the forest floor
Biotic (living) factors
- Very diverse population of plants and animals
- Amazon rainforest: 80,000 species of plants
- 4 layers
- 1. Emergent: birds, monkeys
- 2. Canopy: 90% of the rainforest's animals
- 3. Understory: plants like vines
- Forest Floor: home to insects
Environmental Concerns
Threats:
- Logging: cutting down trees for furniture
- Cutting down and burning trees for energy
- Agriculture: cutting down trees for land
What would happen if we cut down the Amazon rainforest?

- Amazon rainforest stores carbon. If they were all cut down, all the stored
carbon will be released into the atmosphere and speed up global warming
- Rainforest is home for many species. Can lead to extinction of many plants,
mammals, and insects
- Many people also live near and depend on the rainforest for survival
References
NASA. (n.d.). Rainforest: Mission: Biomes. NASA. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/biome/biorainforest.php

Johnson, D. (2019, March 2). The characteristics of the Rainforest. Sciencing. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from
https://sciencing.com/characteristics-rainforest-8514049.html

Butler, R. A. (2020, July 16). Why are rainforests being destroyed? Mongabay. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from
https://rainforests.mongabay.com/kids/elementary/501.html