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Tropical Rainforests
Factfile |
 Tropical Rainforests |
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Life in the Rainforests |
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Spider Monkey - J Snodgrass
TRFs cover less than 3% of the Earth’s surface, but they are home to over half of the 5 – 10 million plant and animal on the globe. Here are some brief descriptions of what you can expect to find in a rainforest.
Trees : Within the TRFs trees can grow to a height of over 40 metres (remember that the average house is 8 metres high). They grow this tall for several reasons including the plentiful water supply, fertile soil and the need to get sunlight. The majority of TRF trees grow to between 20 and 30 metres to form a canopy. There are over 1000 types of tree in the TRFs of the World. We know about some of these like mahogany, but a large amount of them are yet to be studied.
Vegetation: The vegetation and trees, within a TRF, have a constant evergreen appearance. Why do you think this is the case? (Think about climate factors!). Trees take a lot of the sunlight from the lower parts of the TRF and the forest floor, limiting plant growth. However, in areas where the sunlight can reach, for example, the sides of rivers, or forest clearings, low-level vegetation thrives.
Animals: The types of animals living in TRFs are far less varied than the trees and vegetation. This is partly due to the climate, but also the density of the trees and undergrowth, which make it difficult for larger animals to move around. Animals that do make the TRF their home include monkeys, tapirs and jaguars.
Birds: Birds thrive in the TRF environment. There are hundreds of varieties of birds, including parrots. Birds have the ability to survive better than animals, because they can fly easily above and between the tree canopy.
Fish: The presence of rivers within a TRF along with the constant rainfall, provide a good habitat for fish to thrive in. Thousands of species of fish, like Piranha and Giant Pirarucu successfully live in TRFs.
Other Wildlife: Like birds, other flying insects find life in TRFs ideal. Butterflies, mosquitos and numerous other insects thrive. Like fish, amphibians such as frogs, find the wet climate and plentiful water perfect.
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