6th grade:
6th graders in Mr. Kozlowski's class researched different biomes,
including the rainforest. Here are some of the things they found.
Tropical Rainforests
by Alyssa
I chose to research the tropical rainforest. I did this because
the tropical rainforest is a fascinating place that I have always
wanted to visit. Did you know the rainforest has more plants and
species of living things than the rest of the earth combined?
The rainforest is filled with gigantic trees, beautiful flowers,
and millions of the most amazing animals. The tallest trees reach
up to the top and form a crown, called the canopy. The canopy gets
a lot of sunlight, but blocks the rest of the rainforest from getting
much. The canopy is also the most exciting part of the rainforest,
because of the cool creatures, delicious fruit, and beautiful flowers.
The second layer is made up of shorter trees that do not touch each
other. This layer is called understory. It is not as exciting as
the canopy, but is still exciting. Then the bottom is called the
floor. On the floor only few plants grow because there is very little
sunlight.
The tropical rainforest has a very warm climate, since they are
so close to the equator. They get a lot of rain. Always more than
eighty-five inches per year. Rainforests are very humid, especially
below the canopy. The temperatures never drop below 68F, and usually
don’t rise above 93žF.
There are so many trees in the rainforest. The West and Central
African rainforests have the least amount of plants. The Amazon
has the most. Just one hectare of a rainforest in Malaysia has over
180 different species of trees. Some trees that produce timber are
balsas, brazilwoods, mahoganies, teaks, rosewoods, and okoumes.
Other trees are used for rubber, fruits, and nuts. Some more trees
are cassias, dhaks, shellseeds, kapoks, chinchonas, and curare (vines).
Plants in the rainforest include ferns, mosses, orchids, bromeliads,
and lianas.
There are various types of animals, too. Some animals that live
in the canopy are bats, gibbons, monkeys, squirrels, parrots, toucans,
three-toed sloths, humming birds, frogs, lizards, and snakes. On
the floor there are antelopes, deer, hogs, and tapir. There are
also chimps, rodents like rats, and insects like spiders, ants,
and beetles. Also members of the cat family roam the forest floor,
including panthers and jaguars.
There are three main regions of land where the rainforests are
located. They are Central America, South America, and Southeast
Asia. Smaller rainforests are located in Africa and the Pacific
Islands. The largest rainforest is the Amazon Basin Rainforest.
The rainforests cover only 6% of the surface area of the earth,
when not too long ago they covered 50%. Every day part of the rainforests
gets destroyed. Just think, we could be destroying the cure for
a disease that people have not yet found a cure for, like cancer.
I enjoyed working on this report and project. It was a lot of fun.
Now I want to visit the rainforest even more than before!
Tropical Rain Forests
by Tina
My project is on the Tropical Rain Forest. Tropical rain forests
are found in warm regions, close to the equator, and get a lot of
sunlight and warmth. There are three main regions of tropical rain
forests: in Central and South America, in West and Central Africa,
and in South Asia. The largest tropical rain forest is the Amazon;
it covers six million sq.km. of the earth. Although rain forests
are such important biomes, they only cover six per cent of the earth’s
land surface, less than half the area they covered not too long
ago.
Tropical rain forests are very wet places, receiving heavy rainfall
either seasonally, or throughout the year. Temperatures are usually
high and don’t vary during the year; they are usually between
20 degrees and 35 degrees Celsius.
Tropical rain forests have more kinds of trees than any other forests
in the world! A hectare of Malaysian rain forest may contain over
180 kinds of trees! Rain forest trees are quite different from trees
of the temperate forests. In the rain forests, trees grow to gigantic
sizes, supported by strong buttresses at the base of the trunk that
help to stabilize them in the shallow forest soils. Many rain forest
trees have dark green, often leathery, leaves which taper sharply
to a "drip tip," so that water drains quickly from the
surface. Flowers like orchids and bromeliads grow directly on the
trunk and larger branches -- they are called Epiphytes. Birds and
butterflies easily reach these and act as pollinators.
Each year, some 140,000 sq.km. of rain forests are being destroyed.
Although large areas of rain forests remain in Central Africa and
South America, they, too, are vanishing at an alarming rate!
The top layer of rain forest vegetation consists of scattered tall
trees, which tower over a closed canopy layer formed by the crowns
of other trees. The canopy is the most exciting part of a rain forest;
here, most of the flowering and fruiting of the trees takes place,
attracting a variety of spectacular creatures. Below the canopy
is a third layer, formed by smaller trees whose crowns do not meet.
Below this is a layer composed of woody and herbaceous shrubs. Finally,
there is the ground layer, which receives very little sunlight.
Rain forests are homes to many insects and mammals. Some insects
live underground, and some will just crawl around the rain forest
floors. The mammals live in trees and on the ground. Every time
someone cuts down a tree, it is destroying an animal's home. That's
why we need to save the rain forests, to save the animals that live
in it.
Each year 1/3 of the rain forests are being destroyed. As it is,
rain forests only cover six per cent of the land’s surface.
But if we donate money, we can start to save our rain forests around
the world, and the animals which live in the rain forests.
The Tropical Rain Forest Biome
by Lindsie
I researched the tropical rain forest biome. It has many animals
and plants. In the tropical rain forest the climate varies. It is
a humid woodland and is very wet. I learned a lot of new stuff from
the research that I didn’t know before.
There are four different parts of the rain forest. The canopy,
the understory, shrubs, and herbs. The tropical rain forest has
an incredible variety of plants and animals. Rain forests are getting
destroyed. Different plants and animals vary.
The climate in tropical rain forests basically stays the same.
Rain forests are wet and humid. The temperature rises to 95 degrees
and drops to 64 degrees. There is not a lot of sun because of the
canopy. The canopy covers the sun from getting into the forest.
Therefore the soil is not that fertile.
There are lots of exciting animals in tropical rain forests, such
as spiders, monkeys, snakes, frogs, toucans, panthers, and much
more. Lots of these animals can survive in wet places and some animals
can't. Animals are different sizes, colors, and shape. Some animals
are vicious and some are sweet.
There is a lot of vegetation in rain forests. Most of it is trees,
shrubs and plants. There are many different plants but some are
being destroyed and many animals die.
Tropical rain forests are in three different regions. One is in
Central and South America. The other one is in West and Central
Africa. The last one is in Southeast Asia. The largest Basin Forest
takes up six million sq. kilometers.
The tropical rain forest is the best biome to do. It was really
fun and you can learn about amazing facts. I think if you had to
do a biome project, then you should pick the tropical rain forest
biome.
The Tropical Rainforest
by Ashley
The tropical rainforest is a hot, humid woodland that covers over
6 per cent of the earth. It holds half of the living organisms on
the earth. This home is being destroyed faster than any other ecosystem
in the world.
The tropical rainforest is a woodland of tall trees growing in
a region of year around warmth and abundant rainfall. The tropical
rainforest provides people with many benefits, such as wood/lumber.
Its plants produce timber and food for humans to use.
The climate in the tropical rainforest doesn’t vary a lot.
It very rarely rises above 95 degrees or drops below 64 degrees.
The climate of the rainforest is a factor in the quality of the
soil.
There are many trees that form three different layers, the canopy,
the understory, and the ground level. The plants are very active
although the soil is not fertile in many places.
Small animals such as monkeys, birds, snakes, lizards, and rodents
are common in the tropical rainforest. Most of the tropical rainforest
is being destroyed and many animals are dying.
The tropical rainforest is found near the equator in areas such
as the Amazon area of South America, the Zaire area of Africa, and
the East Indies.
I think that the tropical rainforest is quite interesting and amazing.
How can so many animals live there with no sunlight at all? I think
that you should find out about the tropical rainforest and be as
amazed as I am! |
