Tropical rainforests have tall trees, warm climates with high rainfall, and are located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. They contain some of the largest rivers in the world and store large amounts of carbon, helping to slow climate change. However, rainforests are being cut down for agriculture, logging, and other industries, threatening wildlife and the global environment.

2. • Tr opi cal r ai nf or est s ar e f or est s wi t h t al l
t r ees, war mcl i mat es, and l ot s of r ai n.
• I n some r ai nf or est s i t r ai ns mor e t han one
i nch near l y ever y day of t he year !
• Rai nf or est s ar e f ound i n t he t r opi cs, t he
r egi on bet ween t he Tr opi c of Cancer and t he
Tr opi c of Capr i cor n, j ust above and bel owt he
Equat or .
• Rai nf or est s ar e f ound i n
Af r i ca, Asi a, Aust r al i a, and Cent r al and Sout h
Amer i ca. The l ar gest r ai nf or est i n t he wor l d
i s t he Amazon r ai nf or est i n Sout h Amer i ca.

3. • Due t o t he gr eat amount of r ai nf al l t hey
r ecei ve, t r opi cal r ai nf or est s have some
of t he l ar gest r i ver s i n t he wor l d, l i ke
t he Amazon, Mekong, Or i noco, and Congo.

4. • The t al l est t r ees ar e
t he emer gent , t ower i ng
as much as 200 f eet
above t he f or est f l oor
wi t h t r unks t hat measur e
up t o 16 f eet ar ound.
• Ani mal s f ound ar e
eagl es, monkeys, bat s and
but t er f l i es.
• Thi s i s t he pr i mar y
l ayer of t he f or est and
f or ms a r oof over t he
t wo r emai ni ng l ayer s.
• ani mal s f ound ar e:
snakes, t oucans and t r ee
f r ogs.
Emergent layer Canopy layer

5. Understory layer
• Li t t l e sunshi ne r eaches
t hi s ar ea so t he pl ant s
have t o gr owl ar ger
l eaves t o r each t he
sunl i ght . The pl ant s i n
t hi s ar ea sel domgr owt o
12 f eet .
• Many ani mal s l i ve her e
i ncl udi ng j aguar s, r ed-
eyed t r ee f r ogs and
l eopar ds.
Forest floor
• I t 's ver y dar k down
her e. Al most no pl ant s gr ow
i n t hi s ar ea, as a
r esul t . Si nce har dl y any sun
r eaches t he f or est f l oor
t hi ngs begi n t o decay
qui ckl y. Al eaf t hat mi ght
t ake one year t o decompose
i n a r egul ar cl i mat e wi l l
di sappear i n 6 weeks.
• Gi ant ant eat er s l i ve i n
t hi s l ayer .

7. • Ver y i mpor t ant l y, t he pl ant s cl ean t he ai r .
• By absor bi ng car bon di oxi de t hey hel p sl owdown
t he gr eenhouse ef f ect .
• Rai nf or est t r ees st or e car bon di oxi de i n t hei r
r oot s, st ems, br anches, and l eaves.
• Many r ai nf or est pl ant s ar e used i n medi ci ne.
• Rai nf or est s al so of f er a var i et y of f oods whi ch i ncl udes
cof f ee, cocoa, many f r ui t s and nut s, spi ces, r i ce, and ot her
pr oduct s such as r ubber , gums, r esi ns, dyes, t anni ns and
cane.
• Rai nf or est s soak up moi st ur e, and t hen r el ease i t sl owl y.
Thi s moder at es t he f l owof r i ver s t hus pr event i ng.

8. • Loggi ng i nt er est s cut down r ai n
f or est t r ees f or t i mber used i n
f l oor i ng, f ur ni t ur e, and ot her
i t ems.
• Power pl ant s and ot her
i ndust r i es cut and bur n t r ees t o
gener at e el ect r i ci t y.
• The paper i ndust r y t ur ns huge
t r act s of r ai n f or est t r ees i nt o
pul p.
• Agr i cul t ur al i ndust r i es cl ear
f or est s f or cr opl and.
• Subsi st ence f ar mer s sl ash-and-
bur n r ai n f or est f or f i r ewood
and t o make r oomf or cr ops and

9. • Teach ot her s about t he i mpor t ance of t he
envi r onment and howt hey can hel p save
r ai nf or est s.
• Rest or e damaged ecosyst ems by pl ant i ng t r ees on
l and wher e f or est s have been cut down.
• Encour age peopl e t o l i ve i n a way t hat doesn't
hur t t he envi r onment .
• Est abl i sh par ks t o pr ot ect r ai nf or est s and
wi l dl i f e.
• Suppor t compani es t hat oper at e i n ways t hat
mi ni mi ze damage t o t he envi r onment .

10. • http://rainforests.mongabay.com/
• http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/
rainforest/Edit560s6/www/whlayers.html
• http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/biomerai
nfor2.htm
• http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/good_wood
/the_imp.htm
• http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/e
nvironment/habitats/rainforest-threats/