Rainforests Part 1

Animals & Their Environment

What is a rainforest?•What can we infer from the

name? •High levels of precipitation• Typical rainforest has 80-100

inches of rainfall each year. • Illinois – average is only 38

inches of rainfall a year.

Rainforest Fast Facts•Only 2% of the land masses•House over 50% of species of the world!•Estimates that they have between 3-50 million species!•BIODIVERSITY•Produce over 80% of Earth’s oxygen

Two types of Rainforests

Tropical Temperate

Temperate Rainforests

Tropical Rainforests

So, what’s the difference between Tropical and Temperate Rainforests? • Tropical• Only a small percentage of tropical

forests ARE rainforests. • Must lie between the Tropic of

Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn• Over 750 types of trees• Warmer temperatures – warm

year round

• Temperate• Made up of deciduous or

coniferous trees• Contain the tallest trees in the

world (Redwoods)• Cooler temperatures – cold

winters, hot summers

ITCZ• Inter Tropic Convergence Zone• This is what supports the

Tropical Rainforests of the world• Belt of Low Pressure that circles

the earth around the equator• Where the Northern &

Southern Trade Winds converge• Noted for severe thunderstorms

• http://www2.palomar.edu/users/pdeen/Animations/23_WeatherPat.swf

• http://www2.palomar.edu/users/pdeen/Animations/23_WeatherPat.swf