Tropical Rainforests

• Biodiversity: A large variety of animal and plant life living in the same ecosystem.
• Camouflage: An animal adaptation where animals purposefully look like their surroundings to hide from predators.
• Decomposers: Organisms that break down organic material and release the nutrients back into the ecosystem.
• Debt-for-nature swaps: Agreements where one country reduces the amount of debt owed by another country in return for the owing country putting efforts into environmental conservation.
• Deforestation: The permanent (and usually large-scale) removal of trees.
• Drip-tip: An adaptation of a leaf where the end of the leaf is tapered, allowing rainwater to drip off.
• Ecotourism: Tourism that aims to have reduced environmental impact and supports conservation efforts, making it sustainable.
• Epiphytes: Plants that live on the surface of other plants, receiving nutrients from these plants.
• Carbon sink: Something that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits, causing a net loss of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• Hydroelectric power: Energy harnessed from the movement of water.
• Cattle ranching: The rearing of cows on large areas of land, usually to produce meat to sell for a profit.
• Lianas: Woody vines found in tropical rainforests; their roots grow on the forest floor, but the vines stretch high into the canopy.
• Logging: The process of cutting down trees for wood
• Leaching: A process in soils where minerals are washed away by water (usually rainfall).
• Commercial farming: Agriculture that is intended to create surplus produce to sell for a profit.
• Clear felling: A form of logging where all trees in an area are cut down.