Ecosystems

• Tundra


  ”Treeless plain” this area has no tall vegetation but lots of small shrubs as it is so cools all year round Polar climate Dwarf trees and shrubs Arctic fox
• Taiga


  This is “Christmas tree” forests . They have cold winters but warm springs which allow growth of forests Cool temperature Spruce tree Elk
• Mediterranean 


  Warm all year round with good rainfall they produce large amounts of fruit and vegetables Warm climate Citrus trees Goats
• Savanna


  Relatively flat and treeless but very dry and grassy for animals like Zebra to roam and graze
• Desert


  Hot all year round with cold nights . Little vegetation and no water Hot desert biome Cactus Camel
• Tropical rainforest


  Warm and wet all year round with lots of vegetation and animal life Equatorial Mahogany trees Monkeys
• Location of tropical rainforests


  On or near the equator

  Between the tropics of capricorn and cancer

  Eg the amazon and the congo
• Why rainforests are hot

  The equator is closer to the sun than the polar areas. This means the suns rays have more energy. Also at the equator there is less surface area to heat up , this means it warms quickly
• Why rainforests are wet

  The sun is strong at the equator and heats up the water. This caused it to evaporate and rise, cool, condense, clouds , rain. Usually in the afternoon
• Emergent layer


  Very tall trees that have grown beyond the canopy

  45-55 metres

  Trees have to endure hot temperatures and resist strong winds

  Bats, butterflies, eagles
• Canopy layer


  30-45 metres

  Most biodiversity

  Animals prefer it for shelter and avoiding predators

  Various insects, reptiles, amphibians

  Sloths and lightweight monkeys
• Understory layer


  Jaguars, leopards

  Boa constrictors

  Only receives 5% sunlight Lianas grow up the trees
• Forest floor


  Only receives 2% sunlight

  Fungi and worms

  Buttress roots support tall trees
• Lianas


  These grow from the ground up and wind their way around the trees for support. They also suck nutrients out from the tree they grow on
• Buttress roots


  These are massive tree roots which grow close to the ground . They give the emergent trees support from falling over and get nutrients from the shallow poor quality soil
• Corpse flower


  This is one of the largest and smelliest flowers in the world. It uses its smell to attract insects for pollination and it uses vines to suck nutrients from other trees and plants
• Sloth


  Slow movement - means it requires less energy

  Large claws - this allows it to hang and not waste energy

  Moss / green fur - camouflage from predators
• Capybara


  It is an excellent swimmer - webbed feet let it swim quickly

  Social - They live in groups of 30-100 for protection

  Poop- They eat indigestion food from their poop eg seeds and grasses - No extra hunting
• Is man destroying the rainforest

  We are wiping out rainforests faster that it can regenerate

  Deforestation accounts for the loss of 137 plant , animal and insect species every day

  Western pharmaceuticals ingredients come from the rainforest

  More than 2000 plant species contain cancer fighting elements

  Many on the animals in the rainforest are not capable of surviving in a different habitat