Q6)

Q6) Why are rainforests important? Rainforests are extremely important for the earth's ecosystem. Also they provide homes for animals, land for plants, help control the world's climate, provide resources for medicines/food and is an interesting place to visit. 

Our plants and animals is main priority for the rainforest being so important. Inside these types of plants and animals are our native Australian things. For example, koalas, kangaroos and the Eucalyptus tree are some of our Native flora and fauna. If the rainforest weren't as important as it is now, then things would slack off and these wonderful things of nature would be destroyed or have their species threatened.

Another thing is sources for medicines and food. In rainforests, plants, trees etc provide medicidines/food/crops for others. By doing this, it could be saving millions of lives. Some foods that originally come from the rainforest are: fruits, nuts, grains, tea, sugar, rice etc.

  

Q5)

Q5) Where are rainforests found in the world? Use a world map to illustrate. Here is a map to show were the main rainforests are:
The main rainforest areas are America, Africa, Asia, Australia. Most rainforests are green, have high rainfall, dense and full of flora and fauna. All the rainforest locations stated above have these. Some specific rainforests are the Amazon River Basin, Daintree and Congo rainforest. Some are famous for their animals, plants and even largest temperates.

Q4)

Q4)What plants live in the rainforest?(There are 4 main types of plants. List them all and give examples of each)There is a huge number of plants living in the rainforest. Some are the Orchids, Strangler Fig, Bromeliads and Epiphytes.

Orchids are part of the Orchidaceae family and is the largest group of living flowers. There are around 25,000 species of orchids around the world, with more yet to be discovered. Most orchids adapt well to tropical parts of the world. These beautiful plants range from numerous colours, size and shape. Though they share something in common, the pattern of three petals and three petal-like sepals. Horticulturists ('an expert in the science of cultivating plants-fruit or flowers or vegetables or ornamental plants') have come up with over 100,000 hybrids (to do with genes and species) of commercialization ('the process of of introducing a new product into the market'). The reason being that these orchids are protected under Convention on International trade in Endangered species of Wild fauna and flora (CITES).

The Strangler Fig is mainly part of the Fig family.

(A known fact, in spanish they are known as the 'killer tree'.)

The beginning of a strangler fig is an epiphyte ('air plant: plant that derives moisture and nutrients from the air and rain: usually grows on another plant but not parasitic on it')high in the trees. It then brings down extended roots to the ground where it begins to grow around the host tree. These plants grows quickly and suffocate the host tree. It then grows stronger and stronger, making it strong enough to squeeze the host tree's trunk smaller and smaller. Once it it tight enough for the sap to be unable to travel, the host tree dies. But the Strangler Fig is strong and has taken the place once belonging to the host tree.


The Bromeliad is one of the members of the plant family, Bromeliaceae. This family contains over 3000 species in around 56 genera ('the usual major subdivision of a family or subfamily in the classification of organisms, usually consisting of more than one species').Their thick, waxy leaves make the shape of a bowl to catch rainfall water. A number of Bromeliads can carry big amounts of water and are small ecosystems for animals such as frogs/tadpoles, salamanders, snails, beetles, mosquito larvae etc.

When some die they disintegrate and supply their nutrients into the Bromeliad. It was heard that one Bromeliad was found that contained several small beetles, crane flies, earwigs, a frog, a cockroach, spiders, fly larvae, a millipede, a scorpion, woodlice and an earthworm! One of the most well known Bromeliad is the Pineapple.

Epiphytes, also known as air plants are able to grow everywhere but are mainly found on branches, trunks and leaves of a tree. The name 'Epiphyte' originates from the Greek word 'Epi' meaning 'upon' and 'phyton' meaning 'plant'. Many different species of Epiphytes can live on one tree including orchids, cacti, bromeliads, aroids, lichens, mosses, ferns etc. They start of as seeds/spores in the canopy, brought their by birds or just the wind.

Q3)

Q3) What animals live in the rainforest? Which layer of the rainforest do they live in? Select one rainforest animal, find a picture of it to include in your report, and describe its habitat. There are many types of groups of animals that live in the rainforest. Some include: mammals (monkeys, jaguars etc), reptiles (snakes etc), birds, amphibians (frogs etc), and so much more. These groups of animals are scattered around the layers of the rainforest. For instance, some birds and insects live in the Emergent layer and some large creatures live in the Forest-Floor layer.

The animal I chose is the Lemur. These small, agile creatures come from Madagascar and are primates. They look something along the lines of a cat crossed with a dog and squirrel. Here is a picture:


There are many types of Lemurs. Some are: Black-White Ruffed Lemur and the Red Ruffed Lemur. Even though Lemurs look different, their personality is one not to forget. 

Lemurs have long and stretched noses, contributing to their great sense of smell.They can come in various sizes, ranging from the Pygmy Mouse Lemur, weighing one ounce and the Indri and Diademed Sifaka Lemurs,up to fifteen pounds and the size of a cat.


Lemurs use their sense of smell to communicate with others. Another source of communication is their bushy tail. They do this by waving it up in the air. These long tails also help them balance when jumping from tree to tree 


The majority of Lemurs are arboreal, meaning that they mainly live in trees and bushes. Since they are primates, they can get a fantastic grip on branches to hang on.Only a few species travel and live on the ground. Most of the time when they are awake in the day they live with their traveling groups. One other communication source used is the noises they make. The nocturnal lemurs normally live in small groups or even alone.


The only place to fine Lemurs is Madagascar and the islands around them, but they live in various environments. Making it even possible for some to live in moist tropical rainforests, and others in humid desert-like places.


When new-born lemurs are born, they are held in their mothers mouth until strong enough to hold onto her back. Their average life span is eighteen years.


Lemurs diet is mainly vegetarian, only on some occasions insects and other small animals. On the scale of fifty species, ten would be critically endangered, seven endangered  and nineteen being vulnerable. Meaning that they can live on with an injury.

 The ecology of Madagascar counts on Lemurs, because they send of seeds from the fruits eaten by them. This is good because those seeds can grow into more and more plants, which is important because a lot of Madagascar foliage has been destroyed. Even though there are a lot of species of Lemurs, they are still under threat because a number of rainforests are being destroyed. The citizens of Madagascar have been cutting down numerous trees for their crop. Little do they know that they are destroying their native animals. The Lemurs cannot disperse the same number of seeds as trees being cut down. Another problem is hunting of the Lemurs. 

Save our Lemurs, stop DEFORESTATION!

Q2)

Describe the layers of the rainforest? Each layer is filled with animals and plants. In the top layer, the Emergent is home to most birds and insects, because of its unusual tree heights. Trees here can live up to 350 years.


Some mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibibians etc find the Canopy layer just for them. This is probably because of its leafy, luscious environment.


A lot of sunshine doesn't reach the Understory layer, making the plant leaves having to grow larger to reach the sun. A big range of creatures live here. Some include; Tree frogs, Jaguars and Insects.


Last but not least, the Forest-Floor home to many large animals, such as the anteater. This particular layer is very gloomy and dark, so not many plants thrive here.

Here is a illustrated picture drawn by me to help:

Q1)

Q1) What is a rainforest? A rainforest is a damp, warm natural environment, filled with flora and fauna. These plants and animals help the rainforest grow and live, by providing oxygen. Rainforests are natural, therefore have no man-made (built) things. They have four different layers which are Emergent, Canopy, Understory and Forest-Floor. These layers help the ecosystem of the rainforest.