17 It can reach a length of 30 feet and weigh up to 550 pounds. Amazon Rainforest: A Guide in Rhyme by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock. There are 102 species in Marojejy National Park alone (go in April to May or . Covering over 5.5 million square kilometres, it's so big that the UK and Ireland would fit into it 17 times!. Vampire bats and anacondas live in the rainforests of South America. The Amazon Rainforest has over 1,300 types of birds, 427 mammals, 3,000 fish species, and 2.5 million species of insects. 1. The tropical rainforest is a hot, moist biome where it rains all year long. Fact 25: Some plants in the rainforest are described as strangler figs. Their droppings disperse seeds in these sunny areas where new trees and shrubs can take root. . Rain drips through the canopy, but only speckled sunlight gets through. They are also much less sunny and rainy, receiving anywhere between 150-500 centimeters (60-200 inches) of rain per year. We need rainforests to regulate the climate, maintain the water cycle, and purify the air we breathe. Regrowth After A Rainforest Is Cleared. In their honor, here are some interesting facts about the rainforest animals and insects. In the top emergent layer, trees as tall as 60 meters (200 feet) grow far apart and tall, their branches reaching above the canopy. Pygmy gliders (Acrobates pygmaeus) are small rodents that get their name from the way flaps of skin between their legs allow them to glide from branch to branch. Rainforests help to stabilize the climate of the world not only by making rain but also by absorbing carbon dioxide. Besides, it is the second-longest river running for 4,000 miles (6,400 km), only after the Nile. Generating sustainable, forest-based livelihoods that incentivize conservation is a proven approach to saving the worlds forests. The oldest tropical trees in the world are between 800 2000 years old! Compared to other biomes, everything decomposes 10 times faster in tropical rainforests. Many rainforests are located in developing countries with economies based on natural resources. Amazon facts. 9 Amazon Rainforest Fun Facts. Chocolate, pineapple, and cinnamon all come from rainforests. 3. Many bats, birds, and insects prefer the open airspace the understory offers. Rainforests produce about 20% of our oxygen and store a huge amount of carbon dioxide, drastically reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. She or he will best know the preferred format. Tropical tropical trees such as balsa are lightweight yet very strong which means they make good building material, In tropical forests, you can find over 1 million different species of flowering plants, The Amazon tropical rainforest is home to approximately 390 billion individual trees, There are over 30,000 tropical plant species in one hectare of tropical rainforest, Tropical rainforests give us 20% of all the oxygen we breathe, Humans first evolved in tropical rainforests, Over 350 million tonnes of organic matter is recycled through decomposition within tropical ecosystems each year, There are more than 50,000 different species of tropical butterfly, There are over 3000 species of tropical fish, Tropical rainforests cover only 2% of the Earths surface but tropical forests provide habitats for more than half of all land-based creatures. This temperature is fairly constant all through the year, since, the temperature near the equator does not change significantly throughout the year. The rainforests encompass more than 3.5 million square kilometers, which represents about half of the total global rainforest cover! The New Guinea rainforest has over 11,000 known species of vascular plants, 1,200 species of trees, and around 200 species of ferns. 2. Foliage is often sparse on tree trunks, but spreads wide as the trees reach the sunny upper layer, where they photosynthesize the suns rays. In rainforests on the island of New Guinea, pygmy gliders populate the emergent layer. See the positive change our work is making around the This layer of vegetation prevents much of the sunlight from reaching the ground. While each layer is distinct, they exist in an interdependent system: processes and species in one layer influence those in another. Fact 13: While rainfall evaporation is carried to other (distant) places to fall as rain in most climates, nearly 50 percent of precipitation in the rainforest comes from local evaporation (generated within the rainforest itself). Trees in temperate rainforests can live much longer than humans, some live for up to 1000 years! Fact 11: True rainforests are usually not above 1,000 meters (approximately 3,280 feet). In the Amazon rainforest, the towering trees of the emergent layer include the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) and the kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra). The water forms a thick cloud-cover over the rainforest, so it is always warm and humid. Jewel-toned parrots squawk and fly through its trees. They are incredibly diverse and complex, home to more than half of the worlds plant and animal specieseven though they cover just six percent of Earths surface. The rainforest floor is very dark, with less than 1% of the light making it through the canopy of the trees. Rainforests are a powerful natural climate solution. Impoverished people who live on or near these lands are also motivated to improve their lives by converting forests into subsistence farmland. Temperate rainforests can be found on the coasts of the Pacific Northwest in North America, Chile, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, New Zealand, and southern Australia. The Brazil nut tree, a vulnerable species, can live up to 1,000 years in undisturbed rainforest habitats. The tropical forests of Sumatra and Borneo are home to the Sumatran rhinoceros, which is. The very top part is called the canopy, which can be as tall as 98 feet to 164 feet (30 to 50 meters). More than 60 percent of anticancer drugs originate from natural sources, including rainforest plants, according to research published in thePLoS One. 18 Though it's . Here are five facts about the Amazon rainforest: 1. We also make medicine from some of the plants there. When the founders of the Rainforest Alliance set out more than thirty years ago to save the worlds rainforests, we quickly learned that in order to do so, wed have to transform the agricultural sector (the number one driver of deforestation worldwide), as well as forestry. The world's largest rainforest is the Amazon rainforest. The Livelihood of 1,6 Billion People Depends on the Rainforest. Temperate rainforest trees such as the coast redwood in the U.S. state of California and the alerce in Chile are among the oldest and largest tree species in the world.. The importance of rainforest species in public health is even more incredible considering that less than one percent of rainforest species have been analyzed for their medicinal value. Kelps and other seaweeds can be harvested and eaten in soups or dried. Trees and other plants release water into the atmospheresomething called transpirationthen the water falls back to Earth as rain. The Rainforest Alliance is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-3377893. Lightweight seeds are carried away from the parent plant by strong winds. The tallest trees spread their branches and leaves blocking the light from the trees below, and creating a . Think of Pineapple, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Rubber and Medicines They all come from the rainforest! Here are our top facts about this magical place. In the next layer, the canopy, the leaves and branches of the trees all touch one another or are connected by vines. 7. #shorts #ytshorts #viral #amazonrainforest@need2knowww In this video you will see the following:The Amazon rainforest is. Rainforests are lush, warm, wet habitats. Rainforest trees can release a lot of water, up to 200 gallons each year. 7. They can also understand basic parts of arithmetic and even, in rare cases, multiplication. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. Pink Dolphin (Boto) Yes, there is such a thing as a pink dolphin, and they are known as the Boto. 7. The dense vegetation dulls sound, so manybut not allcanopy dwellers are notable for their shrill or frequent vocalizing. Many of the trees (such as Kapok trees) are supported by thick buttresses which can stretch up to 10 meters (approximately 33 feet) or more. They aren't blind. The Amazon river has more than 3,000 fish species. 6. Many countries are supporting businesses and initiatives that promote the sustainable use of their rainforests. The plots are never abandoned and are passed on within the family. 6. The temperate rainforests of North America, for example, bloom with berries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo used REDD funds to create an online National Forest Monitoring System that tracks and maps data on logging concessions, deforestation in protected areas, and national forestry sector measures. Many species of birds live in the canopy layer of the rainforest such as the Gray Parrot and the Macaw. Her motto is Treat animals like you treat humans, with love and respect!, Youve seen reports on the horrific truth behind factory farms. It, therefore, follows that, as elevation increases, night time temperature decreases significantly, which in turn affects the forests ecology. The understory is the warm, damp, and sheltered layer below the leafy tree canopy. Although large tropical rivers are fairly uniform in appearance and water composition, their . Because of their warmth and moisture, tropical rainforests produce. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. They usually live for 50 - 100 years. Rainforests hold more than two-thirds of the world's plant species. There can be as much as 450inches of rain in a single year in a tropical rainforest. Amphibians, such as dazzlingly colored tree frogs, thrive in the humidity because it keeps their skin moist. It is known for its dense canopies of vegetation that form three different layers. More than 150 ethnic groups have lived in the Congo rainforest for over 50,000 years. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Occasional cases of dry seasons are . Here are 25+ interesting facts about the rainforests. 4. Taken together, these processes help to stabilize Earths climate. Lots of smaller animals live in rainforests too, including dragonflies, tree frogs, and at least hundreds of species of ants. People also log trees to make fortunes. Rainforests are disappearing at an alarmingly fast pace, largely due to human development over the past few centuries. A rainforest biome is an ecosystem that consists of sprawling forests with diverse flora and fauna. Here are 15 serious threats to rainforests: 1. Like the Chimbu, the Yanomami practice both hunting and shifting-cultivation agriculture. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. But what are the actual statistics? Occasional cases of dry seasons are usually short and unpredictable. The fungi can even consume the plastic in an oxygen-free environment, leading many environmentalists and businesses to invest in research to investigate if the fungi can help reduce waste in urban landfills. We havent forgotten about our youngest rainforest explorers. The New Guinea Rainforest Has Plants That Date Back 100,000,000 Years Ago. 2. Below are 45+ Facts on Tropical Rainforests. Photo: Shutterstock. Forests are also natural water filters, keeping pollution and debris from flowing into water supplies and slowing the movement of rainwater so it flows into underground reserves. Tropical rainforests are found near the equator, with high average temperatures and humidity, while temperate rainforests lie mostly in coastal, mountainous areas within the mid-latitudes. The Amazon is well known for a number of reasons. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. This is why the loss of forests often leads to drought. 17 - There are more than 1,000 different types of trees in a typical rainforest. The Congolese rainforest is the second biggest in the world. This species of mahogany is an emergent tree (emerges through the canopy) and grows up to 70 meters tall. Due to bountiful Pacific inlets, rivers, and streams, the traditional Tlingit diet consists of a wide variety of aquatic life: crab, shrimp, clams, oysters, seals, and fish such as herring, halibut, and, crucially, salmon. Talk to your family, friends, and acquaintances about how they can help save the rainforest too. These unique facts about the tropical rainforests show that it has the most diverse ecosystem globally. Rainforests also store a considerable percentage of the worlds freshwater, with the Amazon Basin alone storing one-fifth. Rain Forest Warriors: How Indigenous Tribes Protect the Amazon, National Geographic Environment: Tropical Rain Forest Wildlife. Monkeys shout and chatter as they swing from tree to tree looking for breakfast. world.LEARN This list of easy-to-remember rainforest fun facts will keep every kids attention. While there is some debate about its length, the river is generally believed to be at least 4,000 miles (6,400 km) long, which makes it the second longest river in the world after the Nile River in . Rainforests are crucial for keeping our planet healthy. A typical exception is the Palm tree (whose bark does not follow the described trend). Running through the north of the rainforest is the Amazon . 2. Such rapid habitat loss is due to the fact that 40 hectares (100 acres) of rainforest are cleared every minute for agricultural and industrial development. There is even a tropical rainforest in Alaska! Explore a sampling in this colorful rhyming story. Development is encroaching on rainforest habitats from all sides. 1. In a distressing development, a 2017 study published in the journal Science reveals that tropical forests that once served as the Earths carbon sinks now emit more carbon than they absorb, because of deforestation and forest loss caused by humans. Most rainforests are structured in four layers: emergent, canopy, understory, and forest floor. Rainforest plants are also used in the creation of muscle relaxants, steroids, and insecticides. Covering . Due to palm oil concessions, between 1,000 and 5,000 orangutans are killed every year. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. A fifth of all of the fresh water in the world can be found in the Amazon Basin. It is over 5.5 million square kilometers, 1.4 billion acres, and extends over . Only the tallest trees can reach to this layer. About 30 million species of plants and animals live in the rainforest. Sometimes it's almost double that at 450cm. The Rainforest Alliances Sustainable Agriculture Standard includes requirements designed to protect standing forests, including native forest set-asides for large farms and practices that nurture soil health and increase productivity on existing farmland (thereby reducing pressure to expand by cutting down forests). Also, about two-thirds of the world's flowering plants are in tropical rainforests. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Tropical rainforests have a bigger variety of trees, hundreds of species in fact! More than a hundred (100) millimeter of rainfalls every month (equivalent to about 4 inches of rainfall). The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest. The Chimbu people live in the highland rainforest on the island of New Guinea. 9. Due to the Tropical Rainforests' High Temperatures, the Average Air Humidity Falls Between 77% and 88%. The climbing plants expend less energy and time in growing, as the support system (for exposure to sunlight and adequate rainfall) needed for their growth is provided by climbing other trees within the rainforest. Rainforests also provide us with many medicinal products. The top three biggest rainforests are the Amazon, Congo, and New Guinea rainforest. The United Nations REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) Program, for example, offers financial incentives for reducing carbon emissions created by deforestation to 58 member countries. Even the cool evergreen forests of North Americas Pacific Northwest and Northern Europe are a type of rainforest. Fact 5: The rainforests have been proven to play a critical role in global climate regulation. The Rainforest Trust, for example, supports local conservation groups around the world in purchasing and managing critically important habitats. Because rainforests are so rich in biodiversity, they hold enormous potential for future discoveries. Fact 10: The altitude of a rainforest and distance from the equator determine the temperature in a rainforest. Bring the Facts and the Pressure to Win Systemic Change We leverage our globally-recognized research and reports, peaceful direct actions, narrative savvy, and high-level corporate negotiations to force policy and practice solutions for real change on the ground. Here are some suggestions on how you can contribute to precious rainforest preservation: Last but not least, spread the word on social media. Around 2% of sunlight reaches the ground. A beam of sunlight makes its way through the leaves and lights up the brightly colored wings of a macaw. However, we cannot afford to give up on tropical forests. Tropical rainforests are so warm and moist that they produce as much as 75 percent of their own rain through evaporation and transpiration. 8. A rainforest consists of two major areas. Canopy Layer: Rainforests Cover Less Than 2% of the Earths Surface. Every Year, Over 18 Million Acres of Forest Are Lost Due to Deforestation. 5. Since 1990 Peru has lost 2,773,810 acres of primary rainforest. Many individuals, communities, governments, intergovernmental organizations, and conservation groups are taking innovative approaches to protect threatened rainforest habitats. However, other aspects return quickly, it depends on the . A rainforest is an area of tall trees and a high amount of rainfall. There are four layers of rainforest and here is the rainforest layers facts for kids: 1. These plants provide food and shelter for small animals and birds . The Amazon rainforest covers some 40% of the South American continent. The Amazon rainforest covers an enormous 6.7 million square kilometres. From the forest floor, the Mbuti hunt fish and crabs from the Ituri River (a tributary of the Congo), as well as gather berries from low-lying shrubs. In fact, the average annual temperature has been put at about 25 degree Celsius (approximately 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Fact 8: The average minimum monthly temperature in a rainforest is 18 degree Celsius (approximately 64 degrees Fahrenheit). Each layer has unique characteristics based on differing levels of water, sunlight, and air circulation. Game hunted by the Yanomami include deer, tapirs (an animal similar to a pig), monkeys, birds, and armadillos. The Amazon is found in South America, spanning across Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Now that we have your attention, lets check some more cool rainforest facts. The canopy is the fourth layer. 8. For example, the Amazon alone has some 1,100 tributaries, 17 of which are over 1,000 miles long. They live in the Amazon river. It is home to around 40,000 plant species, nearly 1,300 bird species, 3,000 types of fish, 427 species of mammals, and 2.5 million different insects. In turn, this seal allows tourists to make ecologically smart vacation plans. Damage to nature could halve living standards for the poor and reduce global GDP by about 7% by 2050 (BBC News). The Belize rainforest is also where you'll find thousands of caves, including some that were used by the ancient Maya people to perform some of their most important religious ceremonies. People must realize that by destroying the rainforest, were putting our natural source of fresh air and overall environmental stability at risk. The population of humans has been on the rise with scientists estimating that it will reach 9 billion by 2050. Partnering with Burung Indonesia, the Trust created a 8,900-hectare (22,000-acre) reserve on Sangihe Island to protect the highest concentration of threatened bird species in Asia. The strangler figs then become free-standing trees! Rainforests are a great source of medicines. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. There are rows of sharp spines on the undersides of the leaves. Did you know that 89% of CO2 emissions came from fossil fuels and industry? Fact 1: Rainforests only cover around 2 percent the total surface area of the Earth and about 6% of the Earth's land surface, but about 50 percent of all known species of the plants and animals on the earth live in the rainforest. The Amazon rainforests canopy layer, with its jungle-like density. The upper layer of the rainforest is known as the canopy - and it's got its own little mini ecosystem going on! What, Insect population statistics show that our planet is home to over 10 quintillion insects at any given time., Monkeys symbolize fun, wit, and intelligence to many of us. Share some useful ideas on how to help and motivate others to make a change. Most animals in the rainforest live in the canopy. Gorillas are herbivores that move throughout the dark, dense rainforest as well as more sun-dappled swamps and jungles. It can rain 80 to 400 inches (200 to 1000 cm) per year. Capuchin and spider monkeys swing and scamper through the branches of the rainforests estimated 400 billion trees. These features attract pollinators even in the understorys low-light conditions. In the Congo rainforest, roads and other infrastructure development have reduced habitat and cut off migration corridors for many rainforest species. The animals of the temperate rainforest are mostly made up of large mammals and small birds, insects, and reptiles. Rain Forest. Microsoft Encarta 2009 [DVD]. Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park on the Pacific northwest coast of North America is an example of a temperate rainforest. Economic inequalities fuel this rapid deforestation. The facts about the rainforest climate are telling that there is no typical four-season weather out there. More than 50% of precipitation striking a rainforest is returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration, helping regulate healthy rainfall around the planet. Scientists estimate that about 15% of the worlds freshwater flows from the Amazon Basin alone. The trees and plants are so thick in the rainforest that it often takes minutes for the rain to get to the ground! U.S. states and territories facts and photos. Fact 2: The largest rainforest in the world is situated in South America in a vast, forested area of the Amazon River basin in Brazil and its neighboring countries. In 2017 alone, we lost 15.8 million hectares of tropical forests; all told, humans have destroyed nearly half of the worlds original forest cover. When one of the big trees dies and falls, the opening lets in more sunlight so that a smaller tree can grow and take its place. The rainforests act as natural water filters, keeping pollution out of the water supply. Fact 4: On the African continent, most of the rainforest is concentrated along the Atlantic coast and the Congo River basin, whereas, in most regions of the Northern and Southern hemispheres, only small areas of the temperate rainforest is situated along the coasts where rainfall and humidity are high and humidity is mild. All rights reserved. Besides giving us fresh air, theyre essential for regulating the Earths climate. According to a study deciphering the Brazilian Atlantic forest, regenerating the rainforest to its native form can take up to 4000 years. Bats are the most diverse mammal species in most tropical rainforests, and they regularly fly throughout the emergent, canopy, and understory layers. The tropical rainforests are one of the oldest biomes on Earth, with some of them dating back to the age of dinosaurs. Some are very rare, and you cant find them outside the tropical rainforest biome. Beneath the emergent layer is the canopy, a deep layer of vegetation roughly six meters (20 feet) thick. The old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest, for example, produce three times the biomass (living or once-living material) of tropical rainforests. The emergent layer is made up of the very tallest trees that rise higher than the rest of the forest. From the beginning, our approach has been to work with farmers and indigenous and forest communities to cultivate sustainable rural livelihoods that incentivize conservation. Fact 14: Usually, much light does not reach the rainforest floor. A . 163.172.42.123 LUNGS OF THE EARTH. This rainforest biodiversity is immense, containing. It is the greatest river of South America and the largest drainage system in the world in terms of the volume of its flow and the area of its basin. Lets get more rainforest information about the effects of industrial pollution. Amazing! Fig trees, common throughout most of the worlds tropical rainforests, may be the most familiar fruit tree in the canopy. Plants gathered or harvested include berries, nuts, and wild celery.. Contact Us . The rainforest represents the worlds most biologically diverse ecosystems ever to be spotted on Earth! More Facts About Rainforests 16 - In many areas, there is an average rainfall per year between 150 - 200 inches or 4500 mm. The rainforest is waking up. Rainforests are important to our food supply. Roughly half of the worlds species can be found here, with an estimated 40 to 100 or more different species of trees present in each hectare. The green mamba, one of the deadliest snakes in the world, blends in with foliage as it slithers up branches in the Congo rainforest. harmony.LEARN Chiles rainforests are home to a number of unique birds such as the Magellanic woodpecker and the Juan Fernndez firecrown, a hummingbird species that has a crown of color-changing feathers. Rainforests are Earths oldest living ecosystems, with some surviving in their present form for at least 70 million years. Therefore, hagfish depend on the water gradient for osmosis. Sunlight strikes the tropics almost straight on, producing intense solar energy that keeps temperatures high, between 21 and 30C (70 and 85F). An enormous butterfly flits from plant to plant. The Amazon rainforest locations cover nine countries, and more than half of the rainforest is in Brazil. Logically, the tallest trees form the emergent layer, and they get the most sunlight and rain. Ending deforestation is the best chance to preserve wildlife, help stop climate change and protect the rights of forest societies.

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