Bella Bear's Global Adventures from Sussex in the UK to the Amazon Rainforest and Madagascar
TROPICAL RAINFOREST
FOREST FLOOR
The forest floor is shaded by tall forest trees that stretch up towards the sunlight. The leaves provide a dense canopy layer and only 2% of the sunlight reaches the forest floor. Only plants that are adapted to low light can grow. Much of the rainforest animal life lives in the trees so the forest floor is peaceful. The forest floor is covered in leaves which quickly break down into new soil because the air is warm and damp.
RAINFORESTS
There are four very distinct layers of trees in a tropical rain forest. These are called the emergent layer, canopy layer, understory, and forest floor.
Tropical rainforests are large ancient forests that grow in countries along the equator. These forests receive high levels of rainfall each year. The largest rainforest, the Amazon, is found in South America and spans nine nations including Brazil and Peru.
Rainforests only cover 6% of the earth but are home to over half the species of plants and animals
The largest rainforest, the Amazon, is found in South America and spans nine nations including Brazil and Peru. Bella has travelled to Peru with Amazon Workshops
UNDERSTORY LAYER
The understory is the layer between the forest floor and the canopy. These are the smaller trees and bushes. The understory provides a way for animals to travel up to the canopy or down to the forest floor. These animals include birds, monkeys, snakes, lizards and frogs. Large predators including jaguar may also climb up into the understory to hunt.
CANOPY LAYER
The canopy is much brighter and hotter and drier than other parts of the forest. Most of the rainforest animals and plants live in the canopy. The leafy canopy is made up of over lapping branches that create pathways for animas to travel through the forest.
Many well-known animals including monkeys, frogs, lizards, birds, snakes, sloths, and small cats are found in the canopy. The dense leafy canopy means that it’s difficult to see more than one or two metres so many canopy animals rely on loud calls or songs for communication. These include birds, monkeys, frogs and insects making the canopy the noisiest part of the forest.
There are some gaps between the trees so many canopy animals have adapted to fly, glide, or jump to move about in the treetops.
EMERGENT LAYER
The Emergent Layer is the highest level of the Rainforest. This layer is made up of a few giant trees emerging from the canopy that reach to the sky. This is the brightest layer in the rainforest. Important birds and insects that help pollinate many of the rainforest flowers live here.
Monkeys and other animals that venture into the canopy layer must be alert to the danger of flying predators such as eagles who may dive down and pluck them from the branches.
PEOPLE OF THE FOREST
Tropical rainforests are home to tribal peoples who rely on their surroundings for food, shelter, and medicines. Today very few forest people live in traditional ways; most have been displaced by outside settlers or have been forced to give up their lifestyles by governments.
There are also many tribes that live in the forest. While they still depend on the forest for traditional hunting and gathering, some may now grow crops (like bananas, and rice) and use western goods (metal pots, pans, and utensils). Some make regular trips to towns and cities to bring foods and wares to market. Of the remaining forest people, the Amazon supports the largest populations.
However these people have a great knowledge and understanding and can teach us a lot about the rainforest. They have a great understanding of the ecology of the rainforest and knowledge of medicinal plants used for treating illness
AMAZON RIVER
The Amazon River is the second largest river in the world, runs 4,000 miles from the Andes Mountains to the sea. More water flows through the Amazon River than any other river.
There are over 200 tributaries that flow into the Amazon River bringing rainwater from the Amazon Basin. There are 3000 known species of fish that live in the Amazon River, and many other animals live in our around the Amazon river.
The river and its tributaries are very important to the forest people. There are few roads in the Amazon and the river system provides the people with a means of transport as well as a valuable source of food.
