Geography Rainforests (1)

Tropical Rainforests

Typically located along the equator and between the two tropics, characterized by high temperatures and heavy rainfall.

Climate of Rainforests

High temperatures and high rainfall resulting from being near the equator and convectional rainfall.

Canopy Layer

The layer in the rainforest that is 20-30m tall, home to many birds, and where 80% of rainforest life is found.

Forest Floor

The bottom layer of the rainforest, receiving only 2% of sunlight, rich in dead plant matter and nutrients.

Nutrient Cycle

The process by which nutrients are absorbed, utilized, and recycled in the rainforest ecosystem.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water within the rainforest through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Plant Adaptations

Features that plants develop to survive in the rainforest climate, such as buttress roots and drip tips.

Animal Adaptations

Survival features of animals in the rainforest, including camouflage, nocturnal living, and prehensile tails.

Biodiversity

The variety of plant and animal species found in rainforests, which account for about half of the world's known species.

Conflict in Rainforests

Disputes arising from different uses of rainforest resources, including logging, agriculture, and conservation efforts.

Sustainable Practices

Methods that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Hydroelectric Dams

Structures built to generate power from water, which can lead to significant loss of rainforest land.

Shifting Cultivation

A farming method where land is cleared and used for a few years until exhausted, then abandoned for forest to regenerate.

Kayapo Tribe

An indigenous group in the Amazon rainforest known for their sustainable living practices.

Convectional Rainfall

A type of rainfall that occurs when the sun heats up the ground, causing moisture to rise, cool, and condense.

Emergents Layer

The tallest layer of the rainforest, where the tallest trees reside, reaching heights of up to 60m.

Runoff

The process by which rainfall washes nutrients away from the soil and litter in the rainforest.

Leaching

The removal of dissolved nutrients from the soil due to rainfall.

Epiphytes

Plants that grow on other plants, using them for support but not harming them.

Slash and Burn

A method used in shifting cultivation to clear land by cutting down and burning vegetation.

Biomass

The total mass of living matter in a given area, including trees and shrubs in the rainforest.

Decaying Plant Matter

Dead plant material that contributes to the nutrient cycle by enriching the soil.

Compartmentalization

The process by which ecosystems are divided into different layers (e.g., forest floor, canopy) to understand their functions.

Anthropogenic Effects

Environmental changes caused by human activity, often leading to deforestation and habitat destruction.

Medicinal Plants

Plants in rainforests used to create modern medicines, highlighting the importance of rainforest biodiversity.