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:::: What’s It Like Where You Live? ::::

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What impact does animal and plant adaptations have on species survival?

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Adaptations

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Animal Adaptations: StudyJams! Science | Scholastic.com

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Through adaptations, animals develop certain features to survive in their environments. Students learn about these features and how they're passed on to future generations.

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Investigate different biomes.

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Answer the question: What's It Like Where You Live? Learn about terrestrial biomes and aquatic ecosystems. Follow link to site about plants.

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Biomes

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Kids learn about the world's biomes and ecosystems. The network of life and biodiversity needed for all to survive.

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Examine evidence to support an argument that the internal and external structures
of plants (e.g., thorns, leaves, stems, roots, colored petals, xylem, phloem) and
animals (e.g., heart, stomach, lung, brain, skin) function to support survival, growth,
behavior, and reproduction.

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Investigate different ways animals receive information through the senses,
process that information, and respond to it in different ways (e.g., skunks lifting tails
and spraying an odor when threatened, dogs moving ears when reacting to sound,
snakes coiling or striking when sensing vibrations).

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Structural and Behavioral Adaptations

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Structural and Behavioral Adaptations - NatureWorks

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All organisms have adaptations that help them survive and thrive. Some adaptations are structural. Structural adaptations are physical features of an organism like the bill on a bird or the fur on a bear. Other adaptations are behavioral. Behavioral adaptations are the things organisms do to survive.

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Horded Toad

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When spiny skin isn't enough, the horned lizard repels predators with a truly bizarre tactic: squirting a stream of blood out of its eye

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Neuroscience for Kids

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Some animals have developed amazing adaptations to their environments. Many different types of energy exist in the environment, some of which humans cannot detect. Here are some examples of how some animals sense the outside world and the anatomical structures that allow them to do so.

Can see light between wavelengths 300 nm and 650 nm.

Have chemoreceptors (taste receptors) on their jaws, forelimbs and antennae.

Worker honey bees have 5,500 lenses ("ommatidia") in each eye.

Worker honey bees have a ring of iron oxide ("magnetite") in their abdomens that may be used to detect magnetic fields. They may use this ability to detect changes in the earth's magnetic field and use it for navigation.

Can see polarized light.

Has chemoreceptors (taste receptors) on its feet.

The butterfly has hairs on its wings to detect changes in air pressure.

Using vision, the butterfly Colias can distinguish two points separated by as little as 30 microns. (Humans can distinuguish two points separated by 100 microns.)

The common bluebottle butterfly has at least 15 different types of photoreceptors in its eye.

Some can detect the L-serine (a chemical found in the skin of mammals) diluted to 1 part per billion.

Have a "lateral line" system consisting of sense organs ("neuromasts") in canals along the head and trunk. These receptors are used to detect changes in water pressure and may be used to locate prey and aid movement.

Some fish can see into the infrared wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum while others, such as Sockeye salmon, can see ultraviolet light.

Has 3 or 4 pairs of whiskers, called barbels, to find food. The catfish also has approximately 100,000 taste buds. (Humans have only 10,000 taste buds.)

("Four-eyed Fish"
Fish Anableps microlepis)

Can see in air and water simultaneously. Each eye is divided by flaps, so there is one opening in the air and one in the water.

Each eye has 3,000 lenses. (Simmons and Young, 1999)

Eye has a flicker fusion rate of 300/sec. Humans have a flicker fusion rate of only 60/sec in bright light and 24/sec in dim light. The flicker fusion rate is the frequency with which the "flicker" of an image cannot be distinguished as an individual event. Like the frame of a movie...if you slowed it down, you would see individual frames. Speed it up and you see a constantly moving image.

The small parasitic fly (Ormia ochracea) can locate sounds within a range of only 2o of the midline. (Mason et al.,Nature, 410:686-690, 2001)

Blowflies taste with 3,000 sensory hairs on their feet.

Noctuid Moth has a hearing range between 1,000 and 240,000 Hz.

Emperor Moth can detect pheromones up to 5 km. distant.

Silkworm Moth can detect pheromones up to 11 km. distant. This moth can detect pheromones in concentrations as low as 1 molecule of pheromone per 10¹⁷ molecules of air. A receptor cell can respond to a single molecule of the pheromone called bombykol and 200 molecules can cause a behavioral response.

Retina contains 20 million photoreceptors.

The eye has a flicker fusion frequency of 70/sec in bright light.

Sensitive to polarized light.

The pupil of the eye is rectangular.

Has chemoreceptors (taste receptors) on the suckers of their tentacles. By tasting this way, an octopus does not have to leave the safety of its home.

Pit-vipers have a heat-sensitive organ between the eyes and the nostrils about 0.5 cm deep. This organ has a membrane containing 7,000 nerve endings that respond to temperature changes as small as 0.002-0.003 degrees centigrade. A rattlesnake can detect a mouse 40 cm away if the mouse is 10 degrees centigrade above the outside temperature.

The tongue of snakes has no taste buds. Instead, the tongue is used to bring smells and tastes into the mouth. Smells and tastes are then detected in two pits, called "Jacobson's organs", on the roof of their mouths. Receptors in the pits then transmit smell and taste information to the brain.

Snakes have no external ears. Therefore, they do not hear the music of a "snake charmer". Instead, they are probably responding to the movements of the snake charmer and the flute. However, sound waves may travel through bones in their heads to the middle ear.

Snakes have no moveable eyelids. Instead, they have a clear, scale-like membrane covering the eye.

Retina has 400,000 photoreceptors per sq. mm.

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Some animals have developed amazing adaptations to their environments. Many different types of energy exist in the environment, some of which humans cannot detect. Here are some examples of how some animals sense the outside world and the anatomical structures that allow them to do so.

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National Geographic

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National Geographic Animal Senses Animal vs Human Senses Senses Energy Animals Sense Amazing Animal Senses Animal Five Senses Animals Sense of Smell Super Senses of Animals Animal Sense of Sight Animal Senses YouTube Animal Senses Teaching Henry's Amazing Animals Animal Senses Different Animal Senses Animal Senses Book Most Extreme Senses Sen

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Animal Senses

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Ecosystems: StudyJams! Science | Scholastic.com

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Ever wonder how organisms live and grow together in one place? This fun activity will teach students about ecosystems and how they thrive.

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close
Click on the animal habitat images below to see a list of animals by habitat and to learn more about the habitat.

Grassland

© umabatata - Fotolia.com

Desert

© svedoliver - Fotolia.com

Tropical Forest

© Les Cunliffe - Fotolia.com

Temperate Forest

© Jakob Radlgruber - Fotolia.com

Coniferous Forest

© Nobilior - Fotolia.com

Mountains

© Timothy Stirling - Fotolia.com

Polar Regions

© cec72 - Fotolia.com

Freshwater

© dan talson - Fotolia.com

Oceans

© Dmytro Tolokonov - Fotolia.com

Coral Reefs

© vilainecrevette - Fotolia.com

Coasts

© Swollib - en.wikipedia

Urban Areas and Farms

Public Domain photo

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra. It is also found at cool, high elevations in the more temperate latitudes, for example, in much of the mountainous western region of North America. Much of the taiga in North America was once covered with glaciers. As the glaciers receded, cuts and depressions were left in the landscape that have since filled with rain creating lakes and bogs.

WEATHER: Long, cold winters, and short, mild, wet summers are typical of this region. In the winter, chilly winds from the arctic cause bitterly cold weather in the taiga. The length of day also varies with the seasons. Winter days are short, while summer days are long because of the tilt of the earth on its axis. Fire is not uncommon in the taiga during the summer. Fires may seem destructive, but they actually help this biome by removing old sick trees, making room for new growth. Precipitation is relatively high in the taiga and falls as snow during the winter and rain during the summer. The total yearly precipitation in the taiga biome is 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm).

PLANTS: Compared to other biomes, the taiga has less diversity in plant life. The most common type of tree found in the taiga is the conifer, or cone-bearing tree. Conifers, also known as evergreens, include pines, spruces and firs. There may also occasionally be deciduous species present, such as oak, birch, willow, or alder, in a particularly wet or disturbed area. The soil in the taiga is thin, acidic and not very nutrient rich. It also is rocky. Due to these factors, plants in the taiga have different adaptations than the plants we find around Santa Barbara.

The< name, evergreen, describes an important adaptation of conifers. Just like Kermit, they are always green! Because they don't drop their leaves in the winter, they don't have to regrow them in the spring. This is good for trees in a tough environment because growing new leaves takes a lot of energy. Another adaptation of conifers to live in the taiga has to do with their needles. Although the taiga has moderately high precipitation, the frozen winter ground makes it difficult for trees to get water. Having thin needles with a waxy coating limits water loss of the conifer through transpiration. The dark color of the pine needles is also important. What happens when you where a dark T-shirt on a sunny day? You get hot, right? This is because your dark shirt is absorbing energy from the sun. Well, the dark needles do the same thing for the evergreen. They help the tree absorb the maximum amount of energy from the sun for photosynthesis. Conifers also have that pointy shape for a good reason. The winter snow slides right off of their branches. Without this shape the heavy snow might break or damage the conifer branches.

ANIMALS: The cold climate of the taiga makes it a difficult place for many animals to live. Many have thick coats of fur to insulate against the cold, and some hibernate. Others migrate to warmer areas in the chilly winters. Animal populations are mainly seed-eating squirrels and jays; small mammals like ermine and moles; and larger browsing animals such as deer, moose, elk, and snowshoe hare. The bogs and ponds in the taiga provide a great summertime breeding place for many different insects. Migratory birds often come to the taiga to nest and feed on all these insects. The typical predators for this area are grizzly bears, wolves, lynxes and wolverines. These are pretty ferocious, so their prey must adapt to flourish. Some animals hide from predators by changing color to blend into the different summer and winter habitats. For example, the ermine is dark brown in the summer, but in the winter it turns white. What excellent camouflage!

PEOPLE AND THE TAIGA: There are a few large cities in the southern parts of the taiga, such as Moscow and Toronto, but most of it is relatively unpopulated. There are also a few native communities of people who still live indigenously in the taiga. The major industries of the taiga include logging, mining, and hydroelectric development. These activities have had negative impacts on areas of this biome and may continue to negatively affect it in the future. A majority of the logging in the taiga is done by clear-cutting, using heavy machinery to remove much of the surrounding forest. Hydroelectric development may seem beneficial because it uses water to generate power, but it has damaged the taiga by changing stream habitats and flow patterns, and flooding large areas and changing the landscape. Mining is a concern because it may result in pollution of surrounding soils and water, specifically acid rain. Regrowth of mature forests takes a long time because of the climate and soil conditions of the taiga. Many large vertebrates who live in the taiga are sensitive to human presence, habitat alteration, and pollution. Two simple things you can do to help the taiga are learn more about this biome, and use paper wisely making sure to recycle. This will help reduce the need for logging of trees for pulp used to make paper.
LINKS: The Taiga Taiga Topics Blue Planet Biomes: Taiga Taiga Rescue Network Earth Floor: Taiga Geography for Kids: Coniferous Forest Earth Observatory: Coniferous Forest
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra.

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Kids learn about the taiga forest biome. The largest of the land biomes is known for its evergreen trees.

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Information for students K-6 about taiga biome, with links to information about other biomes.

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At the bottom of the ocean, in areas shallow enough for sunlight to reach them, there are thousands of types of living things.

Where the shallow ocean floor is sandy or muddy, there may be crabs darting quickly across the sediment and slow-moving sea stars and snails. Crabs wearing snail shells are known as hermit crabs. They can also be found on the sand. Some fish and sharks prefer to live near the bottom swimming just above the sand. Other animals live buried in the sand or mud, such as clams, worms, and sea urchins with short spines. Sea grass, which looks like a lawn of tall grass, can also grow in sand and mud.

Where the shallow ocean floor is rocky and the water is cold, kelp forests can form. These are places where large brown algae called kelp grow from the ocean floor all the way to the surface of the water. The kelp can be as tall as 20 meters (66 feet). The huge kelp creates an underwater forest where many different animals live. Sea lions swim between the kelp and catch fish. Playful sea otters eat invertebrates like urchins and abalone.

In tropical, warm water, coral reefs grow on rocky areas of the shallow ocean floor. Coral reefs are named after the coral animals whose skeletons make up most of the reef rocks, but reefs are also home to hundreds of other types of animals and algae. Many species of colorful fish can be found swimming through reefs. Invertebrates like sponges, molluscs, sea fans, worms, crabs, and echinoderms are common too.

While different species are found in different areas of the shallow ocean, the general types of animals, algae, and plants that you will find in different places can be similar. For example, even though the species of kelp is not the same, kelp forests are found in several different ocean basins including the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.

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At the bottom of the ocean, in areas shallow enough for sunlight to reach them, there are thousands of types of living things. Where the shallow ocean floor is sandy or muddy, there may be crabs darting quickly across the sediment and slow-moving sea stars and snails.

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The temperature of the ocean determines what form the water takes. Most of the ocean is liquid water, but if it gets cold enough, it turns to solid ice, or if it gets hot enough, it can pass into the atmosphere as water vapour

Water warms up more slowly than air but can hold more heat - water needs 4 times as much energy to raise its temperature by 1ºC as the same mass of air does - so the ocean plays an important part in taking up energy from the Sun and stopping the Earth getting too hot.

Variation in temperature

The temperature of the ocean, especially the surface, varies from place to place and from season to season. Ocean temperature depends on the amount of solar energy absorbed.

Tropical oceans receive a lot of direct overhead sunlight for much of the year, so the water is warm. Summer is the only time polar regions receive sunlight, and even then, it is never directly overhead, so water in these places tends to be cold. The amount of sunlight that hits the temperate regions (between the tropics and the poles) varies between summer and winter. The variation in solar energy absorbed means that the ocean surface can vary in temperature from a warm 30°C in the tropics to a very cold -2°C near the poles.

The temperature of the ocean also varies from top to bottom, giving a vertical structure to most of the ocean. There is an upper layer of water, up to 200m deep, that is warmed by the Sun and has the same temperature from top to bottom. Below that is a layer called the thermocline, reaching down in places to 1000m, which is colder at the bottom than at the top. The deep ocean below the thermocline, making up 80% of the ocean, is the same very cold temperature throughout.

What happens when temperature changes

Some properties of water change with temperature:

Cold water is denser than warm water, so it tends to sink.

Cold water holds more dissolvable gases, such as carbon dioxide

Water temperature can affect the productivity of organisms living in it.

Water expands when it warms up - heat energy makes its molecules move around more and take up more space. Because the molecules are more spread out, the density goes down. When water cools, it contracts and becomes denser.

Temperature and salinity both affect the density of water, resulting in water moving up or down through the ocean layers and moving as currents around the ocean.

Activity idea

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The temperature of the ocean determines what form the water takes. Most of the ocean is liquid water, but if it gets cold enough, it turns to solid ice, or if it gets hot enough, it can pass into the atmosphere as water vapour

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Most plants and animals live in areas with very specific climate conditions, such as temperature and rainfall patterns, that enable them to thrive. Any change in the climate of an area can affect the plants and animals living there, as well as the makeup of the entire ecosystem. Some species are already responding to a warmer climate by moving to cooler locations. For example, some North American animals and plants are moving farther north or to higher elevations to find suitable places to live. Climate change also alters the life cycles of plants and animals. For example, as temperatures get warmer, many plants are starting to grow and bloom earlier in the spring and survive longer into the fall. Some animals are waking from hibernation sooner or migrating at different times, too.

Disappearing Habitats

As the Earth gets warmer, plants and animals that need to live in cold places, like on mountaintops or in the Arctic, might not have a suitable place to live. If the Earth keeps getting warmer, up to one-fourth of all the plants and animals on Earth could become extinct within 100 years. Every plant and animal plays a role in the ecosystem (for example, as a source of food, a predator, a pollinator, a source of shelter), so losing one species can affect many others.

What can people do about it?
Just like people, plants and animals will have to adapt to climate change. Many types of birds in North America are already migrating further north as the temperature warms. People can help these animals adapt by protecting and preserving their habitats.

Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are created in shallow tropical waters by millions of tiny animals called corals. Each coral makes a skeleton for itself, and over time, these skeletons build up to create coral reefs, which provide habitat for lots of fish and other ocean creatures. Warmer water has already caused coral bleaching (a type of damage to corals) in many parts of the world. By 2050, live corals could become rare in tropical and sub-tropical reefs due to the combined effects of warmer water and increased ocean acidity caused by more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The loss of coral reefs will reduce habitats for many other sea creatures, and it will disrupt the food web that connects all the living things in the ocean.

What can people do about it?
To help give coral reefs a better chance of surviving the effects of climate change, swimmers, boaters, and divers should treat these fragile ecosystems with care. People can also support groups working to protect coral reefs.

Learn more

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Most plants and animals live in areas with very specific climate conditions, such as temperature and rainfall patterns, that enable them to thrive. Any change in the climate of an area can affect the plants and animals living there, as well as the makeup of the entire ecosystem.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: There are two types of rainforest biomes: temperate and tropical rainforests. Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in temperate regions. The largest temperate rainforests are on the Pacific coast in North America, stretching from Alaska to Oregon. Other temperate rainforests are found along the coast of Chile, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, New Zealand, and S. Australia. Tropical rainforests are generally found between 30°N and 30°S latitudes, covering 6 - 7% of the Earth's land surface. Tropical rainforests can be found around the world: In Central and South America; in Western Africa, eastern Madagascar, and the Zaire basin; and in Indo-Malaysia along the west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland, Australia.

WEATHER: Rainforests are important because they help maintain global weather patterns and rain. Water that evaporates from trees falls in other areas as rain.

Tropical rainforests are lush and warm all year long! Temperatures don't even change much between night and day. The average temperature in tropical rainforests ranges from 70 to 85°F (21 to 30°C). The environment is pretty wet in tropical rainforests, maintaining a high humidity of 77% to 88% year-round. The yearly rainfall ranges from 80 to 400 inches (200 to 1000 cm), and it can rain hard. It can downpour as much as 2 inches (5 cm) in an hour!

Temperate rainforests are also wet, but not as rainy as tropical rainforests. It rains about from 60 - 200 inches (150 - 500 cm) each year, while the other moisture comes from the coastal fog that lingers on the trees. The fog provides about 7 - 12 inches (18 - 30°C) of rain each year. Temperate rainforests are a lot cooler than tropical rainforests, but the temperatures are still mild. They often have two distinct seasons: one long wet winter, and a short drier summer.

PLANTS: One type of plant often found in a rainforest is an epiphyte. Epiphytes are plants that live on the surface of other plants, especially the trunks and branches. They often grow on trees to take advantage of sunlight in the canopy. In temperate rainforests common epiphytes are mosses and ferns, while in tropical rainforests there are many kinds of epiphytes, including orchids and bromeliads. There are more than 20,000 varieties of orchids found in the rainforest.

There are about 10 -2 0 species of trees in temperate rainforests that are mostly coniferous, meaning they have needles. Trees in temperate rainforests can live much longer than humans, some live for up to 1000 years! Tropical rainforests have a bigger variety of trees, hundreds of species in fact! These trees are mostly broadleaf trees and have a shorter lifespan. They usually live for 50 - 100 years.

Most trees in tropical rainforests have thin, smooth bark. They don't need thick bark to keep them from drying out because the rainforest is so wet. Also, smooth bark makes it difficult for other plants, such as epiphytes, to grow on the tree surface. Trees often have buttresses, large branching ridges near the base, for support because their roots are often shallow and they grow tall to reach the sunlight. Prop roots also help support trees in shallow soils. Many plants in the rainforests have adapted leaf shapes that help water drip off the plant to avoid too much moisture, which might make bacteria and fungus grow.

Tropical rainforests are so big that they are divided into four zones. The top layer of the rainforest is called the emergent layer. Giant trees grow here that are much taller than the trees below. The next layer is the canopy. It contains trees standing 60 to 150 feet (18 to 45 meters) tall. Their branches form a canopy, like a big beach umbrella that shades the forest floor. Thick, woody vines are found in the canopy. Over 2,500 species of vines grow in the rainforest. Some vines, called lianas, are sometimes as big around as a person! They climb the trees in the canopy to reach for sunlight. The next layer, the understory, is a dark, cool area below the canopy, but above the ground. The understory is shaded from much of the sunlight by the canopy. The forest floor is the bottom layer of the rainforest. This is the area where fallen, decomposing plants and trees lay on the ground. Many insects live here. Temperate rainforests have all of these zones except the emergent layer. The tallest trees in the temperate rainforest canopy grow to be about 300 feet (90 meters) tall.

ANIMALS: Tropical rainforests are home to half the plant and animal species on Earth. Scientists believe that there is such a great diversity of animals in tropical rainforests because they are one of the oldest ecosystems on earth. Some forests in Southeast Asia have been around for at least 100 million years, ever since dinosaurs roamed the earth. Animals in the tropical rainforest are specially adapted to live in this unique environment. A common characteristic found among mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, is an adaptation to living in trees. One example is New World monkeys that have prehensile tails that curl around branches allowing the monkey to hold onto the tree with its tail! Other animals are brightly colored, sharply patterned, have loud vocalizations, and like to eat lots of fruit. Most of the animals in the tropical rainforest live in the canopy. There is so much food available up there that some animals never go down to explore the forest floor! Birds are important to rainforests because they like to eat seeds and fruit. Their droppings grow into new plants and help rainforests to survive. In turn, tropical rainforests are important to birds because they provide winter grounds as migratory destination. Parrots are not the only type of birds you will see in the rainforest. In fact, about 27% of the bird species in the world live in tropical rainforests. Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in tropical forests. They include bright beautiful butterflies, menacing mosquitoes, camouflaged stick insects, and colossal colonies of ants.

In temperate rainforests you'll find a different set of amazing animals. Most of these animals live on, or near the forest floor where they are protected from the wind and rain by the trees above. Many birds and small mammals, such as chipmunks, like to eat seeds that fall on the forest floor. Lots of insects live in the temperate rainforest. Most of them live in tree bark, decomposing dead plant matter, or mossy areas. Birds and amphibians like to eat these insects. Some mammals in the temperate rainforest include deer and bobcats. Cougars and bobcats are the top predators in this biome.

PEOPLE AND THE RAINFOREST: Tropical rainforests are important because they provide oxygen, take in carbon dioxide, and are a huge source of biodiversity and cultural diversity. However, people also rely on tropical rainforests for food, medicine, timber, travel, and more. Rainforests around the world provide people with food and spices, for example, allspice, vanilla, cacao, cassava, ginger, bananas, black pepper, sugar cane, nutmeg and more. Many people are also moving from crowded cities where they cannot find jobs into the rainforest where they are becoming small-scale farmers. With all of this use, we need to be concerned about the stress we are putting on rainforests. Thirty acres of trees are cut in tropical rainforests every minute! Some scientists estimate that rainforests the size of Pennsylvania are lost each year. There are many causes of deforestation. People are logging for firewood, charcoal, building materials and other uses. Trees are being removed for commercial agriculture, which may cause permanent damage. Converting rainforests to pasture land for cattle ranching has destroyed many rainforests. Mining for gold, bauxite, and other minerals can destroy the land, and make it vulnerable to erosion.

What can you do to help our world's rainforests? One way to start helping is to learn more about the plants, animals and people, as well as the issues surrounding rainforests and deforestation. When you learn about new issues, write letters to governmental officials and the newspaper suggesting ways to help solve the problem. Practice conservation at home. This will help reduce the use of rainforests, as well as ecosystems all over the world. Bauxite is a mineral used to make aluminum. By recycling, you will reduce the need for bauxite, which is mined in tropical rainforests. Pets from other countries may have been taken from the wild or imported illegally from tropical countries. If you buy pets that are captively bred in the United States, you will be sure that they didn't come from the rainforest, or another unique environment. Investigate the source of the wood for your furniture to see where it comes from, and if it was harvested sustainably. All of these actions will help protect rainforests all over the world.
LINKS: Rainforest Education Cool Planet: Tropical Rain Forest Rainforest Species Profiles Explore Africa's Rainforest National Geographic: Rainforests at Night Mongabay.com Geography for Kids: Tropical Rain Forests Tropical Rainforests: What's it Like Where You Live?

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: There are two types of rainforest biomes: temperate and tropical rainforests. Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in temperate regions. The largest temperate rainforests are on the Pacific coast in North America, stretching from Alaska to Oregon.

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Tropical Rainforest Biome - a list of facts for both kids and adults about these amazing tropical rainforest.

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Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Tropical rain forests inhabit the equatorial belt, and are characterized by intense sunlight, heat and large amounts of rainfall. The largest forests are found in South America, Central Africa and the Indonesian archipelago. Although rain forests across the world share certain characteristics, rain forest classifications can be further subdivided depending on the amount of rainfall per year. These subdivisions are evergreen rain forest, seasonal rain forest, semi-evergreen forest, and a moist and dry, or monsoon forest. The topography of a rain forest varies from region to region, but all rain forests share certain features of vegetation and ecology.

Rain Forest Canopies

All rain forests have four specific layers to their structure. The topmost is the emergent layer. These are trees between 100 to 240 feet in height, have umbrella-shaped canopies and are spaced apart from each other. Under the emergent layer is the canopy, a dense layer of leaves and branches that are 60 to 130 feet high. The canopy absorbs almost all the sunlight. It is this layer that contains more than half of a rain forest's wildlife. Beneath the canopy is the understory that comprises tree trunks and other vegetation that reaches up to 60 feet.

Shrub Layer

The shrub layer of a forest grows up to 15 feet high and comprises shrubs, vines, ferns, as well as saplings of trees that will later form the canopy layers of the forest. Vegetation is dense, as each plant and tree competes fiercely for any sunlight not blocked by the canopy. Many nocturnal animals are found in the shrub layer, as well as other species that cross between the shrub and the canopy layers.

Forest Floor

Only 2 to 3 percent of sunlight reaches the forest floor. The only vegetation that lives here has adapted to low-light levels. The forest floor is littered with leaves and decaying vegetation. Decomposition by bacteria and molds is rapid, and nutrients are quickly recycled into new plant growth. This is due to the poor soil quality of many tropical rain forests. Nutrient layers only exist in a thin topsoil that is replenished by dead plant and animal remains. However, there are rain forests that have rich soils; these are typically areas of volcanic activity where volcanic soils comprise a nutrient-rich base for forest growth. Rain forest topsoil is held together by dense root systems.

Adaptation to Conditions

Rain forests are shaped by intense competition for sunlight and soil nutrients; as a result, the physical characteristics of the vegetation reflects that. Tree roots are buttressed to huge proportions so as to support a high trunk and wide branches. Canopy leaves are large to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight, and are layered with wax to remain waterproof in the humid environment; this is to minimize mold growth. Vines and epiphytes are able to proliferate because they are adapted to grow on existing trees to reach available light. Vines and roots dangling from higher vegetation is common in rain forests.

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Tropical Rain Forest Biome Landscape Features

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Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images Tropical rain forests inhabit the equatorial belt, and are characterized by intense sunlight, heat and large amounts of rainfall. The largest forests are found in South America, Central Africa and the Indonesian archipelago. Although rain forests across the world share certain characteristics, rain forest classifications can be further subdivided depending on the amount of rainfall per year.

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What is the Difference Between a Temperate & Tropical Ocean?

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Temperate seas and tropical oceans are both marine environments that a variety of living things call home. Temperature, location, currents and other factors define these marine ecosystems. Tropical oceans are warmer than temperate seas, as they are located near the equator.

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LOCATION: Freshwater ecosystems include lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. Lakes are large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land, while ponds are smaller bodies of water surrounded by land. Lake Baikal, in central Asia, is the biggest lake on Earth; it contains about one fifth of the Earth's freshwater and has a maximum depth of 5,315 feet (1,620 meters)! Lake Tahoe is a huge lake on the border of California and Nevada that originates from mountain stream runoff. Most lakes are still and contain diverse plant and animal life. Rivers and streams are moving bodies of freshwater, which usually originate in mountains and come from melting ice or ground water and eventually flow into the ocean. For example, the Amazon River originates in the Andes Mountains and ends in the Atlantic Ocean. Over time, as rivers travel, they change course and carve a path through the land. This causes ox bow lakes, caverns, and canyons. The place where fresh and salt-water meet is called anestuary. A unique place where two habitats come together is called an ecotone. Because estuaries are usually shallow, sunlight can reach all levels of the water.

PLANTS: Plants and algae are important to freshwater biomes because they provide oxygen through photosynthesis, and food for animals in this biome. Yum, delicious algae. In fact, that slimy scum you see on the surface of a pond or lake is lunch for many of your favorite aquatic animals, like turtles. In fast streams and rivers many plants have special structures that keep them from being carried away by the water. Some aquatic plants have strong roots that keep them anchored securely, while others have stems that bend easily with the movement of the water. Certain mosses are able to cling to rocks. Plants who live in still waters have different adaptations. Water lilies, algae, and duckweed float on the surface. Cattails and reeds grow along the shoreline of many freshwater ecosystems.Estuaries house plant life with the unique adaptation of being able to survive in fresh and salty environments. Mangroves and pickleweed are just some examples of estuarine plants.

ANIMALS: Many animals live in freshwater ecosystems. Some need the movement of the stream or river water to survive. In fast moving waters animals that have to hold onto rocks and the bottom may have suction-cup like structures on their bodies. Others thrive in still water environments, like lakes. There are a variety of fish, birds, insects, amphibians, and crustaceans that make freshwater biomes their home. One important freshwater animal in the United States is the trout. Many people love to fish for, and eat trout. Trout live in both streams and rivers. They eat fish and insects.Estuaries are rich in animal life and are often a protected area where juvenile creatures seek refuge. There are also a variety of animals who live inestuaries that people like to eat, for example clams, shrimp and lots of fish.

PEOPLE AND FRESHWATER BIOMES: Without freshwater biomes you and I would not be alive. Freshwater ecosystems are important because they provide us water for drinking; energy and transportation; recreation, like boating and fishing; and many jobs, like fishermen and researchers. One way that people use rivers is to produce hydroelectric power. As water passes through a dam, and into a river below electricity is produced. A device inside the dam called a turbine uses magnets, metal, and the movement from the water to produce electricity. When a dam is built, an artificial lake is created behind the dam. Dams can be viewed as good and bad. Dams may provide pollution-free energy, and create lakes for people to enjoy, but they can also damage the environment. Salmon are a species that use rivers to spawn, and are often hurt by dams. Wetlands are also an important type of freshwater ecosystem. They may be soggy and stinky, but they provide critical habitat for tons of plants and animals, help clean our water, control floods, and provide food for humans. Did you know that cranberries come from wetlands?

So, what can we do to help freshwater biomes? First of all, we can conserve water. By using less water, we can help ensure that there is enough water for a healthy biome. We should also be careful not to pollute. Be careful what you put down the drain. By fertilizing the lawn with chemicals and allowing our cars to drip nasty oils and fluids we are polluting freshwater biomes. The rain carries these pollutants down storm drains into rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Another thing you can do to help is get involved! Volunteer with a stream team, or community group that works together to monitor and restore nearby freshwater biomes. By doing this you will learn more about freshwater ecosystems and get to see the cool plants and animals that make these biomes their home.
LINKS:
Freshwater ecosystems: What's it like where you live?
Freshwater Ecology All Along a River
Aquatic Ecosystems (available in English or French)
KidzWorld: Aquatic Biomes US EPA: Wetlands US EPA: What you can do to protect your watershed Natural History of Nova Scotia - Freshwater Habitats
Back to Biomes Index

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LOCATION: Freshwater ecosystems include lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. Lakes are large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land, while ponds are smaller bodies of water surrounded by land. Lake Baikal, in central Asia, is the biggest lake on Earth; it contains about one fifth of the Earth's freshwater and has a maximum depth of 5,315 feet (1,620 meters)!

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Freshwater Biome: Location, Climate, Plants, Animals and Threats - Conserve Energy Future

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The freshwater biome is of significant importance in the world, yet so many fail to realize its importance. These biomes consist of small bodies of water, such as creeks, lakes, streams, and rivers.

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Every inch of the earth's surface consists of one or more biome s. A biome is a formation of flora and fauna (plants and animals) that have common characteristics as a result of similar climates and can be found on different continents. Essentially, biomes are distinct communities that have mushroomed due to a shared physical climate and the communities have developed special adaptations to that particular climate. Biomes should not be confused with habitats.

A biome can be made up of a wide range of habitats. There are 5 major types of biomes in the world; aquatic biome, forest biome, desert biome, tundra biome and grassland biome. Aquatic biome is further subdivided into freshwater biome and marine biome. These subdivisions depend on the salt content of the water and the aquatic plants and animals that flourish there. With that in mind, let's explore freshwater biome, which is our topic of the discussion:

A freshwater biome is a large community of flora and fauna (plants and animals) that live in water bodies with low salt content, usually less than 1%. Examples of freshwater biomes include lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and even some wetlands. Freshwater biomes differ from marine biomes. Marine biomes are communities of plants and animals that live in salt water bodies such as oceans and seas.

Climate

Freshwater biome makes up only 0.8% of the entire water body on planet earth. The water making up this biome is also unevenly distributed throughout the world. Due to this uneven distribution, the climate of these biomes differs depending on the region they occur. Averagely, winter temperatures in freshwater biomes range from 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. The winter temperatures, on the other hand, range from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The climate of freshwater biomes hinges on an array of factors such as season, location, and water depth.

Averagely, freshwater biome temperatures will drop with deepening of the water. This phenomenon is more prevalent in lakes where water movement is relatively less, and water is deeper compared to a streams or rivers.

Precipitation

Precipitation in freshwater biomes depends on the region the biome is situated. Most wetlands in the world are located in temperate zones, which mean they will receive a lot of precipitation. Rivers and lakes situated in valleys and mountains may receive less precipitation. On average, precipitation in freshwater biome ranges from 10 to 80 inches per year.

Plants

Freshwater Biome plants are affected by the following factors: depth of water, rate of water flow, quality of water and temperature. Sunlight is particularly essential in supporting growth of plants in this biome.

In rivers and streams, vegetation usually thrives on the edges of the water body. Some common plant species on the edges of rivers and streams include contrails, star grass, and tape grass. Tree species like cottonwoods, willows, and river birch are supported by these streams and rivers. These tree species like to grow in shallow areas characterized by slow moving water.

In wetland areas like swamps, bogs, ditches, and marshes, the water is saturated all year round; consequently, the dirt present here holds in every ounce of water it can, creating mud in the long run. Plants dominating in wetlands include duckweeds and cattails. Common tree species here include tamarack, black spruce, and Cyprus.

It's almost impossible for ponds and lakes to support a large community of plants due to their great depth. Common plants that thrive here include weeds and grasses. On some occasions, plant species such as lily pads and cattails can be seen floating in shallow ponds and lakes.

Some freshwater biome plants have developed unique adaptations and defense mechanisms to survive in this biome. For example, water lilies ensure their widespread in the biome by dispersing seeds. The flower of a water lily naturally develops a fruit that effectively floats in the water body and then sinks to the bottom, where it develops roots, and a new lily grows.

Water lilies also have unique adaptations to thrive in the freshwater biomes. They possess stomata that stay open throughout. Stomata are specifically used for gas exchange. Since water is in bountiful supply, lilies do need to retain more water within them. Due to the abundance of water, guard cells on water lilies are usually inactive. Water lilies also have flat leaves and air sacs that aid flotation, including specialized roots to suck up oxygen.

Water lilies have developed interesting defense mechanisms. They offer great protection for aquatic creatures that live in the water body. These creatures lurk under the water lilies and attack animals and birds that feed on the lilies.

Another common plant with impeccable adaptation and defense mechanism is the phytoplankton. The phytoplankton makes similar version of itself by spores growing inside the parent organism or by simple cell division. The plant releases the spores into the water body, which later grows and matures into an adult phytoplankton.

Phytoplanktons have unique adaptations to thrive in this biome. They don't need true stems, leaves, and roots like most plants do; they suck up water and nutrients straight from the environment. This plant has developed numerous spines, pores and other projections that enhance its surface area, suck up nutrients and enhance sunlight exposure to aid photosynthesis. As a defense mechanism, phytoplankton changes shape to insulate itself from predators.

Animals

Freshwater biome supports a huge diversity of animals with special adaptations and defense mechanism. Freshwater biome animals include:

River Otters have strong adaptation to thrive in freshwater biomes. Their ears and nose remain closed in water and have long tails that act as paddles or oars to effortlessly glide through the water. Otters live in habitats such as streams, rivers, and creeks. They feed on frogs, fish, eggs, turtles, and water birds. However, the North American Otters are semi-aquatic animals, which mean they live in water and land.

Crocodiles have characteristic sharp teeth for crushing and chewing prey, including strong claws. They mostly live in ponds, wetlands, canals, and creeks. Crocodiles feed on reptiles, fish, mammals, invertebrates, and birds.

Their main habitats are lakes, rivers, and ponds. Their unique adaptation is the strong shell that shields them from predators and other unknown threats. Freshwater turtles feed on fish, frogs, insects, plants and certain herbs.

European Eels mostly live in rivers and seas. They have adapted a sleek-like skin to effortless glide through the water. Their main diet includes small fish, invertebrates, earthworms, and insect larva.

Black Piranhas mainly live in rivers. They have sharp teeth, which makes them very ferocious. They mostly feed on decaying carcasses, fish, beef hearts, fruits and seeds.

Frogs are incredible jumpers, which makes them uniquely adaptable to this biome. They live on trees, in ponds and creeks. Their diet consists of moths, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, mice, and dragonflies.

Other freshwater biome animals include Clear Lake Hitch, raccoons, Amazon River dolphins and much more.

Types of Freshwater Biomes

Freshwater biomes are divided into three:

Ponds and lakes

Ponds and lakes are sometimes referred to as lentil ecosystems, meaning they consist of standing or still waters. Essentially, the waters don't flow like streams and rivers. Lakes are normally divided into 4 zones of freshwater aquatic communities:

Littoral zone: The area adjacent to the shore of the lake where plants thrive

Limnetic zone: Open water surfaces off the shore

Euphotic zone: Area near the water surface that receives some sunlight to aid photosynthesis

Benthic zone: The bottom of the lake.

Animals that live in lakes include different fish species, frogs, snails, crayfish, worms, insects, turtles and so on. Plants that thrive in lakes include duckweed, lilies, bulrush, bladderwort, stonewort, cattail and so on.

Rivers and streams

They are sometimes known as lotic ecosystems, meaning they have moving waters, as opposed to stagnant waters of lakes and ponds. This kind of biomes comes in different sizes including minute trickling streams and mile-wide rivers that are able to travels thousands of miles.

Different animal species live in and around rivers including fishes, snails, crabs, insects, crocodiles, salamanders, snakes, beavers, and otters. Plant species existing around rivers thrive depending on river location on the globe. Plants naturally populate the edges of the river where water flows slowly. Plants here include star grass, tape grass, river birch and willow trees.

Wetlands biome

This freshwater biome is a combination of land and water. It's, essentially, land saturated with water. The land may be flooded with water or totally submerged most of the time. However, it supports aquatic plants. Typical examples of wetlands include swamps, marshes, and bogs. These wetlands are usually situated in proximity to large water bodies such as lakes and rivers and are pretty much found all over the world. When they are situated in proximity to rivers, they can aid in the mitigation of flooding and assist purify and filter water. Examples of wetland plants include water lilies, milkweed, cypress trees, mangroves, and cattails. Examples of wetland animals include crocodiles, alligators, raccoons, beavers, deer, and minks.

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FreshWater Biome: Climate, Precipitation, Plants, Animals and Types of Freshwater Biomes | Earth Eclipse

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A freshwater biome is a large community of flora and fauna (plants and animals) that live in water bodies with low salt content, usually less than 1%. Examples of freshwater biomes include lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and even some wetlands.

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Wetland Biome Description

The wetland biome is one that many people don't really see as being important. In fact, in many areas they consider it to be a nuisance. Swampland is the most common type of wetland biome you will find. They also include marshes and bogs and they can be various sizes. Some of them are very long and deep. Others are nothing more than a few feet of water in a given location but they are still very important.

In a wetland biome the water is always going to be standing still. You will find them in many low lying areas. It is common for them to be very close to lakes, rivers, and streams. They may have water in them all the time or only during particular times of the year. That is a key factor that separates it from other forms of biomes. The combination of both land and water are essential for this biome to form.

They help the environment to be better due to the fact that they have a natural supply of water. They help to prevent flooding in many locations as they are able to take on excess water from the other sources. However, when a river or lake is low they can also release water back into them. They also have the natural ability to purify surface water.

Plant matter is released into freshwater biomes from a wetland biome. The importance of this is that it allows for fish to have plenty of types of food for them to survive. Florida has one of the largest wetland biomes in the world. The humid conditions are perfect for such forms of plant and animal life to be able to survive.

Louisiana has long been a home for various wetland biomes. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina has destroyed many of these areas. The changes in the environment proved to be too much for them to fully recover from. In some areas they are slowly recovering but only time will tell how it turns out. Protecting the wetland biomes has to be a priority though due to the fact that they are so important to those other biomes around them.

Wetland Biome Characteristics

In a wetland biome the conditions are always very moist and humid. What you will find with characteristics can be very specific to a given location. That is because the wetland biome is so frequently going to overlap with or be a part of other biomes out there. Without this particular one though many others wouldn't be able to thrive as they do.

The only places on Earth where you won't find the wetlands biome are around the Artic. The tundra there is too cold and frozen for them to develop. Just about every other biome though is associated with them in some way. In fact, many times the wetland biome is overlooked by people due to where it happens to be located. Experts though know what to look for and have been able to fully identify them.

Wetland biomes can be made up of freshwater or saltwater. In some regions they are actually a combination of both. The type of water that is found in it will strongly affect the types of life that are able to survive there. The delicate ecosystems in place around these areas are very detailed. When you take the time and effort to examine them closely you will be very surprised by what you find.

Wetland Biome Flora and Fauna

It may surprise you to discover that the wetland biome has more diversity than any other biome out there when it comes to animal life. There are plenty of animals that find this to be the perfect home for them. They have the right climate, access to food, and the shelter they need for survival. Amphibians and due very well in this type of environment. They include frogs and lizards.

Birds are also found in this type of environment. Many of them live there all year long. Others will be there for part of the year and then migrate. There are also those that stop to feed along a route to a new location in the wetland biome. With some species of birds it is found that they move from one wetland biome to the next along their migration patterns.

Alligators and crocodiles are the largest animals found in the wetland biome. In some wetland biomes there is salt content in the water. When that is the case you may find some more diversity in those locations. Those living creatures include shrimp and shellfish.

Beavers, minks, and rats are the fur bearing creatures you may find around a wetland biome. The size of them and the location will depend on many factors. For the beaver it will be determined by if they have enough for food. They also need various materials to build a dam from for shelter.

Plant life that grows in the wetland biome are referred to as hydrophytes. They include pond lilies, cattails, tamarack, and blue spruce. Sometimes cypress and gum will be present too but it will depend on the actual location of the habitat. There are numerous types of grasses that grow in a wetland biome. Sometimes shrubs with fruits including the cranberry can be found in these locations.

Threats and Conservation

Many wetland biomes are severely threatened though. Most humans fail to realize just how beneficial they are to the environment. As a result, they end up trying to destroy them and then build on those areas. In fact, some refer to the wetlands as the wastelands. They are often drained and then used for other purposes. Not thoughts are given to the forms of plant and animal life that reside in them.

Global warming has also lead to many wetland biomes drying up. The additional heat combined with less rainfall often means that there isn't enough water for them. At the very least many of them are getting smaller than they were before. As a result they can't substantiate the same volume of plants and animals as they once were able to.

Experts often worry about the wetland biomes as they seem to be very fragile. When there are problems such as pollution or with the land not being managed properly they aren't going to be a success. There are currently many organizations in place with the goal of getting everyone to be more aware of why the wetlands are so important.

In some areas the efforts have gone as far as to try to get courts to pose injunctions of building where wetland biomes exist. They want to restore these lands and even see them grow rather than being destroyed. It is a complex issue with supporters on both sides with reasons why they should have it their own way.

The benefits of all biomes including the wetlands though far outweigh the alternatives. We often don't realize that our own quality of life often depends on the balances that are in place among the various biomes. When we take actions that damage the wetland biomes or destroy them, we can also cause a chain reaction. Without realizing it we can cause problems for other biomes as well.

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The wetland biome is one that many people don't really see as being important. In fact, in many areas they consider it to be a nuisance. Swampland is the most common type of wetland biome you will find. They also include marshes and bogs and they can be various sizes.

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LOCATION: Wetlands are areas where standing water covers the soil or an area where the ground is very wet. Unlike estuaries, freshwater wetlands are not connected to the ocean. They can be found along the boundaries of streams, lakes, ponds or even in large shallow holes that fill up with rainwater. Freshwater wetlands may stay wet all year long, or the water may evaporate during the dry season.

There are many different types of freshwater wetlands, all of which have different names. This can sometimes lead to confusion. These are all names of different types of wetlands: marsh, bog, fen, swamp, mire, slough, and prairie pothole. These places can look very different, but because they are all areas with wet soil, or where water covers the soil, they are considered wetlands.
More information on these different types of wetlands
PLANTS: Freshwater wetlands have a variety of plant types, and each different type of wetland may have different kinds of plants. The plants discussed here are fairly common. There are floating plants, such as duckweed, that extends its roots down into the water to absorb nutrients. The duckweed floats freely and is not attached to the bottom. Cattails and sedges are common plants that grow up from the soil, through the water.

ANIMALS: As with plants, the types of animals found in wetlands depend upon the type of wetland. There are, however, some general types of animals that will be found in most wetlands.

All kinds of amphibians (frogs, toads and salamanders) can be found. Amphibians require water in which to lay their eggs and for the tadpoles to grow to adulthood. Wetlands are a perfect environment for this. In fact, when visiting wetlands, one of the first things you a may hear are the calls of frogs. Sometimes, especially during the mating season, they can be so loud it's hard to hear anything else.

Insects are an important part of the plant and animal life in wetlands. They help to pollinate plants and provide food for birds and amphibians. Watch out for the mosquitoes! You may want to bring your insect repellent when visiting a wetland because mosquitoes thrive in areas of standing water.

Feel like taking a swim in a wetland? Before you jump in or even wade through the water, you may want to consider another wetland animal with a bad reputation: leeches. Most leeches prefer environments with standing water, making freshwater wetlands a perfect home. They feed by latching onto another animal or a human and sucking their blood. You often can't feel them when they latch on and so may be surprised to look down and find yourself being eaten for lunch. Leeches aren't all bad. Doctors use them to help with blood clots and to improve circulation to areas of the body after surgery.

Wetlands are also home to an amazing number of birds. Many birds would go extinct without wetland habitat in which to breed, build nests, raise young, feed and rest along migratory routes.

PEOPLE AND FRESHWATER WETLANDS: Freshwater wetlands, like estuaries, provide very valuable services to people. They provide fish to eat and flood protection during storms. They also filter our water, giving us clean water to drink. Because of these valuable services, it is important that we work to conserve our wetlands.
LINKS: Wetlands 101 What is a Wetland? U.S. EPA - America's Wetlands California Wetlands Information System Australian Museum - Animals of Freshwater Habitats Natural History of Nova Scotia - Freshwater Wetlands Habitats
Back to Biomes Index

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LOCATION: Wetlands are areas where standing water covers the soil or an area where the ground is very wet. Unlike estuaries , freshwater wetlands are not connected to the ocean. They can be found along the boundaries of streams, lakes, ponds or even in large shallow holes that fill up with rainwater.

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Focus question: What does this biome consist of?
Wetlands are considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems because they are home to a wide range of plant and animal life. A wetland is entirely covered by water at least part of the year. Wetlands are called transition zones because they have characteristics of both dry and aquatic environments.

Definition :

Wetlands are areas that are covered by shallow water or where the soil is soaked with water. The ground of a wetland area is made of the soil or mud that is underneath the water. The mud is made from the dead and rotting plants that have broken down (decomposed) in the water, similar to compost.

This makes the soil very nutritious and it contains nutrients such as sulfur, phosphorus, carbon, and nitrogen. These nutrients help the various fauna (animals) and flora (plants) of this biome to survive.

Some of the different water features of wetlands include swamps, marshes, rivers, and springs. The wetland biome is mostly covered in water or grass but there are also a small amount of trees, rocks, and other native plants.

Sometimes seawater can create wetlands, especially in coastal areas that experience strong tides. This means the water found in the wetlands can be salty like seawater. It can also be freshwater (not salty) or it can be 'brackish' (water that is in-between sea water and freshwater).

More info:
http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/freshwaterwetlands.html http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/wetland/ LOCATIONS Focus question: Where are the specific locations of the biome you are
researching in Australia?
Australia has a lot of wetland area. Some of them are very important wetlands for the whole world because they are rare or unique, or because they are important for conserving biological diversity (keeping different species alive). These important wetlands are called Ramsar wetlands and Australia currently has 65 Ramsar wetlands that cover more than 8.3 million hectares.

Australia also has more than 900 nationally important wetlands. These are wetlands that are a good example in a particular area, an important habitat for native species, or that have outstanding heritage or cultural significance. Nationally important wetlands are listed on the directory of important wetlands.

Australia has lots of stunning wetlands, which are great places to see our native birdlife. Below is a list of wetland locations that support a lot of native birdlife.

1. The Coorong, and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert, SA
In summer a wide range of waterbirds visit this 1405 square kilometre wetland. The Australian Pelican, Crested Tern, Fairy Tern and the Rufous Night Heron need it to breed. The area is made of 23 individual wetlands and is also home to the threatened Southern Bell Frog.

2. Barmah Forest, VIC
The 28,500 hectare Barmah Forest wetlands help to control flooding in the Murray River. The wetlands support 13 groups of vegetation that provide vital habitats for native bats, parrots and possums. This area has the greatest amount of river red gum in Victoria.

3. Moulting Lagoon, TAS
This is an estuary on the central east coast of Tasmania, north of Great Oyster Bay. It is home to up to 10,000 Black Swans. The name comes from the swans shedding their flight feathers, which pile up along the shore.

4. Macquarie Marshes, NSW
These marshes are located in north-western NSW. They are made up of swamps, lagoons and channels on the floodplains of the Macquarie River. The Wayilwan people used these marshes for ceremonies and burial grounds.

5. Mareeba Wetlands (Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve), QLD
This 2,025 hectare reserve is a sanctuary for almost all of Australia's tropical waterbirds - at least 204 species. The wetlands are made up of 12 lagoons, creeks and channels that all connect together. Pandanus Lagoon is the largest and is popular with birdwatchers who come to see Australia's only stork, the Jabiru.

6. Kakadu National Park, NT
This wilderness in the Top End is perhaps the most biodiverse place in Australia. The wetlands span the entire national park. In the Dry season (May to October) the water contracts into billabongs and up to 3 million waterbirds accumulate. These include the Jabiru, Egrets, Brolga and Comb-Crested Jacana.

(Source: Australian Geographic Jan - Feb 2012)

List of Victorian wetlands http://www.visitvictoria.com/Things-to-do/Nature-and-wildlife/Lakes-and-waterways/Wetlands

Important Australian wetlands http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/0d08923b-a60d-4564-9af2-a7023b7aaf29/files/ramsar-sites_0.pdf

Climate of the Wetlands

The climate in the wetlands is generally very wet or moist, and never gets too cold. As a result of the rain, combined with the often warm weather, the climate is usually quite humid.

Depending on the specific region, temperatures of the wetlands are never too extreme, varying between an average of 15 to 35 degrees Celsius.
Importance of this Biome
Wetlands are everywhere in Australia, from the man-made ponds of your suburb, and the rivers that criss-cross the continent, to vast floodplains in central Australia that only see water every few years. We often pass them unnoticed and without a thought to the important jobs they perform each day.

Wetlands are an important part of the Australian landscape. They act as filters for our waterways, breeding sites for hundreds of Australian animals and recreational centres for many communities. They protect our shores from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality. They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life, supporting plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the world.

Wetlands are vital habitats for international migration by birds, demonstrating how habitats around the world are connected.
http://informaction.org/httpdocs/kidsn/wetlands_kids.php http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/wetlands/why.htm http://www.defenders.org/wetlands/basic-facts Animal life (Fauna) http://www.cen.org.au/wetlands/images/factSheets/wetlandAnimals.pdf http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/freshwaterwetlands.html#animals
Freshwater animals: http://australianmuseum.net.au/wild-kids-animals-of-freshwater-habitats

Animals of Kakadu http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/people/plants-and-animals.html
http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/fr_water/wetlands/animals.htm http://nature.ca/explore/di-ef/wtld_wlw_e.cfm http://www.hamiltonnature.org/habitats/wetland/wetland_animals.htm http://wetlands2012p2.edublogs.org/animals/ http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/wetlands/WetlandMammals.htm Plant life (Flora)
Plants of Kakadu http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/people/plants-and-animals.html
http://www.cen.org.au/wetlands/images/factSheets/wetlandPlants.pdf http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mmichie/plants.htm http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/wetlands/wetlandPlants.htm http://www.aquascapesunlimited.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.main/typeID/2/
http://www.softschools.com/facts/biomes/wetland_biome_facts/170/

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Focus question: What does this biome consist of? Wetlands are considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems because they are home to a wide range of plant and animal life. A wetland is entirely covered by water at least part of the year.

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Wetlands are the link between land and water, and are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world. Some common names for different types of wetlands are swamp, marsh and bog. Depending on the type of wetland, it may be filled mostly with trees, grasses, shrubs or moss. To be called a wetland, an area must be filled or soaked with water at least part of the year. Some wetlands are actually dry at certain times of the year!

Wetlands have many important functions that benefit people and wildlife.

Provide habitat for a wide variety and number of wildlife and plants.

Filter, clean and store water - in other words, acting like kidneys for other ecosystems!

Collect and hold flood waters.

Absorb wind and tidal forces.

Provide places of beauty and many recreational activities

Wetlands also act like sponges by holding flood waters and keeping rivers at normal levels. Wetlands filter and purify water as it flows through the wetland system. Plants found in wetlands help control water erosion.

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Wetlands are the link between land and water, and are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world. Some common names for different types of wetlands are swamp, marsh and bog. Depending on the type of wetland, it may be filled mostly with trees, grasses, shrubs or moss.

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Plant Adaptations: StudyJams! Science | Scholastic.com

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Plants have incredible ways to adjust to their surroundings. This activity will teach students about the ways plants adapt.

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Biomes: StudyJams! Science | Scholastic.com

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Ecosystems can get really big, and when they do, they are called biomes. This activity will teach students about the different kinds of biomes.

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Kids learn about the tundra grasslands biome. This cold and dry ecosystem is located far to the north.

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:::: What's It Like Where You Live? ::::

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Fun Beach Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Beaches

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Check out our fun beach facts for kids and enjoy learning a variety of interesting information about beaches.

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Kids learn about the desert biome. The dryest areas on Earth still have plant and animal life.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! There are both hot and cold deserts. Antarctica is the largest desert in the world, while the Sahara in Africa is the largest of the hot deserts. There are also deserts close to Santa Barbara, such as the Mojave the Colorado Desert which encompass parts of Southern California. In North America, there are four major hot, dry deserts, including the Mojave and the Great Basin. Outside the U.S. hot, dry deserts are found in the Southern Asian realm, South and Central America, Ethiopia and Australia.

Another type of desert is the coastal desert, for example, the Atacama Desert in Chile of South America. And then there are cold deserts. That sounds pretty silly! If deserts are supposed to be hot, how can there possibly be a cold desert? Well these deserts are in places like Antarctica and Greenland where vegetation is sparce, just like the more commonly known hot, dry deserts.

WEATHER: Weather is not the same in all deserts. The seasons in hot and dry deserts are usually very hot during the summer and warm during the rest of the year. During winter these deserts get little rainfall. Rain is often light, or in short concentrated bursts. Most of the time evaporation rates are faster than rainfall rates. Sometimes the rain evaporates before even hitting the ground. This is the reason for the dry characteristic of this type of desert. Coastal deserts are in moderately cool to warm areas. Coastal deserts usually have cool winters followed by fairly long, warm summers. The temperature in the winters is generally 41°F (5&degC) or below. In the summer the weather heats up to between 55° and 75°F (12 and 24&degC). Average rainfall is usually 3 - 5 inches (8 - 13 cm). The Atacama is the Earth's driest desert. In the Atacama 1 millimeter or more of rain falls every 5-20 years. Cold deserts have short, moist and moderately warm summers, and long cold winters like one could expect in Antarctica. The winter temperature ranges from -5°F to -110°F (-20.5 to -79&degC), and in the summer it can be a nice, balmy, 32°F (0&degC). The coldest day recorded in Antarctica was -113°F (-80.5&degC)!

PLANTS: Deserts plants have many adaptations to survive in such a dry environment. They are good at storing and finding water. Some plants have seeds that can stay dormant in the sand for a long time, until there is enough rain for them to grow. In hot deserts, you'll often find Cacti. Cacti are great at storing water. With their waxy coating, water can't escape and their spines protect them from being desert dinner. Their roots are shallow, and widely spread so that any rain can be absorbed immediately! Some other plants you might find in the hot desert are creosote bush, sagebrush, and ocotillo. Coastal deserts house a variety of plants. These plants must adapt to minimal rainfall by having extensive root systems that come up to the surface to absorb any possible rainfall, and go far down to absorb any water saturated in the ground. These plants also have very thick leaves that can absorb and store water whenever it is available. The plants that live in coastal deserts include salt bush, rice grass, black sage and chrysothamnus. Plants can even live in cold deserts, but you won't find as many here as in other types of deserts. Plants in cold deserts include algae, grasses, and plants with spiny thin leaves. Usually these plants grow only in the summer.

ANIMALS: Deserts are a very important biome. No, not because of all the sand! Mostly because of all the plants and animals that call the desert "home". Some animals that live in the hot desert are cold-blooded, like snakes, insects, and lizards. Mammals that live in the desert are usually small, such as the kangaroo rat and kit fox. Sometimes it's hard to survive in the desert. Some mice build their home out of fallen cactus spines to protect themselves from predators like coyotes and hawks. In the Eritrean coastal desert in Djibouti, Africa, animals like gazelles, skinks, geckos and dikdiks roam the desert. Fewer animals live in the cold desert. In Antarctica, most of the animals live near the ocean shore. Because of their ice home, seals, penguins, and other birds rely on fish, squid and other sea creatures for their food.

PEOPLE AND THE DESERT: People have a variety of uses for deserts. The desert is popular for tourism and recreation. Often people visit to see the beautiful sand colors and rock formations. Many people enjoy visiting the desert because it is a quiet place to get away from the business and noise of cities and spend time in the open land. The desert offers many types of recreation, for example, rock climbing, hiking and dirt biking. Mining, grazing, road building, and utility projects take place in the desert. Because of desert sensitivity, it is important that desert uses be managed properly to protect the wildlife and habitat.
LINKS: The Deserts in the American Southwest Deserts Environment Geography for Kids: Deserts Cool Planet: Deserts Biomes of the World: Desert
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! There are both hot and cold deserts.

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An ecosystem involves all the living and non-living aspects of the area. Desert ecosystems are unusual because they are very dry and have specifically evolved plants and animals that can survive the local climate. Learning about desert ecosystems can be fun when doing educational activities and projects about their different aspects.

Keep reading to learn more about the desert for kids and adults alike!

Describe Desert Climate

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If we are going to define desert, you look at the amount rainfall. Deserts are often hot during the day and cool at night, but there is some variation.

A fun way to learn about the desert for kids is to do a temperature and rainfall map. Start with a map of the world with the desert areas outlined. Have kids research the temperatures of each of the deserts and categorize them by temperature. Color code the deserts according to temperature.

Give them a clear sheet such as an overhead projector page and have them do patterns over the deserts based on the average yearly rainfall.

Animals

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The animals that live in the desert are specifically adapted to the environment. One desert ecosystem learning activity involves animal projects. You can tell kids about the adaptations of different animals for the desert or have them read and research them on their own. Then ask them to design their own desert dwelling animal. Kids can apply the information they learned to create their animal and then explain why their animal would do well in the desert environment.

Plants

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Certain plants are also adapted for desert life. They have evolved to live on very little water in very hot climates. Learning about the desert for kids can start with desert caring for a desert plant like a cactus. This can be a project for an entire class or just one kid.

Extensively research the requirements for the plant, and set up an area for it that has the right amount of sun or light. Have children make a calendar for watering the plant, describe desert plant needs, and the amount of water needed. The most important part of this project is the planning. You can then compare the needs of the desert plant to that of a rain forest plant.

Sand

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A desert ecosystem not only includes the climate and living things, but the soil and sand as well. For kids, learning about soil can be very boring, because it's all about the types of materials in the soil.

One way to make this more interesting is to create small bowls of different things that can be found in the desert soil such as sand and small amounts of dead plant matter. You can set it up in proportions so that they can see how much of one material there is compared to another.

Have kids describe desert soil/sand vs. forest soil. They can then see what's in the soil and feel the materials. After looking at them individually, kids can combine the materials to create their own desert soil.

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An ecosystem involves all the living and non-living aspects of the area. Desert ecosystems are unusual because they are very dry and have specifically evolved plants and animals that can survive the local climate. Learning about desert ecosystems can be fun when doing educational activities and projects about their different aspects.

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Science for Kids: Temperate Forest Biome

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Kids learn about the temperate forest biome. Four distinct seasons and lots of trees.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Most temperate, deciduous (leaf-shedding) forests are located in the eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and parts of Russia. Deciduous forests are broken up into five zones. The firstzone is the tree stratum zone. It is the tallest zone and trees here range from 60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 meters) tall. Maple, elm, and oak trees are just some examples of trees found in this zone. The second zone is the small tree and sapling zone. Younger, shorter trees characterize this zone. The shrub zone is the third zone. Shrubs include mountain laurel, huckleberries, and many others. The fourth zone is the herb zone, and contains short herbal plants, like ferns. The Ground zone is the final zone where plants grow directly near the ground. Some plants that grow here are lichens and mosses.

WEATHER: This biome has four changing seasons including winter, spring, summer, and fall. These seasons happen because of the tilt of the Earth's axis. Throughout the year, rays from the sun hit different parts of the world more directly than others, causing varying temperatures, or seasons. If the Earth were not tilted on an axis, temperatures around the globe would always be the same. Temperate deciduous forests also have quite a wet environment. Following rainforests, temperate deciduous forests are the second-rainiest biome. The average yearly precipitation is 30 - 60 inches (75 - 150 cm). This precipitation falls throughout the year, but in the winter it falls as snow. The average temperature in temperate deciduous forests is 50°F (10°C). Summers are mild, and average about 70°F (21°C), while winter temperatures are often well below freezing.

PLANTS: Trees and plants in deciduous forests have special adaptations to survive in this biome. Deciduous trees are trees with leaves rather than pine needles, and they dominate temperate forests. As the seasons change each year, so do the leaves. Each year deciduous trees lose their leaves, and grow them back. In the summer their broad green leaves capture sunlight and help the trees make food through photosynthesis. As temperatures cool in the fall, the chlorophyll (green pigment in leaves) breaks down, causing the beautiful red, yellow and orange leaf colors of fall. In the cold winter, deciduous trees and plants go into dormancy, kind of like sleep. It is too cold for them to protect their leaves from the damage of freezing in the winter, so they simply lse them and seal up the places where the leaves attach to the branch. The warmer spring days signal to the trees that they can grow new leaves again, and restart the cycle.

ANIMALS: Animals in temperate deciduous forests have to adapt to changing seasons. They must be able to cope with cold winters and hot summers. Some animals hibernate or migrate during the winter to escape the cold. Animals who do not hibernate or migrate must have special adaptations to deal with higher exposure to predators in the winter. When leaves fall, there is less cover for animals in this biome to hide from predators.

The black bear is an animal that is well adapted for the temperate deciduous forest biome. It has a heavy coat made of many layers of fur to deal with the winter cold. Black bears have long claws that help them to climb trees.This is an essential adaptation because black bears often live in hollowed trees. Black bears are omnivores, so they eat plants and animals. Most of their diet is composed of plant material, so their long claws are useful to get their food from trees and shrubs. They also hibernate to avoid having to find food in the snowy, frozen winter.

PEOPLE AND THE TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST: Temperate forests are very important to people as they provide enjoyment as well as many resources including food, timber, and oxygen for us to breathe. However, we are also the cause of some major threats to this biome, one of which is acid rain. Acid rain caused by industrial and vehicle emissions damages the leaves of trees, and causes them to produce smaller and fewer seeds. It also reduces the trees' resistance to disease, pests, and frost. Clear cutting of forests is also a threat to this biome. Trees are cut for timber and land cleared for agriculture. Another problem associated with deciduous forests is the introduction of non-native plant and animal species because it upsets the balance of the forest ecosystem. Non-natives may compete for food and habitat space, possibly threatening the native species.

Although these threats may be worrisome, there are many things that you can do to help protect this unique biome. First of all, you can recycle. Trees are used to make the paper for paper bags, newspapers, printer paper, and many more products we use each day. If you recycle used paper, and make the effort to buy recycled paper, you will be reducing the need to cut down more trees. Also be sure to use both sides of the paper that you write on before you recycle it. Use cloth products instead of paper products, like napkins, towels, plates, and cups. These products can be washed and used again, which helps to save trees. Drive less, and carpool when possible. Car exhaust is one of the main contributors to acid rain. Walk or ride your bike to help keep our environment clean. If you are buying furniture, lumber, or any other wood product, look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label. This label indicates that the trees were grown in a well-managed forest. Learn more about forests. By reading, searching the Internet, and visiting temperate deciduous forests, you can learn lots of cool things about this biome. You can also teach other people about what you have learned. If we want to continue to enjoy temperate deciduous forests, the products that come from them, and protect the unique habitats within them, we must be sure to do our best to take care of this important biome.
GAMES: LINKS: Geography for Kids: Deciduous Forest Blue Planet Biomes: Deciduous Forest Temperate Deciduous Forest Ecokids Forests Shades of Green: Earth's Forests
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links LOCATION: Most temperate, deciduous (leaf-shedding) forests are located in the eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, and parts of Russia. Deciduous forests are broken up into five zones.The firstzone is the tree stratum zone.

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:::: What's It Like Where You Live? ::::

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Science for Kids: Savanna Grasslands Biome

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Kids learn about the savanna grasslands biome. This tropical ecosystem is full of large herbivores like zebras, giraffes, and wildebeests.

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. They cover half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia, South America, and India. That is a lot of the earth's surface! Savannas can result from climate changes, soil conditions, animal behavior, or agricultural practices. Humans create savannas by burning grasslands and cutting down trees so they can plant crops. Large animals, like elephants, can turn a forest into a savanna by knocking trees down, stripping the bark from the trees, and tramping on tree seedlings.

WEATHER: An important factor in the savanna is climate. The climate is usually warm and temperatures range from 68° to 86°F (20 to 30°C). Savannas exist in areas where there is a 6 - 8 month wet summer season, and a 4 - 6 month dry winter season. The annual rainfall is from 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm) per year. During the dry season, lightning often strikes the ground, igniting the dry grasses that cover the savanna.

PLANTS: The savanna is dominated by grasses such as Rhodes grass, red oats grass, star grass, lemon grass, and some shrubs. Most savanna grass is coarse and grows in patches with interspersed areas of bare ground. You won't see many trees in the savanna because of little rainfall. Occasionally, you'll find individual trees or small groves of trees. These mostly live near streams and ponds. The Acacia tree is an interesting plant in the savanna. It has an umbrella shape, with branches and leaves high off the ground that giraffes like to eat. Baobab trees also live in the savanna. They deal with dry conditions by storing water between the bark and meat of the tree.

ANIMALS: There are many different types of animals that live in the savanna. The species found in savannas vary by the geographic location of the biome. Animals native to African savannas include African elephants, zebras, horses, and giraffes. Many animals in the savanna are herbivores, which means they eat plants, and there is plenty of grass in the savanna. During the rainy months animals thrive in the savanna, but the rainy season is only half the year. During the dry season, surface water from the rain is quickly absorbed into the ground by thirsty soils. The competition for water during the dry season is so intense that most birds and many of the large mammals migrate elsewhere in search of water. Depending on the severity of the drought, the migration may be to a place nearby, or far away. The dry season is often associated with fires. Many insects with short life spans die in these fires, but the birds and larger animals are usually able to fly or run to safety. Although small burrowing animals probably can't outrun the flames, they often survive the fire by digging deep into the ground and remaining there until the flames are gone. Some birds, such as the Fork-tailed Drongos, don't flee the fires; they actually fly to the fires. For these birds fire means dinner. They eat the fleeing or flame-roasted insects.

PEOPLE AND THE SAVANNA: Some environmental concerns with savannas include poaching or hunting, overgrazing, and destruction of land for commercial crops. Many animals in the savanna, such as the rhinoceros and zebra, are endangered and threatened with extinction due to hunting, poaching, and habitat loss. The savanna is often damaged when it is used as pastureland for non-native domestic cattle. Cattle grazing also limits the amount of food available for wildlife.
GAMES: LINKS: Blue Planet Biomes: Savanna Enchanted Learning: Savanna Animal Printouts Smithsonian National Zoological Park: African Savanna for Kids

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links LOCATION: Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. They cover half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia, South America, and India. That is a lot of the earth's surface!

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Animal  & Plant Adaptation Research Chart

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Between the Forest and the Desert

Grassland habitats are places that receive more rain than deserts but less precipitation than forests. Most of the plants here are grasses, which don't need as much water as forest vegetation.

Every continent except Antarctica has grasslands, but they have different names in different places: In Africa, they're called savannas and veldts; pampas in South America; steppes in in Europe and Asia; prairies or grasslands in North America; and rangelands in Australia. One-fourth of the planet is covered by grasslands.

Grasslands are usually found in the dry interior of continents, between the mountains and deserts. Many grasslands were formed tens of thousands of years ago after the last ice age, when the Earth began to warm up and the climate became drier.

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Deserts are the driest places on Earth—they get fewer than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain a year. Some deserts may get a lot of rain all at once. Then it might not rain again for months—or even years!

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Interesting Fact:
More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.

Rainforests are very dense, warm and wet forests.

Why is it called a Rainforest?

The reason it is called a "rain" forest is because of the high amount of rainfall it gets per year. Rainforests have an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches (254 centimeters) and often much more.

Why are Rainforests important to us?

They are very important as the plants of the rainforest generate much of the Earth's oxygen

Interesting Fact:

Rainforests cover only 6 %of the Earth's surface but yet they contain MORE THAN 1/2 of the world's plant and animal species!

How many different types of Rainforests are there?

There are two types of Rainforest:

1. Temperate Rainforests

2. Tropical Rainforests

Find out more (Click on the link "Types of Rainforest" on the left of the page)

Interesting Fact:

Rainforests are found on every continent across the Earth, except Antarctica.

Where in the world are Rainforests found?

Tropical rainforests are found close to the equator where temperatures and rainfall are very high all year round. The major areas of tropical rainforests are in South East Asia, West Africa and South and Central America. The best known rain forests are found in tropical regions between the Tropics of cancer and Capricorn.

Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in the temperate zone.
The largest temperate rainforests are found on North America's Pacific Coast and stretch from Northern California up into Canada. Temperate rainforests have one long wet winter/spring season, and a dry foggy summer.

What lives in a Rainforest?

As many as 30 million species of plants and animals live in tropical rainforests.

Interesting Fact:

A typical four square mile patch of rainforest contains as many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies.

What are the different layers of a Rainforest Called?

There are four main parts of a Rainforest. They are:

Emergent Layer - very sunny because it is the very top. Only the tallest trees reach this level.
Who lives here? birds, butterflies and small monkeys live with bats, snakes and bugs.

Canopy Layer - much of the rain is stopped by the thick foliage. Most trees in the forest grow to this height. There are plants that grow in the canopy layer. Their roots don't reach the ground. These are called air plants.
Who lives here? birds, monkeys, frogs, and sloths, as well as lizards, snakes and many insects.
See photos

Understory Layer - many vines, dense vegetation, not much light.
Who lives here? birds, butterflies, frogs and snakes
See photos

Forest Floor - dark, damp, full of many dead leaves, twigs and dead plants. The forest floor is dark due to the trees above stopping the sunlight from entering the forest. It is estimated that only 2% of the sunlight actually reaches the floor.
Who lives here? jaguars in South America, gorillas and leopards in Africa and tapirs and tigers and elephants in Asia.
Click here to find out more

Interesting Fact:

The trees of a tropical rainforest are so densely packed that rain falling on the canopy can take as long as 10 minutes to reach the ground.

What do we get from Rainforests?

Many of the things we have in our homes comes from the rainforest.

These include:

medicine

chocolate - Chocolate is made from cocoa. Cocoa pods grow on trees in rainforests.

sugar

spices - includes ginger, allspice, pepper, cinnamon, coconut, vanilla, turmeric and paprika.

rubber

pineapples

bamboo

Interesting Fact:

An area of a rainforest the size of a football field is being destroyed each second.

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