To know what a ecosystem is. To be able to describe in detail the tropical rainforest ecosystem.

Where is the Amazon? Amazon Internet Link –Amazon Interactive

River Amazon

Climate Graph – The Amazon Temperature (ºC) Rainfall (mm) Describe the Amazon’s pattern of rainfall and temperature.

Why does it rain so much in the rainforest? Rainforests, such as the Amazon, lie on the Equator. This means that the sun’s rays are more concentrated in these regions and this produces convectional rain.

Convectional Rain

TASK 1 Fill in the missing gaps 1.The sun heats the earth. 2.The earth heats the …… above it. 3.Hot air rises because it is ……. 4.As the air rises, it cools and the water vapour in the air …… into water droplets. 5. A collection of these minute water droplets is known as a ……. These minute water droplets join together, become heavy and fall as rain

Watch the video clip and make notes about the different parts of the rainforest ecosystem.

A TRF is a forest occurring in tropical areas of heavy rainfall. TRF’s cover > 2% of the Earth's surface. TRF’s are home to some 50-70% of all life forms on our planet. TRF’s are the most productive and most complex ecosystems on Earth. High rainfall Year-round high temperatures Huge vegetation growth Wide range of plants Wide variety of insects, birds and animals

The rainforest covers 3.5 million km 2. That is 47% of Brazil’s total land area. It receives 4 to 8 metres of rain each year. Half of the Earth’s animals, insect species, and plants live there The Rainforest also impacts upon other ecosystems – How is this?

Layers of the TRF EMERGENT LAYER The highest layer. Made up of the tops of the tallest trees. Remained a mystery until more recently, when researchers built towers and aerial walkways in the trees. In these trees birds, butterflies and small monkeys live with bats, snakes and bugs. CANOPY Most of the trees grow up to about metres tall. The tops of the trees group to form a ceiling called a canopy. The treetops stop a lot of the light from entering the forest. The canopy is important as it protects the soil from erosion by the heavy rains. The canopy is the home to birds, monkeys, frogs, and sloths, as well as lizards, snakes and many insects. America.

Layers of the TRF UNDERSTORY Made up of trees that are growing up to reach the canopy. The trees are small with thin trunks. Lianas, which are vine like plants, use the trees to climb up to reach light. This layer is the home to birds, butterflies, frogs and snakes. SHRUB LAYER Made of young trees and plants which live on the trees in order to survive. This layer is made up of ferns and small shrubs.

Layers of the TRF FOREST FLOOR Very dark. Only 2% of the sunlight actually reaches the floor. The soil on the floor is covered in a layer of leaves, twigs and dead plants, which rot down quickly to provide nutrients for the plants. Alive with invertebrates and micro organisms, which quickly rot down this surface layer. Without the trees, the soil quickly loses its ability to support plants and turns to desert-like conditions. The forest floor is home to some of the larger animals of the forest such as tapirs and jaguars in Brazil.

To produce an information poster explaining how the rainforest ecosystem works. You will need to include features of the TRF and the climate throughout the year. Things that the people need to know are: What is the climate like? What can be found in the rainforest?  Including the different layers of vegetation. What are the processes of the rainforest ecosystem? Your poster should have on it: A map showing Brazil and where they will be going. A sketch of the layers of the forest

Emergent trees Canopy Small trees Shrubs Undergrowth 50m 0m Layers of the rainforest liana buttress roots

The Amazon Ecosystem Climate of the Tropical rainforest Learning about the Rainforest /www/what.html Internet Geography – The Tropical rainforest