Rainforest Ecosystem
What Is a Rainforest Ecosystem?
Word of the Week
Precipitation
Precipitation is any form of water that falls from the atmosphere to the ground!
We normally think of precipitation as rain, but it can also be snow, hail, or sleet.
Species Spotlight
Jaguar | Panthera onca
Jaguars are one of the largest and fiercest predators in the jungles of Central and South America. Large males can weigh more than 200-lbs! They can eat more than 85 species (wow!), including capybaras, deer, tortoises, iguanas, fish, birds, monkeys, and even caimans. Jaguars are ambush predators, meaning they sneak up on their prey and attack. They hide in the dark understory or up in the branches waiting for prey animals to walk by. They easily sneak up on prey using their spots to blend in and their cushioned paws to walk quietly. Jaguars are also great swimmers and use swamps and rivers as their hunting grounds!
Like most big cats, jaguars are solitary, meaning they like to live alone. Jaguars are usually only seen together during breeding and when a mom is raising her cubs. Young jaguars will stay with their moms for two years while they learn how to hunt and defend themselves. Unfortunately, jaguar populations are shrinking due to habitat loss from growing human populations and hunting for their fur, claws, and teeth. We can help jaguars by purchasing sustainability harvested products like coffee, wood, and palm oil that otherwise cause habitat loss.
BRAIN BLAST
Jaguars are often confused with leopards. While these big cats are closely related, they differ quite a bit! Can you determine at least 3 differences between jaguars and leopards? Check out our credible resources page for research tools.
Conservation Corner
Deforestation
How You Can Protect Rainforests
Deforestation is the process of removing trees by cutting them down to use their wood or burning them to make room for something else.
Forests are destroyed for many reasons, like harvesting paper and lumber, creating space to build communities, and developing farms. Farming (also known as agriculture) is a growing issue because, as the human population grows, we need more resources. One of these important resources is palm oil. Palm oil is found in items we use every day, like shampoo, cereal, and even chocolate! We can help stop deforestation by buying products made locally and using products made with sustainable palm oil (palm oil that was grown without destroying rainforests!).
Rainforest Layers Identification
Use the diagram below to label the layers of a rainforest.
Rainforest Challenges
Glossary
Abiotic
A part of an ecosystem that is nonliving.
Arboreal
An organism that spends most of its life in the trees.
Biotic
A living organism.
Canopy
The upper layer of the forest where most of the tree branches and leaves are.
Carnivore
An organism that eats animals.
Deforestation
The process of removing trees by cutting them down to use their wood or burning them to make room for something else.
Ecosystem
An area of the planet filled with living and nonliving things that interact.
Emergent Layer
The top-most layer of the rainforest consisting of trees that stick out above the canopy.
Forest Floor
The bottom layer the rainforest consisting of dirt and dead organic material, like fallen leaves.
Frugivore
An animal whose diet is mostly fruit.
Habitat
An area where a plant or animal lives.
Nutrient Cycle
The movement of nutrients throughout an ecosystem.
Rainforest
An ecosystem that receives a large amount of rain and has trees that form a closed canopy.
Temperate
A region that has mild temperatures.
Tropical
A region near the equator that has warm temperatures year round.
Understory
The layer of a forest above the forest floor and below the canopy consisting of young plants and vines.
Water Cycle
The movement of water from an ecosystem into the atmosphere and back down to the Earth's surface.
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