9781422279175

What is a Rainforest? H ot and humid, warm and wet, steamy and sticky. There are lots of words to choose from, but they all describe a similar climate. By definition, tropical rainforests are wa- tery places. They usually get at least 80 inches (203 cm) of rain each year, and the numbers can go up to five times that amount. The temperature also stays fairly constant, because seasons don’t change much near the Equator. The thermometer usually reads somewhere between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 32 degrees Celsius). A rainforest has a distinct structure with four layers. The highest, thinnest level is the emergent layer. Here, only the tops of the very tallest trees poke up, towering as much as 200 feet (60 m) above the forest floor. Not even the best of the climbing animals can make it this high, so only birds and flying insects live here. Below that is the canopy, the richest, most populated layer of a rainforest. This layer begins about 100 feet (30 m) above the floor and is roughly 30–40 feet (9–12 m) deep. Most sunlight doesn’t penetrate beyond the canopy, so this is where plant life is most abundant. Lots of animals live here, too, because there’s plenty of food for great apes and giant snakes alike. Beneath the canopy comes the understory, which extends to about 20 feet (6 m)

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