John F Kennedy

Dear, Ms. Demarco

Did you know that the tropical rainforest biome is where half of earth’s animal and plant species exist? The extraordinary way the rainforest, and all the life it supports, function is equally fascinating. The soil on which tropical forests are found is very poor and shallow. In order to overcome this, nature has perfected amazing recycling. In the rainforests this recycling can be seen taking place right in front of your eyes as the humid heat decays everything faster. And while it decays, throngs of organisms like fungi and insect, feast on the nutrients.

Only a small portion of tropical forests are considered as rainforests. In order to qualify as a rainforest the area must have the following. Forests that stays frost-free and warm throughout the year, with the mean temperature being between 70 degrees and 85 degrees F with minimal daily fluctuation. Also receive regular rainfall all throughout the year about 80 to 400 inches a year.

Tropical rainforest have four strata. Scientists divided the rainforest into four zones, or strata on the basis of the living environment. The first one is The Emergent Layer. This layer consist of giant trees the thrust up higher that the layer of dense canopy, forming huge crowns shaped like mushrooms. This layer is home to many insects and birds. The second zone is The Canopy Layer. The canopy is where 90 percent of the organisms can be found, most of them seeking the treetops for the brighter light there. The third zone is The Understory this layer is a dark and cool place because it receives only 2 to 15 percent of the sunlight that falls on the canopy. It is an open space containing leafy herbaceous plants and young trees that can only tolerate low light. Finally the fourth zone is The Forest Floor. The floor of the forest gets less than 2 percent of sunlight. Little grows here apart from plants that are adapted to very low amounts of light.