WILD.
4x1=4
The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It is roughly the size of the continent of Australia
and covers an area of nearly 2.8 million square miles. The Amazon rainforest gets its life from the
majestic Amazon River which runs through the heart of the region. Amazon is also the second largest
river in the world. The rainforest is simply the drainage basin for the river and its tributaries. The vast
forest consists of four layers, each featuring its own ecosystems and specially adapted plants and
animals.
The forest floor is the lowest region. Since only two percent of the sunlight can filter through the top
layers to the understory very few plants grow there. The forest floor, however, is rich with rotting
vegetation and bodies of dead animals which quickly break down and get integrated into the soil as
nutrients. Tree roots stay close to these available nutrients and decomposers such as millipedes and earth
worms use these nutrients for food.
The understory is the layer above the forest floor. Much like the forest floor, only about 2 to 5 percent of
the sunlight reaches this shadowy realm. Many of the plants in the understory have large, broad leaves to
collect as much sunlight as possible. The understory is so thick that there is very little air movement. As
a result, plants rely on insects and animals to pollinate their flowers.
The layer above the understory is the canopy. This is where much of the action in the rainforest occurs.
Many plants growing in this layer have specially adapted leaves with drip tips. Drip tips allow water to
flow off the leaves and thus prevent mosses, fungi and lichens from infecting the leaves. Leaves in the
canopy are very dense and filter about 80 percent of the sunlight. The canopy is where the wealth of the
rainforest's fruits and flowers grow.
Answers
Explanation:
WILD.
4x1=4
The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It is roughly the size of the continent of Australia
and covers an area of nearly 2.8 million square miles. The Amazon rainforest gets its life from the
majestic Amazon River which runs through the heart of the region. Amazon is also the second largest
river in the world. The rainforest is simply the drainage basin for the river and its tributaries. The vast
forest consists of four layers, each featuring its own ecosystems and specially adapted plants and
animals.
The forest floor is the lowest region. Since only two percent of the sunlight can filter through the top
layers to the understory very few plants grow there. The forest floor, however, is rich with rotting
vegetation and bodies of dead animals which quickly break down and get integrated into the soil as
nutrients. Tree roots stay close to these available nutrients and decomposers such as millipedes and earth
worms use these nutrients for food.
The understory is the layer above the forest floor. Much like the forest floor, only about 2 to 5 percent of
the sunlight reaches this shadowy realm. Many of the plants in the understory have large, broad leaves to
collect as much sunlight as possible. The understory is so thick that there is very little air movement. As
a result, plants rely on insects and animals to pollinate their flowers.
The layer above the understory is the canopy. This is where much of the action in the rainforest occurs.
Many plants growing in this layer have specially adapted leaves with drip tips. Drip tips allow water to
flow off the leaves and thus prevent mosses, fungi and lichens from infecting the leaves. Leaves in the
canopy are very dense and filter about 80 percent of the sunlight. The canopy is where the wealth of the
rainforest's fruits and flowers grow.