UNIT 3:TROPICAL RAINFOREST

• Did you know?We are losing Earth's greatest biological

treasures just as we are beginning to appreciate

their true value. Rainforests once

covered 14% of the earth's land surface;

now they cover a mere 6% and experts

estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in

less than 40 years.

WHAT ARE WE INVESTIGATING?

TROPICAL RAINFOREST• What are Tropical Rainforest?

• Where are they located?

• Deforestation

• What is it?

• Which areas have

we lost?

• Why does it

occur?

• Deforestation

• How to manage?

Deforestation

how does it impact

• people

• environment?

YOU WILL LEARN TO

• use photographs and sketches to describe the characteristics of Tropical rainforest• describe how Tropical rainforest adapt to

the tropical climate• describe the uses and importance of

Tropical rainforest respect different people’s perspectives about rainforest

CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST

General Characterises

Description -- thick and luxuriant evergreen

forestSuitable Climate-- high

rainfall and high temperature throughout

the year

Evergreen trees – do not shed all their leaves at

the same time

CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST

How can we study the rainforest?

Diversity of plant species

Structure of the forest

Adaptation of

plants

STRUCTURE OF RAINFOREST80

50

30

20

0

Formed by the crown of the trees

Lianas and epiphytes grow in this layer

Plants here are widely spaced

Sparse vegetation with leaf litter

Undergrowth Layer

Forest floor

Emergent

Canopy

* Trees grow to heights

20-30 metres to reach

sunlight. * Form a continuous cover locking 90%

of sunlight

* Eg includes ferns

* It's very dark down here. Little sunshine reaches this area

*larger leaves to reach the sunlight.

*plants seldom grow to 20 metres.

* hardly any sun reaches the forest floor things begin to decay

quickly.

Emergent layer

Canopy Layer

Undergrowth Layer

HOMEWORK

• Read Pages 75 to 76 from textbook •Do exercise 3.1 and 3.2 (pages 37-40) from your workbook.

• (you may refer to slide 6 of your notes and pg. 79 of your textbook to help you draw the sketch of the rainforest)

DISCOVER THE DIFFERENT SPECIES FOUND IN THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST

The giant of the Amaz

on Rainforest : ____________

Read page 77 to complete this table.

The world's largest

honey bees home:

_____________

Makes good household

plants :

_________

Grows well with

nutrients from

decomposed :

____________

The TR supports numerous species of plants and animals

Forms lush carpet of greenery: _______

DISCOVER THE DIFFERENT SPECIES FOUND IN THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST

The giant of the Amaz

on Rainforest : Kapok tree

ANSWERSThe world's

largest honey bees

home: Tualang

tree

Makes good household

plants :

Staghorn

fernsGrows well

with nutrients

from decompose

d Fungi

Check your answers

Forms lush carpet of greenery:mosses

Uses of Tropical

Rainforest

Water catchm

ent

Source of

timberMedical applicat

ion

Habitat to flora and

fauna

Green lungs of

the earth

Habitat to indigenous

people

• An area drained by a river and the smaller rivers that flow into it.• Rain water that drips from trees seeps into the

ground and is stored as ground water so Tropical Rainforest are large water catchment areas.• Impurities are trapped by the soil before it flows

onto the reservoirs . • The Central catchment reserve lies within the

biggest water catchment in Singapore

CENTRAL CATCHMENT NATURE RESERVE

GREEN LUNG OF THE EARTH

• Forest absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen through photosynthesis.• Forest helps the earth to “breath” so its called

“green lungs of the earth.”• 20% of earth oxygen is generated by the Amazon

rainforest.• Forest acts as the earth’s natural purifier and the

dense vegetation keeps it cool.

• Rainforest is home to 2 million of the world’s plants, animals, insects and a variety of fungi.• Ample sunlight allows plants to thrive which in

becomes food to animals.• The canopy allows other plants and animals to

survive.• Indigenous people obtain food through hunting or

as shifting cultivators and depend on the rainforest for basic necessities too.

• Forest provide wood for fuel for cooking.• Tropical rainforest supply one-fifth of the world's

industrial timber .• Teak, ebony, mahogany and meranti are valued for their strength, durability, texture and beauty.• Products made include doors, window frames and furniture

• Tropical Rainforest is the world’s largest pharmacy source of medicine• Brazil nuts have cancer-fighting prosperities• Cinchona tree – treats Malaria• Madagascar periwinkle plant– treats childhood

leukaemia• Clavillia plants treats eczema & itchiness

WHICH PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS A TROPICAL RAINFOREST ?

Figure A

Figure B

What factors did you consider to make your decision?

GEOGRAPHICAL INVESTIGATION SKILLS

A SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITY-

SKETCHING • Observe how the trees in the school field adapt to our climate.• Take a photo of the tree that shows a

characteristics of the adaptation.• Using the skills studied in Unit 2 and with

reference to Pg. 79 of the textbook, sketch the feature you see.• Paste your sketch and the photo on a A4

paper and submit to your teacher