The Amazon RainforestBy

Aidan W.1B, 2B

LayersFriday, March 18, 20119:56 AM

There are four layers in the rainforest. The first layer is the forest floor. This is a dirty layer at the bottom where giant anteaters live. No plants live on the forest floor. The next layer is the understory, it is smelly and animals such as Jaguars, Tree frogs, Leopards, and insects live in this section of the rainforest. Next is the canopy in which it is crowded and many Epiphytic Plants, commonly called “air plants” like Bromeliads and Orchids grow in the Canopy Layer. The roots of this plant do not reach the ground or live in soil. Instead they thrive by absorbing moisture and nutrients through an aerial root system by attaching themselves to a host. The Canopy Layer is also home to many species, including Birds, Butterflies, Monkeys, Parrots, the slow moving Sloth, Tree Frogs, Toucans, Jaguars and Leopards. Last but not least, the Emergent one. The Emergent Layer is the highest level of the Rainforest. Giant trees reach to the sky. It is not uncommon for the hardwood evergreens and broad-leaf Rainforest trees to reach an amazing 180 to 200’ in height. The Emergent Layer of the Rainforest is the brightest layer receiving the most sunlight. From the Rainforest treetops you can see the rolling mist of condensation as it forms into clouds dissipating from the dense layers beneath. The Emergent Layer is the world’s finest Natural Aviary. Rainforests are home to nearly 1/3 of our planet’s bird species including thousands of species of birds, including Hummingbirds and Eagles.. Many other species of Bats, Butterflies and Monkeys also seek food, nesting & shelter here as they look for a safe-haven away from the predators of the forest. The Emergent Layer is directly above the Canopy Layer.

AnimalsAidan Cole WingWednesday, March 16, 20119:13 AM

 

Black Caimans live in the Amazon but are a danger to the people and are killed in defense.

Pasted from <http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=2&did=32632> Habitat

They live in the rivers, ponds, swamps, and lakes. Appearance:

Their life span is from 50 to 80 years. They can grow over 6 meters, and can weigh over one ton. They have a long jaw, with up to 86 replaceable teeth. They have 4 legs and a long tail. They are greenish black on the top and have a yellowish white stomach. They are very fast & powerful. Their skin is thick, covered with scales and spines, but it is sensitive because they are adapted to live in the water were the sun doesn't burn. If they spend too much time in the sun their skin gets dry and starts to shed. They have big black eyes and two holes as ears, which are not very developed. They have two nostrils on top of the upper jaw, and they can detect the scent blood from a very long distance. They have long nails and 4 fingers on each paw. Predators:

The Black Caiman is the largest predator in the Amazon Rainforest. Prey:

The Black Caiman is a carnivore & has a variety of foods to eat in the environment where he lives. Large catfish, non-poisonous snakes like anacondas and pythons, mammals like deer, jaguar and buffalo, but he prefers the capybara. When they are small they also eat big insects and lizards or other types of little reptile. But the Black Caiman is feared because he has also attacked small children or women doing laundry at the water’s edge. He mainly gets his food from the river. If a Black Caiman has eaten a good lunch like a whole deer they can go 3 to 4 days without eating.

Adaptations

The Black Caiman has many places to live but he needs water because of his skin. The Black Caiman is mainly found in the Amazon Rainforest. They like to stay in rivers with no flow of water, because if they find a place were they can get their food easily, or there is a lot of food, they can stay in the same place without moving. He can be found in swamps or in parts of the river where there are many leaves and high river plants. He also likes to lives in lakes and ponds where the water is not clear because it helps him camouflage himself so his prey can’t see him when he moves. Sometimes when they are finished eating they like to pose in the sand where sun falls on them. He also likes to sleep in holes or

below bushes where he can rest in the shadow. He needed to adapt to live in some of these places.    The Black Caiman has adapted some variety of things to survive in the world that is today. Many years ago there were no mammals and the alligators only fed on fish and other reptiles. But now they eat mammals, probably because the number of fish lowered and they had to eat something else. They also adapted a longer tail so they could swim faster in shallow waters. Now the Black Caiman has stronger legs to run fast on the ground and jump with the speed of lightning. He also has adapted a long and powerful neck to be able to catch the fish and mammals that are drinking water in the ponds. They also had to adapt to the humans who came later and destroyed their habitat, and killed them for their expensive skin. They adapted long nails that helped them attach to the rocks. He also has adapted many eye layers to see better in the brown and green waters. All of these adaptations help the Black Caiman protect himself. 9:56 AMKapok TreeThe giant of the Amazon rainforest that can grow up to 200 feet high and 9 to 11 inches in diameter, the Kapok tree is the most important plant species of the Amazon rainforest, as it houses many different species of Amazon rainforest plants and animals. You can find over 400 to 5000 fruits produced by the Kapok tree at one time. The Amazon rainforest kapok tree is used by the native people for its bark, resin, seeds and leaves. It is known to help treat fever, asthma, kidney diseases and dysentery

Orchids: Beautiful flowers that grow on trees in the Amazon rainforest in all shapes and sizes. Orchids are a type of fungus. They grow in the foliage of the upper canopy so people don’t easily destroy them. There are over 25,000 described species. They have a strong scent that attracts insects that pollinate them. Some are pollinated by moths which causes the orchids to produce a stronger scent at night.

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Tribes: According to their creation myth, the Ticuna originated in the Eware ravine, near the Colombian-Brazilian border. Formerly the left bank of the Amazon, as well as its islands, were occupied by the Omagua, who were the enemies of the Ticuna. The banks of the Río Putumayo were inhabited by Arawak, Mariaté, Yumana, and Pasé Indians, who had become almost completely extinct by the middle of the ninteenth century. To the west of the Ticuna lived the Peba and the Yagua; the latter are still their neighbors.

The indigenous Amazonian Indians inhabiting the Xingu River basin in Brazil are not a single tribe. Although commonly referred to as "Xingu Indians" as if they were a

single tribe, in reality they are composed of many different ethnic groups including Aweti, Kalapalo, Kamayura, Kapayo, Kuikuro, Maitipu, Nahukwa, Mehinaku, Suya,

Trumai, Waura, and Yawalapiti tribes.

Climate [temperature]:

The Brazilian Amazon region often reaches high temperatures in the low to mid-nineties. Temperatures rarely rise above 100 degrees. While some may believe that shedding clothing will result in cooler skin temperatures, they would be mistaken. Keeping a layer of clothing on helps to repel the intense rays of the sun, thereby keeping the skin a bit cooler.

While daytime temperatures can feel quite boiling, nighttime temperatures are quite the opposite. Once the sun goes down, air temperatures drop rapidly. Mid –forties to low fifties are quite normal and it can feel even cooler if it has been raining. With the frequent rains and warm temperatures the humidity levels are very uncomfortable.

9:43 AMResoureshttp://junglephotos.com/amazon/amanimals/amreptiles/blackcaiman.shtm <http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=2&did=32632 http://www.amersol.edu.pe/ms/7th/7block/jungle_research/new_cards/09/report9mdo.html> http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/whlayers.html <http://www.tigerhomes.org/animal/layers-rainforest.cfm> <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/amazon-rainforest-plants.html> http://www.arkive.org/black-caiman/melanosuchus-niger/>