Track 35

Track 35

In this module, we’re going to be exploring the natural habitats that the planet Earth provides, starting with probably one of the most famous, rainforests. Now, rainforests are exactly that: forests which see a great amount of rain. The reason they are so important is that they provide excellent conditions for many species to survive in. Let’s look at how this is by exploring exactly what the rainforest is made up of.

Now, starting from the bottom of the rainforest, we can find the forest floor. Or rather we can’t find it, as it is littered with leaves and branches which cover the ground! This area is a haven for creatures like spiders and all kinds of wildlife. Now, this forest floor occasionally has a shrub layer. This layer, which is only located near rivers, contains small trees and well, shrubbery, as the name suggests. It is a popular area for all manner of amphibians.

The next area within the rainforest is generally without light and extremely hot and damp. This area, which is called the understory, which by the way is all one word - under - story, is a popular home for creatures which dwell in the branches, like snakes, lizards, and sometimes even jaguars!

The most well-known area, called the canopy, is populated by some birds and small insects. The canopy is basically the tree-tops. It is the densely packed canopy that blocks the light to the lower areas of rainforest. Not much reaches above the canopy, but there are a few exceptional trees that climb much further into the sky. These trees grow in areas called emergent zones.

These zones, which are a perfect environment for birds and other small creatures, lie at the very top of the rainforest, and individual trees can stretch up to 50 metres in the air. Now, as we can see, this means that rainforests have a multitude of unusual conditions, perfect for many creatures. But why are such conditions perfect? Well, let’s go on to look….