The Four Layers of The Four Layers of the Amazon the Amazon RainforestRainforest

By Emma TusseyBy Emma Tussey

Mrs.Schaltz Social Studies ClassMrs.Schaltz Social Studies Class

The Emergent LayerThe Emergent Layer

The CanopyThe Canopy

The UnderstoryThe Understory

The Forest FloorThe Forest Floor

The Emergent LayerThe Emergent Layer

Gets 100% of the sunlight Gets 100% of the sunlight

Trees have waxy leaves so they will stay Trees have waxy leaves so they will stay moistmoist

130 - 250ft above ground130 - 250ft above ground

Emergent Layer AnimalsEmergent Layer Animals

• The SlothThe Sloth

Sloths move so slowly that Sloths move so slowly that green algae covers its green algae covers its body. They live in the body. They live in the emergent layer because emergent layer because they are so slow they will they are so slow they will get eaten in any other get eaten in any other layer.layer.

Another Emergent Layer Another Emergent Layer AnimalAnimal

Macaw Macaw

The Macaw is the The Macaw is the largest of all parrots. largest of all parrots. They eat the nuts They eat the nuts and fruits that grow and fruits that grow in the tall trees. in the tall trees.

Plants of the Emergent Plants of the Emergent LayerLayer Kapok TreeKapok Tree

The top of the Kapok The top of the Kapok tree is shaped like an tree is shaped like an open umbrella. Many open umbrella. Many animals live in the animals live in the trees branches. It trees branches. It reaches heights of reaches heights of 150ft or more.150ft or more.

Another Emergent Layer Another Emergent Layer PlantPlant

TualangTualang

The Tualang is best The Tualang is best known for the disc known for the disc shaped honeycombs shaped honeycombs which hang from its which hang from its branches. It can branches. It can reach heights of reach heights of 250ft.250ft.

The CanopyThe Canopy

Gets 95% of the sunlight Gets 95% of the sunlight

Upper canopy leaves are waxy so they Upper canopy leaves are waxy so they can hold watercan hold water

60 -130ft above ground60 -130ft above ground

Canopy AnimalsCanopy Animals

Harpy EagleHarpy Eagle

The Harpy Eagle eats The Harpy Eagle eats mostly monkeys and mostly monkeys and sloths. It is Panama’s sloths. It is Panama’s national bird. They national bird. They prefer large areas of prefer large areas of continuous forest.continuous forest.

Another Canopy AnimalAnother Canopy Animal

ToucanToucan

Toucans live in Toucans live in hollowed out trees. hollowed out trees. They eat the fruits They eat the fruits and insects that grow and insects that grow and live in the and live in the canopy.canopy.

Canopy PlantsCanopy Plants

CurareCurare

The Curare has heart The Curare has heart shaped leaves. They shaped leaves. They are smooth on top are smooth on top and hairy white on and hairy white on the bottom. It grows the bottom. It grows like a vine up the tall like a vine up the tall canopy trees.canopy trees.

Another Canopy PlantAnother Canopy Plant

Strangler FigsStrangler Figs

The Strangler Fig is The Strangler Fig is food to many animals food to many animals including: parrots, including: parrots, toucans and gibbons. toucans and gibbons. They also grow up They also grow up the sides of the the sides of the canopy trees.canopy trees.

The Understory The Understory Gets 2 – 15% of the sunlightGets 2 – 15% of the sunlight

The leaves are large so they can get The leaves are large so they can get more sunlightmore sunlight

Ground level – 60ftGround level – 60ft

Understory AnimalsUnderstory Animals

The Ant ShrikeThe Ant Shrike

The Ant Shrike makes The Ant Shrike makes its nest in the its nest in the understory and eats understory and eats the insects that live the insects that live on the forest floor. on the forest floor.

Another Understory Another Understory AnimalAnimal

The Vine SnakeThe Vine Snake

When a Vine Snake is When a Vine Snake is in danger it puffs up in danger it puffs up the front of its body the front of its body and opens its mouth and opens its mouth really wide. It eats really wide. It eats the animals that live the animals that live in the understory.in the understory.

Understory PlantsUnderstory Plants

OrchidsOrchids

There are over 230 There are over 230 species of orchids species of orchids found in the found in the rainforest. Orchids rainforest. Orchids grow in the shade of grow in the shade of the understory. the understory.

Another Understory PlantAnother Understory Plant

Acacia TreeAcacia Tree

The Acacia Tree The Acacia Tree produces little yellow produces little yellow buds. The buds buds. The buds provide food for provide food for some ants. It doesn’t some ants. It doesn’t get enough sunlight get enough sunlight to grow as tall as the to grow as tall as the trees in the canopy.trees in the canopy.

The Forest FloorThe Forest Floor

Gets only 2% of the sunlightGets only 2% of the sunlight

Leaves decay quickly due to the lack of Leaves decay quickly due to the lack of sunlightsunlight

Ground level Ground level

Forest Floor AnimalsForest Floor Animals

Army AntsArmy Ants

Army Ants can travel about Army Ants can travel about 65ft in a hour. They can 65ft in a hour. They can eat almost anything. eat almost anything. They live on the forest They live on the forest floor because the food floor because the food they eat lives there and they eat lives there and they can’t live in trees. they can’t live in trees.

Another Forest Floor Another Forest Floor AnimalAnimal

CoatimundiCoatimundi

The Coatimundi is also The Coatimundi is also known as the White – known as the White – nosed Coati. It has nosed Coati. It has adapted to the forest adapted to the forest floor with a long nose floor with a long nose and claws for digging and claws for digging holes.holes.

A Forest Floor PlantA Forest Floor Plant

Moss, Herbs and Moss, Herbs and FungiFungi

Due to the lack of Due to the lack of sunlight, almost no sunlight, almost no plants live on the plants live on the forest floor. What forest floor. What little that do live there little that do live there are able to survive in are able to survive in wet environments. wet environments.