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Tropical Rainforest Facts & Worksheets

A tropical rainforest is a type of habitat that is hot, moist, vibrant and found near the equator. This biome experiences no dry season and has rich biodiversity.

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A tropical rainforest is a type of habitat that is hot, moist, vibrant and found near the equator. This biome experiences no dry season and has rich biodiversity.

See the fact file below for more information on Tropical Rainforest or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Tropical Rainforest worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Origin and Locations

  • Tropical rainforests are found in the Earth’s equatorial regions, namely Afrotropic (Africa), Indomalaya, Neotropic (Central and South America), Oceania and Australia (Pacific New Guinea).
  • The Amazon rainforest spans 40% of South America and is the largest region of tropical rainforest in the world. The Congo River Basin is home to most of the tropical rainforests in the African region. Southeast Asia’s tropical rainforests are located mostly in Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and the Malay region. The New Guinea region, with little of Northeastern Australia, covers little rainforest but has expanded over time.

Defining Characteristics

  • The tropical rainforest got its name from the amount of rainfall it experiences. There is no dry season in the rainforest. It rains all year. Rainfall exceeds 70 to 100 inches per annum.
  • High precipitation contributes to the biome’s poor soil. The soil in rainforests is typically red, leached and nutrient-deficient. Trees commonly have huge, shallow root systems on all sides, called buttress roots.
  • It is perpetually hot in rainforests. The mean temperature each year ranges from 68 – 84° F.
  • There is much biodiversity in tropical rainforests. Half of the world’s living species are found in them.
  • The plant population is very rich and green. Two-thirds of the world’s plants are found in tropical rainforests. Natural medicine is also abundant.

Tropical Rainforest Layers

  • Rainforest layers are classified vertically into three layers. Tropical rainforests have an additional layer called the emergent layer.
  • The first layer is the forest floor. This bottom-most layer receives the least amount of sunlight, only around 2%. Only plants that thrive in low light are to be found in this layer. Fungi and decaying plants are also plentiful.
  • The second layer just above the forest floor is the understory layer. It receives more sunlight than the forest floor but still only 5 – 15%. Reptiles, insects and birds live in this layer, such as poison dart frogs and boa constrictors.
  • The third layer is the forest canopy. This layer serves as the roof of the bottom two layers and a home to 90% of organisms in the rainforest. Found in this layer are broad, lush trees that are typical of tropical forests. Epiphytes and vines are found on their branches. Diverse fauna is found in the canopy, such as toucans, spider monkeys, sloths, parrots and anteaters.
  • The fourth layer, which is unique to tropical rainforests, is the emergent layer. This layer is named after the giant trees that make up this layer. They are called emergents and they receive the most sunlight, endure harsh weather and strong winds and rainfall.

Amazing Fauna Found in Tropical Rainforests

  • The species of animals and insects found in tropical rainforests are too many to mention. A wide range of insects, reptiles, arachnids, amphibians, birds and mammals are found everywhere in the rainforest.
  • The brown-throated three-toed sloth lives in rainforest trees and feeds on leaves and branches. It moves and digests food very slowly.
  • The scarlet macaw is a large, beautiful parrot known for its bright red, yellow and blue colors. Scarlet macaws mate for life.
  • Poison dart frogs are notable for their bright colors, which make them fascinating to humans but scary to its predators.
  • The green anaconda is one of the largest snakes in the world.
  • The praying mantis is a stick-figured insect known for perfectly camouflaging itself with its surroundings.
  • Found in the Ituri Forest of Central Africa is the okapi, a relative of the giraffe.
  • Beautiful Blue Morpho butterflies are plentiful in the canopy layer.

Amazing Flora

  • Just like the fauna found in tropical rainforests, amazing flora is also plentiful.
  • Epiphytes are plants that don’t have roots planted in the ground. They cling to and live on other plants. Examples of epiphytes are bromeliads and orchids.
  • A famous aquatic plant found in the Amazon is the Amazon water lily, which can grow up to 3m wide.
  • Palm trees, such as the acai palm, rattan palm and carnauba palm, are common in the Amazon, African and Asian rainforests.
  • Examples of fascinating flowers in tropical rainforests are Rafflesia arnoldii, passion fruit flowers, heliconias and pitcher plants.
  • The Rafflesia arnoldii is the biggest flower in the world and known for its foul smell. That’s why it’s also called the “corpse lily”.
  • The cacao plant (where chocolate comes from) also grows in tropical rainforests.
  • Tropical rainforests are also home to everyday food such as bananas, mangoes, papayas, macadamia nuts and sugarcane.

Indigenous People

  • There are many different indigenous tribes that call the rainforests home. They’re typically hunter-gatherers.
  • In Central Africa, there are the Efe, Aka, Twa, Baka and Mbuti tribes.
  • In Asia, there are the Penan and Dayak tribes in Borneo and the Lumad people in the Philippines.
  • In South America, there are the Huaorani, Yąnomamö and Kayapo tribes.

Tropical Rainforest Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Tropical Rainforest across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Tropical Rainforest worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the tropical rainforest which is a type of habitat that is hot, moist, vibrant and found near the equator. This biome experiences no dry season and has rich biodiversity.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Tropical Rainforest Facts
  • Tropical Rainforest Word Search
  • Rainforest Regions
  • Layered Biome
  • Tropical Creatures
  • Tropical Rainforests of the World
  • Indigenous People
  • Tropical Rain-Flora
  • Habitat Pros and Cons
  • Ways to Conserve Rainforests
  • Tropical Rainforest Acrostic

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Link will appear as Tropical Rainforest Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 2, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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