Why are rainforests so important?

Rainforests are important because they provide so many things for us. For example, the food that we eat, such as bananas, oranges, lemons and coconuts are all from the rainforest. Also, a lot of the chemicals in the rainforest are used to make medicines that can heal things such as diabetes and inflammation. Another reason why rainforests are important is that about 25% of people depend on the rainforest for their water. The plants in the rainforest absorb the water from frequent downpours. Finally, the rainforest is a home to so many animals in our world and it would be so cruel to ruin their habitats and leave them with nothing. After stating all the reasons above, our rainforests are way to precious to destroy and they deserve to be left untouched. 

Where are Rainforests found in the world? Use a world map to illustrate

Tropical rainforests are found between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. To be more specific, these rainforests are found in South and Central America, Africa, Oceania (the islands around Australia), and Asia.  Temperate rainforests are found outside the two Tropics. In other words, places such as, the Pacific coast of the USA and Canada (from northern California to Alaska), in New Zealand, Tasmania, Chile, Ireland, Scotland and Norway. 

What plants live in the rainforest? (There are 4 main types of plants ­ list them all and give examples of each)

The four main plants in a rainforest are:
- Epiphytes
- Buttresses
- Lianas
- Fungi

Examples:
Epiphytes - ferns, bromeliads, cacti
Buttresses - giant roots
Lianas - thick woody vines
Fungi - mushrooms, molds, yeasts, mildrews

What animals live in the rainforest? Which layer of the rainforest do they live in? Select one rainforest animal, find a picture of it to include in your report, and describe its habitat.

Some of the animals that live in the rainforest are monkeys, birds, frogs, butterflies and beetles. Animals such as sloths and macaws live in the emergent layers and the canopy but animals such as the poison arrow frog or the rhinoceros beetle live in the lower layers which are the understory and the forest floor.

Spider monkeys live in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. They spend most of their time in the canopy because it is where they can find fruit, nuts and seeds to eat.