Rain Forests

Rain Forests — page 1 — WORKING IN A RAIN FOREST Hot steamy rainy overgrown muddy v Scientists research tropical rain forests to try thorny full of biting insects and other to improve our understanding of the unique plants and animals in this amazing ecosystem animals that can cause harm Rain forests are extreme environments yet some scientists work there every day researching plants animals soils and other aspects of these wild remote places TNT DANGER A Study in Biodiversity Rain forests are natural laboratories with incredible biodiversity from enormous trees to tiny orchids and millions of different animals living in on or among the plants Scientists study in rain forests to learn more about the remarkable organisms that live there and how they interact They also hope to discover new species partly because these discoveries may help scientists develop new medicines and materials Tens of millions of species of insects live in rain forests Some are just iritating but others can harm researchers For example tiny sweat bees crowd onto any uncovered flesh to lick salt from Sweat while bot flies lay their eggs under human skin Stings from wild rain forest bees and bullet ants are extremely

Rain Forests — page 2 — What Scientists II Study Scientists also find out how the changes to forests that are caused by people such as deforestation affect the climate and the forest water supply Working with foreign governments and local people scientists use their findings to conserve rain forests worldwide In this book we will look at how the scientists carry out their research what they do with their results and some of the discoveries they have made Colourful pitcher plants grow on the mossy branches of rain forest trees Rhinoceros beetles look fearsome but they are harmless to people The male's large horns are used to fight other males in the rain

Rain Forests — page 3 — RAIN FOREST LIFE Thousands of scientists work in Rain Forests under rain forests every year each with a Pressure different research focus They to come Some researchers study threats to the rain forest because of immense the forest wildlife rain For example while biodiversity and because rain forests rain forest animals are under threat and the organisms within them are from hunters who kill them for meat disappearing hunting affects plants in the forest too In 2010 researchers proved that Rain forest trees are mostly the poaching of elephants was linked hardwoods that are valuable but to a loss of trees such as the star can be slow growing Once logged the rain forest does not regrow quickly apple This is because after eating the and some tree species die out fruit the elephants spread the seeds of these trees through their

Rain Forests — page 4 — A Jaguars are hunted for their beautiful coats but are also disappearing as people kill the animals jaguars hunt for food DANGONR Rain Forest Discovery Scientists also study tropical rain forests to find new species Rain forests are home to half of the world's estimated 10 million plant and animal species So far scientists think they have discovered only about 6 percent of these and they are finding new things all the time In 2008 researchers using Google Earth even spotted a completely new area of rain forest on Mount Mabu in Mozambique that had never before been charted Scientists in the field have to look out for forest elephants particularly in some African rain forests where elephant attacks are increasing Elephants are not naturally aggressive but because forests are shrinking they are more likely to meet and be scared by people such as farmers protecting their

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