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__//Types of Rainforests //__ There are two types of rainforests, temperate and tropical. Rainforest have four layers. These layers

are the forest floor, the understory, the canopy and the very high emergent layer.



If you want to learn more about the layers of the rainforest visit the Voki.

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__// Rainforest Animals //__ Some of the animals that live in rainforests are toucans, snakes, and monkeys. Also there is the poison dart frog, the red-eyed tree frog and the leafcutter ant.

Leafcutter Ant



Poison Dart Frog



__// Rainforest Plants //__ Some of the plants that can be found in rainforests include the strangler fig, butress rootes and epiphytes.

__ RAINFOREST RESCUE __

We need to defend our rainforests because they can’t defend themselves. A biologist named E.O Wilson said that the destruction of rainforests is "the greatest extinction since the end of the age of dinosaurs." When a rainforest is cleared it destroys the homes of flora, fauna and people. Deforestation leads to the loss of thousands of species of insects, animals and plants. Also deforestation can lead to soil erosion and the soil loses its nutrients and trees can’t grow. Clearing the land causes the trees  to stop using up carbon dioxide and forest fires produce carbon dioxide and this pollutes the atmosphere. Scientists believe that by the year 2050 there will be no rainforests left and thousands of different plants and animals will disappear from Earth forever. __MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE RAINFOREST __

Medicinal Plants of the Rainforest Many species of medicinal plants are found in rainforests. 25 percent of all Western  pharmaceutical drugs are manufactured from chemicals found in rainforest plants. Some of these plants are: <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">Liana – is only found in Australia and it is used to treat

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">leukaemia. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">Graviola – is found in Peru and all of its parts are used to make medicines. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">Maca – is found in Peru and its roots are used to make herbal medicines. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">Cinchona Tree – is found in Af <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">rica and it used to treat malaria. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">Pacific Bleeding Heart – is found in Pacific Northwest and it is used to treat bruises and sprains. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">Cocoa Tree – is an important plant because it produces over 150 chemicals that are used to make medicines. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">Lemongrass – which i <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">s a herb which is used to treat fevers and colds. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 160%;">If we continue to destroy our rainforests the plants we use for medicines might be extinct and we wont be able to use them for medicines to treat diseases.

__** Bibliography **__
 * http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/background/causes.htm **
 * [] **
 * __ Rainforests of Australia __**** by Graham Churchell **
 * Life in the rainforests by Lucy Baker **
 * [] **
 * http://www.buzzle.com/articles/rainforest-plants-used-for-medicine.html **

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