Skip to main content

Home/ UWC Grade 5 (2009-2010)/ Group items tagged unique

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Woo Hyun C

AMAZON RAINFOREST ANIMALS - 0 views

  • A highly endangered specie of the Amazon river, it can grow up to 6 feet long and a weight of around 70 pounds.
  • the anaconda continue to grow throughout its entire life, reaching up to 37 feet long and astonishing 600 pounds of mass.
  • One of the most beautifl creatures of the Amazon river
  •  
    endangered speces lives in amazon
Yen Yu C

Introduction to Biomes - 0 views

shared by Yen Yu C on 02 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Biomes are the major regional groupings of plants and animals discernible at a global scale. Their distribution patterns are strongly correlated with regional climate patterns and identified according to the climax vegetation type. However, a biome is composed not only of the climax vegetation, but also of associated successional communities, persistent subclimax communities, fauna, and soils.
    • Yen Yu C
       
      -what biomes are -introduction -what it is composed from
  • The global distribution pattern: Where each biome is found and how each varies geographically. A given biome may be composed of different taxa on different continents. Continent-specific associations of species within a given biome are known as formations and often are known by different local names. For example,the temperate grassland biome is variously called prairie, steppe, pampa, or veld, depending on where it occurs (North America, Eurasia, South America, and southern Africa, respectively). The general characteristics of the regional climate and the limitations or requirements imposed upon life by specific temperature and/or precipitation patterns. Aspects of the physical environment that may exert a stronger influence than climate in determining common plant growthforms and/or subclimax vegetation. Usually these factors are conditions of the substrate (e.g., waterlogged; excessively droughty, nutrient-poor) or of disturbance (e.g., periodic flooding or burning). The soil order(s) that characterize the biome and those processes involved in soil development. The dominant, characteristic, and unique growthforms; vertical stratification; leaf shape, size, and habit; and special adaptations of the vegetation. Examples of the last are peculiar life histories or reproductive strategies, dispersal mechanisms, root structure, and so forth. The types of animals (especially vertebrates) characteristic of the biome and their typical morphological, physiological, and/or behavioral adaptations to the environment.
  • The global distribution pattern: Where each biome is found and how each varies geographically. A given biome may be composed of different taxa on different continents. Continent-specific associations of species within a given biome are known as formations and often are known by different local names. For example,the temperate grassland biome is variously called prairie, steppe, pampa, or veld, depending on where it occurs (North America, Eurasia, South America, and southern Africa, respectively). The general characteristics of the regional climate and the limitations or requirements imposed upon life by specific temperature and/or precipitation patterns. Aspects of the physical environment that may exert a stronger influence than climate in determining common plant growthforms and/or subclimax vegetation. Usually these factors are conditions of the substrate (e.g., waterlogged; excessively droughty, nutrient-poor) or of disturbance (e.g., periodic flooding or burning). The soil order(s) that characterize the biome and those processes involved in soil development. The dominant, characteristic, and unique growthforms; vertical stratification; leaf shape, size, and habit; and special adaptations of the vegetation. Examples of the last are peculiar life histories or reproductive strategies, dispersal mechanisms, root structure, and so forth. The types of animals (especially vertebrates) characteristic of the biome and their typical morphological, physiological, and/or behavioral adaptations to the environment.
    • Yen Yu C
       
      understand the nature of earth's major biomes
Thomas C

Rainforest Animals - 5 views

  • Scientists believe that there is such a great diversity of animals because rainforests are the oldest ecosystem on earth.
  • Many animals species have developed relationships with each other that benefit both species. Birds and mammal species love to eat the tasty fruits provided by trees. Even fish living in the Amazon River rely on fruits dropped from forest trees. In turn, the fruit trees depend upon these animals to eat their fruit, which helps them to spread their seeds to far-off parts of the forest.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      This may help me answer my question on the interdependence of the animals of a rainforest, and it may help you out too, if you are looking at the interdependence of the animals in a rainforest
    • Zina S
       
      Why didthey kill the dodo birds!? It doesnt make any sence!
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • DOZENS OF ANIMAL SPECIES A DAY BECOME EXTINCT IN TROPICAL RAINFORESTS
    • Thomas C
       
      WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • When rainforests are destroyed, animals living outside the tropics suffer as well. Songbirds, hummingbirds, warblers and thousands of other North American birds spend their winters in rainforests, returning to the same location year after year. Less return north each spring, as few make it through the winter because their habitat has been destroyed. The cutting down of trees is not the only reason for species extinction. Thousands of monkeys and other primates are traded illegally on the international market each year, wanted for their fur, as pets, or for scientific research. Parrots and macaws have also become popular pets; buyers will pay up to $10,000 for one bird. Even the king of the jungle, the jaguar, is in danger of becoming extinct. Its fur is highly valued for use on coats and shoes.
    • Woo Hyun C
       
      With out rainforests the bird can't survive either! If we keep destroying rainforests we are harming the animals outside the rainforet
    • Chloe W
       
      Deforestation in rainforests are not lonly effecting animals that live in it, but also ones that live outside.
    • Thomas C
       
      If this carries on there will be no life left on earth!
  • Scientists estimate that there are more than 50 million different species of invertebrates living in rainforests. One scientist found 50 different species of ants on a single tree in Peru! You would probably only need a few hours of poking around in a rainforest to find an insect unknown to science.
  • In some cases both species are so dependent upon each other that if one becomes extinct, the other will as well. This nearly happened with trees that relied on the now-extinct dodo birds. They once roamed Mauritius, a tropical island located in the Indian Ocean. They became extinct during the late 19th century when humans overhunted them. The calvaria tree stopped sprouting seeds soon after. Scientists finally concluded that, for the seeds of the calvaria tree to sprout, they needed to first be digested by the dodo bird. By force-feeding the seeds to a domestic turkey, who digested the seeds the same way as the dodo birds, the trees were saved. Unfortunately humans will not be able to save each species in this same way.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      This may help me answer my question on the interdependence of the animals of a rainforest, and it may help you out too, if you are looking at the interdependence of the animals in a rainforest
  • The constant search for food, water, sunlight and space is a 24-hour pushing and shoving match. With this fierce competition, you may be amazed that so many different species of animals can all live together. But this is actually the cause of the huge number of different species.The main secret lies in the ability of many animals to adapt to eating a specific plant or animal, which few other species are able to eat. Have you ever wondered, for instance, why toucans and parrots have such big beaks? These beaks give them a great advantage over other birds with smaller beaks. The fruits and nuts from many trees have evolved with a tough shell to protect them from predators. In turn toucans and parrots developed large strong beaks, which serves as a nutcracker and provides them with many tasty meals.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      This peice of information will be useful if you are looking at the adaptations of different animals in the rainforest. This is useful for me.
  • Each species has evolved with its own set of unique adaptations, ways of helping them to survive. Every animal has the ability to protect itself from being someone's next meal. The following are just a few of these unique and often bizarre adaptations. CAMOUFLAGE The coloring of some animals acts as protection from their predators. Insects play some of the best hide-and-go-seek in the forest. The "walking stick" is one such insect; it blends in so well with the palm tree it calls its home that no one would notice it unless it moved. Some butterflies, when they close their wings, look exactly like leaves. Camouflage also works in reverse, helping predators, such as boa constrictors, sneak up on unsuspecting animals and surprise them. SLOW AS A SNAIL The three-toed sloth is born with brown fur, but you would never know this by looking at it. The green algae that makes its home in the sloth's fur helps it to blend in with the tops of the trees, the canopy, where it makes its home. But green algae isn't the only thing living in a sloth's fur; it is literally "bugged" with a variety of insects. 978 beetles were once found living on one sloth! The sloth has other clever adaptations. Famous for its snail-like pace; it is one of the slowest-moving animals on earth. (It can even take up to a month to digest its food!) Although its tasty meat would make a good meal for jaguars and other predators, most do not notice the sloth as it hangs quietly in the trees, high up in the canopy. DEADLY CREATURES Other animals want to announce their presence to the whole forest. Armed with dangerous poisons used in life-threatening situations, their bright colors warn predators to stay away. The coral snake of the Amazon, with its brilliant red, yellow, and black coloring, is recognized as one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, But don't admire its beauty too long; its deadly poison can kill within seconds The poison arrow frog also stands out with its brightly colored skin. Its skin produces some of the strongest natural poison in the world, which Indigenous people often use for hunting purposes. Another animal with no friends is the hoatzin. Often called the stinkbird, it produces a horrible smell to scare
    • Gurupranav G
       
      This is also useful information if you are looking at the adaptations of the animals of a rainforest.
  • An average of 35 species becomes extinct every day in the world's tropical rainforests.
    • Chloe W
       
      Most of these species, we haven't discovered their uses yet. We don't care that we don't even know what they are and never will
  • Rivers have become both overfished and polluted. Gillnets now allow fishermen to kill huge amounts of fish at a time. They often use only the larger and more profitable fish, dumping the dead smaller fish and other animals such as dolphins back into the rivers.
    • Chloe W
       
      This is terrible. We are losing our air supply, and now our water supply is getting polluted. I hope we can stop it.
  • Tropical rainforests are home to many of the strangest-looking and most beautiful, largest and smallest, most dangerous and least frightening, loudest and quietest animals on earth. You've probably heard of some of them; jaguars, toucans, parrots, gorillas, and tarantulas all make their homes in tropical rainforests. But have you ever heard of the aye-aye? Or the okapi? There are so many fascinating animals in tropical rainforests that millions haven't been named or even identified yet. In fact, about half of all the world's species live in tropical rainforests.
    • Shaian R
       
      How can we save the animals
  • During the Ice Ages, the last of which occurred about 10,000 years ago, the frozen areas of the North and South Poles spread over much of the earth, causing huge numbers of extinctions. But the giant freeze did not reach many tropical rainforests. Therefore, these plants and animals could continue to evolve, developing into the most diverse and complex ecosystems on earth. The nearly perfect conditions for life also help contribute to the great number of species. With temperatures constant at 75 -80 degrees F. the whole year, animals don't have to worry about freezing during cold winters or finding shade in the hot summers. They rarely have to search for water, as rain falls almost every day in tropical rainforests. Some rainforest species have populations that number in the millions. Other species consist of only a few dozen individuals. Living in limited areas, most of these species are endemic, or found nowhere else on earth. The maues marmoset, a species of monkey, wasn't discovered until recently. Its entire tiny population lives within a few square miles in the Amazon rainforest. It is so small, it could sit in a person's hand!
    • Thomas C
       
      A rainforest history lesson.
    • Avinash X
       
      this might help me in my research as i am researching on insects and the interesting ways of decieving their predators
  • Leaf-cutter, or parasol ants, can rightfully be called the world's first farmers. They climb trees up to 100-feet tall and cut out small pieces of leaves. They then carry these fragments, weighing as much as 50 times their body weight, back to their homes. Sometimes they must travel 200 feet, equal to an average human walking about 6 miles with 5,000 lbs. on his/her back! The forest floor is converted to a maze of busy highways full of these moving leaf fragments. These ants don't eat the leaves they have collected, but instead bury them underground. The combination of leaves and substances that the ants produce such as saliva allows a type of fungus to grow. This fungus is the only food that the ants need to eat. Azteca ants live on the swollen thorn acacia tree, which offers the ants everything needed for survival - lodging, water, and food for themselves and their young. In return, the ants protect the trees from predators. Whenever the ants feel something brush against the tree, they rush to fiercely fight the intruder. They also protect it from vines and other competing plants that would otherwise strangle it. As a result, nothing can grow near these trees. They are the only trees with a built-in alarm system!
    • Thomas C
       
      farming ants!
  •  
    how some animals become extinct
  •  
    good for animals survival. Chloe: This website has great information on animals of the rainforest.
  •  
    This talks about animals and the ways they escape from predators.
Shashank A

AMAZON RIVER FISH - 0 views

  • Arapaima, Paiche or Pirarucu is one of the 500 species of catfish inhabiting the Amazon rainforest. The largest scale fish in the Amazonia. World's largest freshwater fish. An air-breathing, carnivorous fish that can grow up to 10 feet long and can weigh up to 400 pounds. One individual can yield 70 kg of meat. Pirarucu ranks among the most ancient fish on earth - Jurassic period, 200 million years back. Its name comes from Tupi language which means something like "red fish".
Victoria B

Tropical rainforest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 1 views

  • tropical rainforests are considered a type of tropical wet forest (or tropical moist broadleaf forest) and may also be referred to as lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Intro for report.
  • and may also be referred to as lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest
  • Rainforests are home to half of all the living animal and plant species on the planet.[2] Tropical rain forests are called the "world's largest pharmacy" because over one-quarter of modern medicines originate from its plants.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Intro for report.
  • ...18 more annotations...
  • The rainforest is divided into five different layers, each with different plants and animals, adapted for life in the particular area. These are: the floor layer, the shrub layer, the undercanopy layer, the canopy layer and the emergent layer. Only the emergent layer is unique to tropical rainforests, while the others are also found in temperate rainforests.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • The emergent layer contains a small number of very large trees which grow above the general canopy, reaching heights of 45-55 m, although on occasion a few species will grow to 70 m or 80 m tall.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • Eagles, butterflies, bats and certain monkeys inhabit this layer
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • Those animals include: snakes, toucans and tree frogs.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • Many animals live here including jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs and leopards. There is a large concentration of insects here.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • Giant anteaters live in this layer
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem usually found around the equator. They are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and on many of the Pacific Islands. Within the World Wildlife Fund's biome classification,
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Intro for report.
  • Minimum normal annual rainfall between 1,750 millimetres (69 in) and 2,000 millimetres (79 in) occurs in this climate region. Mean monthly temperatures exceed 18 °C (64 °F) during all months of the year.[1]
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Intro for report
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Intro for report.
  • The undergrowth in a rainforest is restricted in many areas by the lack of sunlight at ground level.[4] This makes it possible for people and other animals to walk through the forest. If the leaf canopy is destroyed or thinned for any reason, the ground beneath is soon colonized by a dense tangled growth of vines, shrubs and small trees called a jungle.[5]
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Intro for report.
  • able to withstand the hot temperatures and strong winds.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • Canopy - This is the primary layer of the forest and forms a roof over the two remaining layers. Most canopy trees have smooth, oval leaves that come to a point. It's a maze of leaves and branches. Many animals live in this area since food is abundant.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • Under canopy - Little sunshine reaches this area so the plants have to grow larger leaves to reach the sunlight. The plants in this area seldom grow to 12 feet
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • Shrub layer/forest floor - This layer is very dark. Almost no plants grow in this area, as a result. Since hardly any sun reaches the forest floor things begin to decay quickly. A leaf that might take one year to decompose in a regular climate will disappear in 6 weeks
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q2.
  • An increase in tourism has increased economic support, allowing more revenue to go into the protection of the habitat. Tourism can contribute directly to the conservation of sensitive areas and habitat. Revenue from park-entrance fees and similar sources can be utilised specifically to pay for the protection and management of environmentally sensitive areas. Revenue from taxation and tourism provides an additional incentive for governments to contribute revenue to the protection of the forest. Tourism also has the potential to increase public appreciation of the environment and to spread awareness of environmental problems when it brings people into closer contact with the environment. Such increased awareness can induce more environmentally conscious behavior. Tourism has had a positive effect on wildlife preservation and protection efforts, notably in Africa but also in South America, Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific.[14]
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q4.
    • Victoria B
       
      HAve to use for project
  • Tall, broad-leaved evergreen trees are the dominant plants, forming a leafy canopy over the forest floor. Taller trees,
    • Victoria B
       
      Must use for project
Ajay V

Rainforest Facts - 2 views

shared by Ajay V on 09 Sep 09 - Cached
  • It is estimated that nearly half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals, and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next quarter-century due to rainforest deforestation.
    • Marius S
       
      Wow!
  • Commercial logging is the single largest cause of rainforest destruction, both directly and indirectly. Other activities destroying the rainforest, including clearing land for grazing animals and subsistence farming. The simple fact is that people are destroying the Amazon rainforest and the rest of the rainforests of the world because "they can't see the forest for the trees."
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful if you are looking at the destruction of rainforests.
  • When a medicine man dies without passing his arts on to the next generation, the tribe and the world loses thousands of years of irreplaceable knowledge about medicinal plants.
    • Marius S
       
      Linked to a paragraph below...
  • ...19 more annotations...
  • Rainforests once covered 14% of the earth's land surface
    • Gurupranav G
       
      gurusQ4. Useful- Destruction of rainforests.
  • Most rainforests are cleared by chainsaws, bulldozers and fires for its timber value and then are followed by farming and ranching operations, even by world giants like Mitsubishi Corporation, Georgia Pacific, Texaco and Unocal.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      gurusQ4. Useful. Destruction of rainforests.
  • There were an estimated ten million Indians living in the Amazonian Rainforest five centuries ago. Today there are less than 200,000.
    • Audrey C
       
      Why though?
  • At least 3000 fruits are found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the Western World.
    • Antonio D
       
      We should stop this!
  • The beauty, majesty, and timelessness of a primary rainforest are indescribable. It is impossible to capture on film, to describe in words, or to explain to those who have never had the awe-inspiring experience of standing in the heart of a primary rainforest.
  • Each time a rainforest medicine man dies, it is as if a library has burned down.
    • Chloe W
       
      I can't believe they have that much knowledge!
  • At least 80% of the developed world's diet originated in the tropical rainforest. Its bountiful gifts to the world include fruits like avocados, coconuts, figs, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including corn, potatoes, rice, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, tumeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews.
    • Chloe W
       
      WOW! It may not be the most unique foods and plants, but it is interesting that most of our things come from rainforests!
    • Chloe W
       
      Hopefully, this will come in handy for my central idea.
  • Two drugs obtained from a rainforest plant known as the Madagascar periwinkle, now extinct in the wild due to deforestation of the Madagascar rainforest, have increased the chances of survival for children with leukemia from 20 percent to 80 percent. Think about it: eight out of ten children are now saved, rather than eight of ten children dying from leukemia. How many children have been spared and how many more will continue to be spared because of this single rainforest plant? What if we had failed to discover this one important plant among millions before human activities had led to its extinction? When our remaining rainforests are gone, the rare plants and animals will be lost forever-and so will the possible cures for diseases like cancer they can provide.
    • Marius S
       
      Because of deforestation, all this has happened!
  • Rainforests have evolved over millions of years to turn into the incredibly complex environments they are today. Rainforests represent a store of living and breathing renewable natural resources that for eons, by virtue of their richness in both animal and plant species, have contributed a wealth of resources for the survival and well-being of humankind. These resources have included basic food supplies, clothing, shelter, fuel, spices, industrial raw materials, and medicine for all those who have lived in the majesty of the forest. However, the inner dynamics of a tropical rainforest is an intricate and fragile system. Everything is so interdependent that upsetting one part can lead to unknown damage or even destruction of the whole. Sadly, it has taken only a century of human intervention to destroy what nature designed to last forever. The scale of human pressures on ecosystems everywhere has increased enormously in the last few decades. Since 1980 the global economy has tripled in size and the world population has increased by 30 percent. Consumption of everything on the planet has risen- at a cost to our ecosystems. In 2001, The World Resources Institute estimated that the demand for rice, wheat, and corn is expected to grow by 40% by 2020, increasing irrigation water demands by 50% or more. They further reported that the demand for wood could double by the year 2050; unfortunately, it is still the tropical forests of the world that supply the bulk of the world's demand for wood.
    • Yen Yu C
       
      rainforest could be gone if the wood suplies keeps going up like this!
  • In 1950, about 15 percent of the Earth's land surface was covered by rainforest. Today, more than half has already gone up in smoke. In fewer than fifty years, more than half of the world's tropical rainforests have fallen victim to fire and the chain saw, and the rate of destruction is still accelerating. Unbelievably, more than 200,000 acres of rainforest are burned every day. That is more than 150 acres lost every minute of every day, and 78 million acres lost every year! More than 20 percent of the Amazon rainforest is already gone, and much more is severely threatened as the destruction continues. It is estimated that the Amazon alone is vanishing at a rate of 20,000 square miles a year. If nothing is done to curb this trend, the entire Amazon could well be gone within fifty years. Massive deforestation brings with it many ugly consequences-air and water pollution, soil erosion, malaria epidemics, the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the eviction and decimation of indigenous Indian tribes, and the loss of biodiversity through extinction of plants and animals. Fewer rainforests mean less rain, less oxygen for us to breathe, and an increased threat from global warming.
    • Yen Yu C
       
      that is just scary but it is something we must know inorder for someone to solve the problem someday...i guess
  • But who is really to blame? Consider what we industrialized Americans have done to our own homeland. We converted 90 percent of North America's virgin forests into firewood, shingles, furniture, railroad ties, and paper. Other industrialized countries have done no better. Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, and other tropical countries with rainforests are often branded as "environmental villains" of the world, mainly because of their reported levels of destruction of their rainforests. But despite the levels of deforestation, up to 60 percent of their territory is still covered by natural tropical forests. In fact, today, much of the pressures on their remaining rainforests comes from servicing the needs and markets for wood products in industrialized countries that have already depleted their own natural resources. Industrial countries would not be buying rainforest hardwoods and timber had we not cut down our own trees long ago, nor would poachers in the Amazon jungle be slaughtering jaguar, ocelot, caiman, and otter if we did not provide lucrative markets for their skins in Berlin, Paris, and Tokyo.
    • Yen Yu C
       
      why really is to blame??i think it's every human that lives in a house and have wonerful furnitures . I think even me.....us....
    • Yen Yu C
       
      good for some of my questions.....
  • More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rainforests. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q1, Q3
  • It is estimated that a single hectare (2.47 acres) of Amazon rainforest contains about 900 tons of living plants, including more than 750 types of trees and 1500 other plants.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful if you are loking at the biodiversity of a rainforest.
  • Destruction of our rainforests is not only causing the extinction of plant and animal species, it is also wiping out indigenous peoples who live in the rainforest.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q4
  • he problem and the solution of the destruction of the rainforest are both economic. Governments need money to service their debts, squatters and settlers need money to feed their families, and companies need to make profits. The simple fact is that the rainforest is being destroyed for the income and profits it yields, however fleeting. Money still makes the world go around . . . even in South America and even in the rainforest. But this also means that if landowners, governments, and those living in the rainforest today were given a viable economic reason not to destroy the rainforest, it could and would be saved. And this viable economic alternative does exist, and it is working today. Many organizations have demonstrated that if the medicinal plants, fruits, nuts, oils, and other resources like rubber, chocolate, and chicle (used to make chewing gums) are harvested sustainably, rainforest land has much more economic value today and more long-term income and profits for the future than if just timber is harvested or burned down for cattle or farming operations. In fact, the latest statistics prove that rainforest land converted to cattle operations yields the landowner $60 per acre; if timber is harvested, the land is worth $400 per acre. However, if medicinal plants, fruits, nuts, rubber, chocolate, and other renewable and sustainable resources are harvested, the land will yield the landowner $2,400 per acre. This value provides an income not only today, but year after year - for generations. These sustainable resources - not the trees - are the true wealth of the rainforest.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Useful for my Q4. Tells you the basic reason why rainforests are being destroyed.
    • Marius S
       
      That's interesting...
  • More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.
  • And while 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less than 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
  •  
    Its good
  • ...4 more comments...
  •  
    At least 3000 fruits are found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the Western World
  •  
    Its intersting, and I never knew that!
  •  
    Loads of inforamation... really good!
  •  
    a commercial website that has a page of rainforest facts aimed at students doing reports
  •  
    At least 3000 fruits are found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the Western World
  •  
    At least 3000 fruits are found in the rainforests; of these only 200 are now in use in the Western World
Victoria B

Pygmies - Pygmy Kleinood(how can we help them) - 0 views

    • Zoe P
       
      That is a good part about food
  • Infectious diseases unwittingly brought by the Europeans or transferred from the Bantus are taking their toll amongst the pygmies: in a typical community about 20% of the population is ill. They suffer particularly from malaria, eye diseases such as endemic river-blindness, intestinal worm diseases, framboesia, lung- and viral infections and from wounds which easily go septic in this tropical environment. Many children catch measles and suffer from polio and their mortality rate is very high. Adequate health care is expensive and local resources are extremely limited. The unique pygmy people need our support. With the help of the many friends of the pygmies around the globe we provide essential health-care and assistance in education and agriculture - but with more funds we could do so much more. A little money goes a very long way. For example, for only Euro 30, -- you can send a pygmy child to school for a whole year. We can pay the teacher and provide educational materials and medical care for the pupil. We need your support
  • Pygmies - page 2
  •  
    a bit about THe Pymies
Kengo M

World Deserts - 0 views

shared by Kengo M on 15 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Mojave National PreserveWorld Deserts World Deserts North American Deserts Protecting Deserts Home Desert lands cover incredible distances. Many who have driven through deserts in the United States may think they are enormous, but they are only the fifth largest in the world covering about 500,000 square miles. By contrast the great Sahara Desert covers almost 3.5 million square miles, the Australian deserts 1.3 million square miles, the Arabian deserts 1 million square miles, while the deserts of Turkestan have 750,000 square miles. Numerous smaller deserts are also scattered across the globe. All are unique, and have adapted to their own particular environments. Global Weather PatternsDeserts tend to occur in two belts that circle the globe. Both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere have this belt located between 15 and 35 degrees latitude, roughly centered over the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This is no accident. The sun is more directly overhead the equatorial region so it receives the most intense sunlight, and this solar energy heats the air. Hot air has two important qualities: it can hold enormous quantities of moisture, and it rises up into the atmosphere. So hot tropical air tends to be moist and rise into the atmosphere. As this air rises it cools, condensing the moisture and converting it to water where it falls as rain. This is why rain forests tend to occur near the equator. What goes up must come down, and gravity pulls this mass of rising air back to the ground. Tropical air typically falls at about 30 degrees latitude on either side of the equator and along the desert belt, but robbed of its moisture it is now hot and dry. The result are often persistent high pressure systems that tend to block incoming storms, or push them into other regions. These patterns make deserts possible, but typically other factor must also intrude to make deserts a reality.
    • Kengo M
       
      Hot desert huge 500,000 square miles
  •  
    Deserts are huge and there is different types.
Thomas C

Lemurs of Madagascar - 0 views

  • Madagascar is world-famous for its lemurs—primates that look something like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog. These animals are unique to the island and display a range of interesting behaviors from singing like a whale (the indri) to sashaying across the sand like a ballet dancer (the sifaka). Below you will learn more about these fascinating creature
  •  
    Hi!
  •  
    Madagascar is world-famous for its lemurs
Victoria B

Rainforest Aboriginal Heritage - Our Future(good for my Question) - 0 views

    • Victoria B
       
      important info on rainforest people and their future if we keep destroying their enviro ment
  • Which Way Our Future Aboriginal people are very proud of their indigenous heritage. They want the importance of their culture recognised, respected and protected. To ensure the ongoing survival of their culture, Rainforest Aboriginal people have been negotiating for shared management of their traditional country with government agencies. Rainforest Aboriginal people want to be to be recognised as the traditional land owners of the World Heritage Area with distinct cultures and individual needs. They would like to negotiate plans for their traditional lands and be involved with all aspects of land management decision making, and activities such as tourism and walking tracks planning, fire management, wildlife protection, and on the ground management. Other important goals include ranger training and employment opportunities so that Rainforest Aboriginal people can actively use their customary and contemporary land management knowledge to continue their traditions of managing their country.
  • The identification, ongoing protection and presentatiosn of cultural values is paramount. This includes cultural sites and their traditional knowledge (sometimes referred to as intellectual and cultural property rights) such as food and medicine resources. They want to be able to hunt and gather their traditional foods and other resources, while managing impacts which have the potential to impair these activities through disturbance and habitat destruction. Other important aspirations relate to the future of Rainforest Aboriginal people's communities and their survival into the 21st century. Many Rainforest Aboriginal people want to get more involved in cultural tourism because it means they can present their culture and benefit economically. One of the most heart-felt aspirations Rainforest Aboriginal people have is to get secure title to their traditional lands to ensure the integrity and survival of their cultures.  
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Caring For Our Country The TAFE Caring For Country Program started in 1990 at the request of North Queensland Aboriginal communities who wanted culturally appropriate ranger training. The Diploma level course runs for four years and is equivalent to tertiary education. Aboriginal rangers have unique skills as they are trained to use both traditional knowledge and contemporary management practices to preserve cultural and natural values. Practical skills taught include such things as map reading, site surveys, animal and plant field skills, visitor facility management, first aid and office management. An ecological component includes vegetation management and feral animal control as well as traditional knowledge. Archaeological and anthropological knowledge and techniques are gained in class as well as on sites in the field.
  • Aboriginal rangers now work for Aboriginal communities and in some government agencies such as the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, looking after rainforest and sea country. Aboriginal rangers are involved in all types of nature conservation and cultural heritage work. They liaise between Elders, Aboriginal community members and government agencies. They build and manage walking tracks for tourists. Rangers carry out surveys on cultural sites and help to manage and protect these sites. They are involved in pest and weed control, and help Government agencies to use controlled fires to maintain the diversity of plants and animals in the World Heritage Area.
  • Rangers also have an important role to play in public education. They visit schools, talk to tourists and the wider community about their work and culture. Cross cultural education and experiences for the wider community and visitors help to promote interracial understanding - an important step towards reconciliation. Aboriginal community rangers are often employed on a part-time basis to work in their communities on land management and cultural heritage protection through funding from the Commonwealth agency, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP). CDEP is similar to the mainstream "work for the dole" (unemployment benefits) program in that these schemes also benefit local communities. A difference is, in some cases, that many Aboriginal people may not have other opportunities to find work or be involved in caring for their country. Many young community rangers find it frustrating to be employed only on CDEP after having done four years of training. Employment of more Aboriginal rangers has the potential to greatly increase the integration of traditional management knowledge and techniques to improve overall management of the World Heritage Area, it is a question of resources. With their Elders, Aboriginal rangers are negotiating with government land management agencies for more permanent, full-time positions managing their country in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.  
  • t agencies.
  •  
    Which Way Our FutureAboriginal Ranger, Eric Wason and WTMA's Mike Stott discuss a mapping project Aboriginal people are very proud of their indigenous heritage. They want the importance of their culture recognised, respected and protected. To ensure the ongoing survival of their culture, Rainforest Aboriginal people have been negotiating for shared management of their traditional country with government agencies. Rainforest Aboriginal people want to be to be recognised as the traditional land owners of the World Heritage Area with distinct cultures and individual needs. They would like to negotiate plans for their traditional lands and be involved with all aspects of land management decision making, and activities such as tourism and walking tracks planning, fire management, wildlife protection, and on the ground management. Other important goals include ranger training and employment opportunities so that Rainforest Aboriginal people can actively use their customary and contemporary land management knowledge to continue their traditions of managing their country. The identification, ongoing protection and presentatiosn of cultural values is paramount. This includes cultural sites and their traditional knowledge (sometimes referred to as intellectual and cultural property rights) such as food and medicine resources. They want to be able to hunt and gather their traditional foods and other resources, while managing impacts which have the potential to impair these activities through disturbance and habitat destruction. Other important aspirations relate to the future of Rainforest Aboriginal people's communities and their survival into the 21st century. Many Rainforest Aboriginal people want to get more involved in cultural tourism because it means they can present their culture and benefit economically. One of the most heart-felt aspirations Rainforest Aboriginal people have is to get secure title to their traditional lands to ensure the integrity and survival of
Thomas C

Wildlife Preservation | Suite101.com - 0 views

  • In 2006, the number of endangered species rose to more than 16,000 worldwide. Habitat loss, pollution and human-animal conflict all play a part when species are threatened with extinction. Introductions of non-native species devastate local native populations and alter ecosystems. From elephants, leopards and bears to monk seals, sea turtles, manatees and whales we'll explore wildlife conservation issues and find some reasons to be encouraged. With new species being discovered every day, interest in protecting some of the world's unique habitats is growing.
  •  
    good website
Zina S

Rainforest Canopy-Animals - 0 views

  • The incredible diversity of food sources and unique niches of the canopy trees support a wide variety of animal species. Animals often congregate around a flowering tree, which makes trees in this stage some of the best sites for viewing wildlife. In places like these, where food is abundant, animals set up territories, but since canopy leaf cover affects visual territorial displays, most animals rely on sound signals. Thus some of the loudest animals of the world are canopy dwellers. Many primates emit howls and screams, while birds use song to let other animals know that they are intruding on their space.
    • Thomas C
       
      Good pharograph. Could be useful.
  • From birth, the orangutan undergoes variations in facial structure during the course of its lifetime: at birth its face is bare, juveniles are bearded, and adult males have skin pouches on their cheeks. Orangutans build sleeping nests, 16-80 feet (5-25 m) off the ground, each night and never return to an earlier nest.
  • From birth, the orangutan undergoes variations in facial structure during the course of its lifetime: at birth its face is bare, juveniles are bearded, and adult males have skin pouches on their cheeks. Orangutans build sleeping nests, 16-80 feet (5-25 m) off the ground, each night and never return to an earlier nest.
    • Satvik S
       
      this is about animals specially orangutans
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Two-toed sloths or "unau" inhabit forest areas from Nicaragua to Bolivia and northern Brazil. Both species are
    • Satvik S
       
      this is good information about sloths
  • Three-toed sloths range from Honduras to Argentina and are known locally by natives as "Ai" for their shrill call
    • Satvik S
       
      this is good information about sloths habitats
  • The sloth's fur is an entire ecosystem of its own: one study found more than 950 beetles on a single sloth, living off the algae growing in its fur.
  • Orangutans occupy the mid-strata of the forest canopy where they feed on leaves, fruits, and young shoots, and occasionally may take a bird egg or two. Orangutans are not social animals, but solitary creatures that do not form lasting pairs.
  • Three-toed sloths feed almost exclusively on cecropia leaves,
  •  
    Three-toed sloths range from Honduras to Argentina and are known locally by natives as "Ai" for their shrill call. Two-toed sloths or "unau" inhabit forest areas from Nicaragua to Bolivia and northern Brazil. Both species are
Gurupranav G

RAN.org [Rainforest Heroes]: Tropical Rainforest Animals - 0 views

  • A: Every animal has the ability to protect itself from being someone's next meal. Each species has evolved with its own set of unique adaptations, ways of helping them to survive. BLENDING IN The coloring of some animals acts as protection from their predators. Insects play some of the best hide-and-go-seek in the forest. The "walking stick" is one such insect; it blends in so well with the palm tree it calls its home that no one would notice it unless it moved. Some butterflies, when they close their wings, look exactly like leaves. Camouflage also works in reverse, helping predators, such as boa constrictors, sneak up on unsuspecting animals and surprise them. The three-toed sloth is born with brown fur, but you would never know this by looking at it. The green algae that makes its home in the sloth's fur helps it to blend in with the tops of the trees, the canopy, where it makes its home. But green algae isn't the only thing living in a sloth's fur; it is literally "bugged" with a variety of insects. 978 beetles were once found living on one sloth! STAYING OUT OF SITE The sloth has other clever adaptations. Famous for its snail-like pace; it is one of the slowest-moving animals on earth. (It can even take up to a month to digest its food!) Although its tasty meat would make a good meal for jaguars and other predators, most do not notice the sloth as it hangs quietly in the trees, high up in the canopy. ARMED AND DANGEROUS Other animals want to announce their presence to the whole forest. Armed with dangerous poisons used in life-threatening situations,their bright colors warn predators to stay away. The coral snake of the Amazon, with its brilliant red, yellow, and black coloring, is recognized as one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, But don't admire its beauty too long; its deadly poison can kill within seconds The poison arrow frog also stands out with its brightly colored skin. Its skin produces some of the strongest natural poison in the world, which Indigenous people often use for hunting purposes.Another animal with no friends is the hoatzin. Often called the stinkbird, it produces a horrible smell to scare away potential predators.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      gurusQ3
  • The perfect partnership - Azteca ants live on the Swollen Thorn Acacia Tree, which offers the ants everything needed for survival - lodging, water, and food for themselves and their young. In return, the ants protect the trees from predators. Whenever the ants feel something moving at the foot of the tree, they rush to fiercely fight the intruder. They also protect it from vines and other competing plants that would otherwise strangle it. As a result, nothing can grow near these trees. They are the only trees with a built-in alarm system!
    • Gurupranav G
       
      A great example of interdependence. gurusQ1
Katie Day

Teacher notes to GAME: Wake Up The Box - 0 views

  • Yes, it seems that narcoleptic Mr. Box has gotten himself in a bit of a conundrum. Or rather, twenty conundrums. Your goal is to wake him up ‒ push him, pull him, tip him over... whatever gets the job done. Problem is, all you have to work with are these blocks of wood, and what's worse, you can't even place them where you want! They may only be attached to existing wood structures, and once you stick them on, they stay stuck. Thus, Eugene Karataev's (Splitter) latest game Wake Up The Box provides a unique challenge among physics puzzlers, with balance and centers of gravity taking center stage. Unlike most games, you can't simply increase the momentum in the system by dropping blocks from a higher height, so you'll need to find creative ways to get things moving by utilizing leverage and upsetting the balance of objects in the level.
  •  
    Walkthrough Guide, Review, Discussion, Hints and Tips at Jay is Games
Gurupranav G

Pottery of ancient Greece - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

  • Thanks to its relative durability, pottery is a large part of the lovely archaeological record of Ancient Greece, and because there is so much of it (some 100,000 vases are recorded in the Corpus vasorum antiquorum) it has exerted a disproportionately large influence on our understanding of Greek society. Little survives, for example, of ancient Greek painting except for what is found on the earthenware in everyday use, so we must trace the development of Greek art through its vestiges on a derivative art form. Nevertheless the shards of pots discarded or buried in the first millennium BC are still the best guide we have to the customary life and mind of the ancient Greeks. The pottery also has wonderful designs, such as the key symbol. Some were beautifully handcrafted, while others were unique and their patterns could not be described.
    • Gurupranav G
       
      Awesome ifo on pottery
Katie Day

Free Kids From Global Poverty Through Education - 0 views

  • Care2's friends at the ONE Campaign have been working on a unique way to bring their message that education is the pathway out of global poverty to President Obama. In partnership with the Global Campaign for Education, ONE asked their members around the world to submit stories supporting education, one of which would appear in a book they're delivering to President Obama. This book, titled The Big Read, is a volume of stories intended to foster literacy and inspire action on behalf of the 75 million children who are currently not in school.
Katie Day

Munsch admits to cocaine, alcohol addiction - The Globe and Mail - 0 views

  • For more than 30 years, Robert Munsch has fascinated young readers with his unique stories that have made his books staples of any child’s library. But it is his latest story, one of admission to cocaine and alcohol addictions, that has become the most shocking and captivating one, a story not intended for his young “Munschkin” fans. In a message titled “Note to Parents” posted on his website, the bestselling author admits he's been diagnosed as obsessive-compulsive and manic-depressive. “Those challenges have led me to make some big mistakes,” Mr. Munsch says, without providing further details. But in an interview with Global Television aired Saturday, Mr. Munsch admitted he is a recovering cocaine addict and alcoholic, adding he has been clean for about four months. In his note to parents, Mr. Munsch, 64, wrote that his mental health and addiction problems are not a secret to his friends and family.
Morgan V

AMAZON PINK RIVER DOLPHIN - 1 views

  • AMAZON PINK RIVER DOLPHIN...Legendary creatureof the rainforest
  • faculties.... The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree an
1 - 19 of 19
Showing 20 items per page