Rain Forest Vocabulary
anthropoid-
resembling a person in shape and an ape in action.
arboreal- living
in or frequenting trees.
buttress roots-
roots developed to support the heavy trunks and help keep the tall rain
forest trees upright.
camouflage-the
use of shape, patterns, and color to avoid detection by matching or merging
into the background.
canopy- the
next-to-highest layer of the rain forest where towering trees crown and
overlap to create a green ceiling that blocks out sunlight.
clear-cut-
to cut down all the trees in a section of forest.
climate- the
average of usual weather for a region.
conservation-
preservation of natural species and environments from excessive exploitation
by humans.
decomposition-
the rotting of dead matter.
developer-
anyone who purchases land with intent to change its current use.
deforestation-
clearing the land by cutting or burning the area.
emergent layer-
the topmost rain forest layer.
environment-
the particular combination of conditions in an area which affects the type
of living things inhabiting it.
endangered-a
population that is at risk of becoming extinct.
fertile- rich
nutrients that plants and forests grow easily and plentifully.
forest floor-
the ground level of the rain forest.
greenhouse effect-the
trapping of the sun's heat within the Earth's atmoshpere that is causing
damage to the atmosphere.
indigenous-native,
original to a region.
nutients-
things that provide nourishment for life and growth.
predator-
an animal that kills other animals for food.
prey- an animal
that is killed by a carnivore for food.
shrub layer-the
first floor of the forest, with low sunlight, where ground animals live.
slash and burn-
farming practice involving cutting down the rain forest plants and burning
off fields to clear the land for farming.
species-a
group of animals or plants that have common characteristics.
sustainable-
using in a non-harmful way so it is preserved for the future.
tropics- two
tropical regions on each side of the equator.
temperate rain forest-receive
over 80 inches of rain annually and has four seasons.
understory-
layer of the rainforest under the canopy where young trees, ferns, and
shrubs grow.