Rainforests: An Activity Guide for Ages 6–9

Rainforests: An Activity Guide for Ages 6–9 — page 5
temperate conditions Rainforests are made up of many more layers than the temperate forests that might be near your home The first layer of the rain forest is called the forest floor and it's the first layer that we'll explore As you step into this layer the first thing you might notice is the darkness You will probably also find that it's very humid There are very few plants in this layer of the rainforest because only a small amount of sunlight is able to filter down through the upper layers Soon however you will see that the forest floor is actually teeming with life Let's find out about the creatures and plants that call this dark and humid layer home Decomposers Almost everything that dies in the rainforest ends up on the forest floor The fallen leaves and dead ani mals that end up there become food for an abun dance of insects bacteria and fungi that help to decompose or break down these things into soil Together with the humidity of the forest they make the forest floor an efficient decomposing machine In fact an ordinary leaf that would take up to a year to decompose on the floor of a temperate forest near your home could completely decompose and disap pear on the floor of a tropical rainforest within six