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A rainforest is a dense, evergreen forest. It has heavy rainfall and high humidity throughout the year. Most are in tropical or subtropical areas. They are usually in mountainous regions and areas near the sea. Rainforests take in vast quantities of carbon dioxide and convert it into clean, breathable oxygen. Along with our oceans, they are the greatest source of the air that we breathe. Even though rainforests cover only 2% of the earth’s surface, they house two thirds of all living species. Also, almost 40% of the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. Rainforests are one of our planet’s oldest, continuous ecosystems, going back 100 million years. The largest rainforests are found in the Amazon basin of South America, West Africa, and the South Pacific. Rainforests circle the earth’s equator like a belt and maintain an almost constant temperature of 80°F. They receive 190 to 400 inches of rain a year. Weather conditions there allow many life forms to prosper year-round. Sadly, by the time you finish reading this page, an area of rainforest almost 90 times the size of the Pentagon will have been destroyed! Each year, an area almost twice the size of Florida, disappears, leading to other losses such as animal extinction. Many factors contribute to this destruction: Logging Shifted Cultivators Cattle Ranching Wood for Fuel Tourism Make your voice heard! Write to officials, educate your family and friends, and start your own group to conserve the rainforests. More on the Environment and What You Can Do by Maya G. |
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