Why Are Tropical Rainforests So Special?
3 A rainforest is a biome (by•ohm). A biome is a large land area that has special features. These features make it different from other areas. What makes a tropical rainforest different from a desert or a grassland? In a tropical rainforest, it rains just about every day. The sun is always strong. There are no seasons. The temperature stays steady and very warm.
4 Tropical rainforests are the oldest kind of living ecosystem (eek•oh•sis•tuhm), or all the living and nonliving things in a certain area. They have been here since the time of the dinosaurs. The rainforest biome covers less than 2% of Earth’s surface. Yet it is home to more than half of all the animal and plant species (spee•sheez).
Day and Night in the Rainforest
5 Just think about it! Over half of the world’s species live in rainforests. How do they all live
together without running out of food, water, and space? Their secret is simple. They specialize.
6 Each species survives because it lives in its own special way. Animals find a special kind of food, a special place to build a home, a special way of getting around, and a special way of defending themselves.
7 For example, an anteater has a long, sticky tongue and a good sense of smell. It can find
and eat ants whenever it’s hungry.
