The Earth has a wide variety of natural beauties and wonders to display. This can be no easier proven than by looking at two of the most biologically diverse and complicated ecosystems that the Earth has to offer, the Rainforests and the Coral Reefs. Scattered throughout the planet, it has been unanimously recognized that the Rainforests and Coral Reefs play a vital role in both our everyday life and as part of our ecosphere. But, it is their unique richness and diversity that has made them the chief targets of global exploitation. Now, it is these two most spectacular natural wonders that are in danger of extinction. There is a wide assortment of problems plaguing their existence. Many scientists are claiming that if current trends of abuse continue, it is quite possible that our Tropical Rainforests and Coral Reefs will disappear forever.

Often described as the Earth’s oldest living ecosystem, the tropical rainforests of the world contain over half the animal species and plants on the planet. Not only are they a unique source of biological diversity that can be found nowhere else, but humans also depend on them for their many resources, such as medicine, food, shelter, fuel and wood. Although approximately 85 countries have tropical rainforests, half of the world’s rainforests lie within the borders of Brazil, Indonesia, and Zaire (10) (http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review1.shtml). Aside from these three countries, other large rainforests can be found in Africa, Australia, Asia and Central and South America. Because they can only be found around the equator, rainforests need specific criteria to survive. For example, their climate fluctuates very little throughout the year, their temperature hovers around 80 degrees Fahrenheit year round. It rains on almost a daily basis and although rainforests are commonly thought of as having very rich and fertile soil, "only 20 percent of the nutrients are in the soil and 80 percent of the nutrients remain in the trees and plants. This is a very important fact to remember because people, especially the native people of the country, clear rainforest land in hopes of using it for either farmland or range land, but they soon realize that the soil is very poor and that it was only a myth that rainforest soil is rich. These actions are not without their consequences, though. After only about two to three harvests, the soil has usually been completely exhausted and many times the soil is so severely abused, it is unable to replenish itself. This leads to another environmental problem, called soil erosion. The rainwater of the forest is recycled by evaporation. Clouds above the forest’s canopy help reflect sunlight which keeps temperatures within the forest to remain more stable" (10) (http://www.davesite.com/rainforests/review3.shtml). Scientists once only studied the forest floors of the rainforests looking for different animal and plant species. It did not take them too long to realize the rainforests are made of several distinct layers, each containing a unique variety of species. A rainforest can be broken down into four separate layers. The first and bottom-most layer is the forest floor. Here very little sunlight can break through so it is hot, dark and humid. It contains insects, small mammals, tree roots, soil and decomposing materials. Going up, the next layer is the middle, or the understory. Here one can find larger mammals, such as jaguars, and young trees and shrubs. More light is able to filter through, but it is still minimal. Above the understory is the canopy. It can be best described as the thick foliage of the trees, and is the layer responsible for blocking the sunlight from the lower layers. There are a rich variety of species that live within the canopy, including bats, birds, monkeys, parrots, sloths and frogs. The uppermost layer of the rainforest is the emergent layer. This encompasses the tops of the tallest trees in the rainforests. This layer receives the highest amount of sunlight and contains a wide assortment of birds.

Reasons why the Rainforests are important:

"Tropical forests cover only 12 per cent of the land area of the Earth, yet they are home to between 50 and 90 per cent of the world’s species, which accounts for 90% of non-human primates, 40% of all birds of prey and 80% of the world’s insects and over 60% of all known plants" (19) (http://forests.org/ric/edsups/rainfwld.htm). "One river in Brazil was found to contain more species of fish than all the rivers in the USA (19) (http://forests.org/ric/edsups/rainfwld.htm). Any patch of rainforest the size of a small village or town can have:

	1500 species of flowering plants
	750 species of trees
	125 species of mammals
	400 species of birds
	100 species of reptiles
	60 species of amphibians
	150 species of butterflies
	over 50,000 species of insects

Each of these species occupies a different ecological niche, or has a specific role in the ecosystem, many which we have just begun to understand. When their environment is disrupted, this complex system of interrelationships is harmed, or even destroyed. Many times these species are unable to adapt to the new conditions thrust upon them; this can lead to their extinction.

About one quarter of all medicines used today originated from plants. Many of these plants come from the rainforests. We still look to the rainforests and its plants for possible cures to diseases. As of now, plants that can be only found in the rainforests are responsible for drugs used to treat leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, birth control, arthritis, hypertension and heart ailments. Morphine, Vincristine, Quinine, and Emetine are also derived from rainforest plants. But, surprisingly, less than 1% of tropical forest species have been thoroughly examined for their chemical compounds (18) (http://www.ran.org/info_center/factsheets/01d.html).

Not only do rainforests absorb heat, but they also evaporate immense quantities of water, which in turn form clouds. Some of these clouds continue to linger over the rainforests, but many of them travel "great distances to fall as rain in the mid-latitudes, often as far away as Europe and Australia." This is significant because if deforestation of the rainforests continues, it is possible that this "will dramatically affect the water circulation of the atmosphere and is likely to alter weather patterns thousands of miles away" (19) (http://forests.org/ric/edsups/rainfwld.htm). It is also important to note that all areas on the globe, not just selected geographical regions, will experience a change in their climatic conditions, including the United States.

I cannot talk about the change in climate without at least mentioning briefly the greenhouse effect. Rainforests hold extensive amounts of carbon in their biomass and when the rainforests are destroyed by burning, this releases a tremendous amount of CO2 into the atmosphere, which contributes to the greenhouse effect or global warming. CO2 is a major greenhouse gas because it tarp in the suns’ heat, which also contributes to a change in global weather patterns.

Why are they disappearing?

Population growth and deforestation- As the population continues to steadily increase, then so does the demand for products that come from the rainforests. Many times nations have become dependent on the wealth created by the exploitation of their forests. This is a very dangerous situation, because the more a nation becomes dependent on this wealth, the less likely they are to abandon or even lessen their dependency on this avenue of wealth. Population growth is another serious and extremely complicated issue. We are all aware that our population is skyrocketing and this puts increasing pressure and stress on our environment, but what are we to do about it? Most industrialized nations have their populations under control, but industrializing nations continue to suffer from population problems. Should other nations impose family planning and other population control methods on these countries with population problems, or should we simply let them try and solve their own problems? This is a complex question with no simple answer. During my discussion period, why don’t you tell me what you think.

Subsistence agriculture, farming and grazing livestock- Many people, especially those living in poverty, depend on the rainforests for food, shelter and grazing their livestock. To do this, they must clear a section of the forests to either make room for their cattle or plant their crops. Since the soil is nutrient-poor, the land is only able to provide two or three harvests before the soil is exhausted. So, the individual must clear away more forest and begin the whole process over again. When hundreds of individuals are using this technique, it may only have a minimal impact on the environment, but when millions of people make a living by these methods, its impact can be can be utterly devastating. Many times the soil has been so severely damaged that the soil is unable to replenish the nutrients it has lost. Therefore, plants are unable to grow back in these destroyed areas for years and years. It is without a doubt a tragic loss of such a rich variety of biodiversity. Not only are plants destroyed, but also many different animal species suffer as well. Some of these species are very delicate and can only occupy very specific ecological niches in their ecosystem. Therefore, when their environment is destroyed they have no choice but to succumb to extinction since they are unable to adapt quick enough to such radical changes in their surroundings.

"Some scientists estimate that as many as 137 species disappear from the Earth each day, which adds up to an astounding 50,000 species disappearing every year" (18) (http://www.ran.org/info_center/factsheets/03b.html).