Rainforests

Stock, Jocelyn. "The Choice: Doomsday or Arbor Day." 27 Feb 2009 . "Rainforest Facts." 27 Feb 2009 .
 * 50% - 90% of organisms live in the rainforest
 * provide spices for food
 * trap carbon dioxide and other particles from pollution
 * clean air
 * provide about 25% of the medicine
 * trees decide rainfall and restore the atmosphere
 * this is another way to block out the heat from the sun
 * extinction of the species cause the cure for disease disappear
 * eroison
 * flood
 * one fifth of the fresh water is in the Amazon Basin
 * rainforest trees are rich in alkaloids
 * alkaloids protect plants from disease and insect attacks
 * biochemists think alkaloids are a valuable medicine
 * U.S. National Constitution found that over 3,000 plants are active against cancer cells
 * 25% of today's medicine for cancer cells can only be found in the rainforest
 * Vincristine, from a rainforest plant, periwinkle is known for most powerful drug for anticancer
 * this plant helped to increase the survival rate for the children with leukemia
 * "The Importance of Rainforest." 1 Mar 2009 .


 * quarter of world's medicine come from rainforest
 * produce food ( coffee, cocoa, many fruits and nuts, spices and rice)
 * produce products ( rubber, gums, dyes, etc.)
 * without rainforest, the gene for producing new food plants.
 * temperature increases, create dryness due to disrupted water cycle which results in more deserts
 * tropical forests are called as " Lungs of the Earth"
 * when forests are logged or burned, the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere
 * soak up moisture and release them slowly to prevent flooding or lower rainfall
 * when forest is cleared, falls into already compacted soil
 * result in serious soil erosion or flooding
 * if nutrient recycling system is disrrupted, the cattle ranching become more harder and harder and get to the point of impossible
 * the rate of extinction is happening 400 times faster than any other year