Works Cited

"Decomposers." South American Amazon Rainforest. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. <http://addiesrainforest.weebly.com/decomposers.html>.

"Hyacinth Macaw: An Endangered Species." Bagheera. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. <http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_macaw.htm>.

"Rainforest Biomes." Rainforest Biomes. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm>.

"Spider Monkeys, Spider Monkey Pictures, Spider Monkey Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/spider-monkey/>.

"The Absolute Insider Guide to South America Travel." Unique South America Travel Experience. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. <http://www.unique-southamerica-travel-experience.com/amazon-rainforest-climate.html>.

"The Amazon's Seasonal Secret : Feature Articles." The Amazon's Seasonal Secret : Feature Articles. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. <http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/AmazonLAI/amazon_lai3.php>.

"Tropical Rainforests across the World Are Highly Diverse, but Share Several Defining Characteristics including Climate, Precipitation, Canopy Structure, Complex Symbiotic Relationships, and Diversity of Species." Mongabay.com. Web. 3 Feb. 2015. <http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/rainforest_ecology.html>.

Video

Food Web

Biotic Factors (4)- Endangered Species

One of Amazon's most endangered species is the Hyacinth Macaw. Macaws are brightly colored parrots who are extremely love able and social animals.They are so endangered because their forest homes are being destroyed.  They are also endangered because so many of them are captured and put into cages and sold to people as pets.Hyacinth Macaws can bring in $5,000 to $10,000 each in the pet trade.  This high price fosters a dangerous level of poaching and smuggling in the Amazon.

Biotic Factors (3)

The Amazon Rainforest is abundant in the number of decomposers and scavengers.  Some of these include; Velvet Worms, Vermilion Waxcap Mushrooms, Partula Snails, Cup Fungus, and Leaf Beetles.

Velvet Worms: Onychophora

Velvet Worms live on forest floors and eat small invertebrates, isopods, termites and small mollusks.

Vermilion Waxcap Mushrooms: Hygrocybe Miniata

Vermilion Waxcap Mushrooms thrive on trees and other plants and thoroughly enjoy the rainforests high humidity. 

Partula Snails: Partula Gastropod

Partula Snails are land snails who spend most of their time munching on nutrients on the backs of broad leaves. 

Cup Fungus: Pezizacea

Cup Fungi produce mushrooms that grow in the shape of a cup that serve to catch raindrops that are absorbed into the pores of the Fungus, keeping it alive.  

Leaf Beetles: Chrysomelidae

Leaf beetles are found in the canopies of the rainforest and on the back of leaves.

Biotic Factors (2)

Half of the world's species are homed in tropical rainforests. Some of these species living in the Amazon include the Spider Monkey, the Sloth, the Toucan, the Amazon Pink River Dolphin, and the Jaguar.

Spider Monkey: Simia Paniscus 

Spider Monkeys are omnivores who spend most of their time among the trees, swinging from branch to branch with their long, nimble arms.

The Sloth: Bradypus Variegatus

The Sloth, world's slowest mammal,  spend nearly all of their time aloft, hanging from branches with a powerful grip aided by their long claws. 

The Toucan: Ramphastidae
 

Toucans, whose call can be heard from a mile away, live in flocks high above the ground in the trees flashing their brightly colored beaks.  

Pink River Dolphin: Inia Geoffrensis

The Pink River Dolphin is homed in the Amazon River running straight through the forest. It's skin is pink and the species is rapidly approaching extinction due to fishing nets and people hunting them. 

The Jaguar; Panthera Onca 
One of the most dangerous animals in the Amazon Rainforest, the Jaguar, uses its excellent agility to climb trees, chase, and swim after its prey.