Rainforest Biodiversity · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Rainforests: Small Place, Huge Life

Science · Rainforests · ages 9-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. About how much of all known species on Earth live in rainforests?

    • Less than 10%
    • About 25%
    • More than 50%

  2. What percent of Earth's land surface do rainforests cover?

    • 6%
    • 25%
    • 50%

  3. Rainforests cover most of Earth's land surface.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. The chart shows rainforests cover 6% of land but hold 50% of species. How many more percentage points is the species share than the land share?

    Land6Species50

    Answer: ______________

  5. Why do scientists consider rainforests a top priority for protecting species?

    • They cover the most land of any habitat
    • So many species live only there that losing them would mean losing huge numbers of unique plants and animals
    • They are the easiest habitat to visit

  6. Which best explains why one hectare of rainforest can have more tree species than all of northern Europe?

    • Rainforest trees grow much taller than European trees
    • Rainforests pack many kinds into a small area
    • Northern Europe has almost no trees at all

  7. A scientist finds 300 tree species in one rainforest hectare, compared to 124 tree species across all of northern Europe. How many more species were found in the single rainforest hectare?

    Answer: ______________

  8. Mia says, 'Since rainforests only cover 6% of the land, they can't be very important for protecting nature.' What is wrong with Mia's thinking?

    • Nothing, she is right
    • She is ignoring that rainforests hold over half of all species despite their small size
    • Rainforests actually cover more than half the land
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Rainforests: Small Place, Huge Life W1-mt_pPGaf8bR8r-s1

  1. More than 50% · More than half of all known plants and animals make their home in rainforests.
  2. 6% · Rainforests are a small slice of land, only about 6%, even though they hold a huge share of Earth's species.
  3. False · Rainforests cover only about 6% of the land, a small fraction of Earth's surface.
  4. 44 · 50 minus 6 equals 44, showing how much bigger the species share is than the land share.
  5. So many species live only there that losing them would mean losing huge numbers of unique plants and animals · Because rainforests hold such a concentrated share of life, protecting them protects a huge portion of Earth's biodiversity.
  6. Rainforests pack many kinds into a small area · Rainforests are known for cramming enormous variety into small areas, unlike most habitats.
  7. 176 · 300 minus 124 equals 176. One small patch of rainforest can out-diversify an entire region.
  8. She is ignoring that rainforests hold over half of all species despite their small size · Small land area does not mean small importance. Rainforests hold a huge concentration of the world's species.
Worksheet · LightMySky