E176: Who lives in the rainforest canopy? [SJK Audio Edition]

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/who-lives-in-the-rainforest-canopy/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/EkO0cYJbMOU

Summary: Researchers developed a new eDNA collection system to look at biodiversity in tropical rainforests.

Abstract: Can you list all the animals that live at the top of rainforest trees? You might have seen pictures of birds or monkeys living in the rainforest canopy. The tropical rainforest is very biodiverse. But researchers still don’t know about everything that lives there.We wanted to test a new way of finding out what lives in the rainforest canopy. We set up collectors that catch rainwater as it falls down from the trees. We studied environmental DNA from the water to look at biodiversity.

We found that hundreds of different organisms live in the rainforest canopy. There is also more biodiversity in areas that are not disturbed by humans. So, the environmental DNA gathered in rainwash is very important. This method can help people learn more about the rainforest ecosystem and conserve its biodiversity.

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