Ecosystem Services

1. Oxygen

1.1. rainforest plants take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen

1.2. the Amazon rainforest is said to produce about one-fifth of the world's oxygen

2. Temperature

2.1. rainforests regulate the Earth's temperature and rainfall & hold the majority of the world's fresh water

3. Homes

3.1. rainforests in Africa, Asia, South America & Australia are home to Indigenous people

4. Food

4.1. 80% of edible plants originate in the world's tropical rainforests

4.2. eg. potatoes, corn, rice, avocados, oranges, bananas, coffee, chocolate & hundreds of other foods

5. Medicine

5.1. 25% of drugs used to treat illness' come from rainforest plants

5.2. eg. leukaemia, headaches

6. Products

6.1. products such as the listed below are all made from rainforest plants

6.2. eg. toothpaste, golf balls, rubber tyres, paints, cosmetics, steroids & cork