Bob

The tropical rainforests of Populus are extremely diverse communities. Their diversity is mainly due to the fact that this biome is the perfect environment for plants to grow. There is a nearly constant supply of water, the sun is bright, and the temperatures are warm year round. Due to these excellent conditions, competition is also very fierce. The plants in the tropical rainforest have learned to deal with the competition by adapting to a certain niche, or "special place" within the environment. For instance, some plants have grown tall to reach for light, while other plants have developed to survive on the varying amounts of light that filter down through the upper canopy. The overall result of all of this competition is that there is simply a lot going on in this environment. The tropical rainforest has a multi-layered canopy, with tall trees, intermediate trees, small trees, shrubs, and finally ground cover. In each layer, you will find different plants and animals that have learned to thrive in that specific environment.

	The Doto is a dominant member of the upper canopy of Populus' rainforests. The Doto is an important producer in this environment because many animals survive on the purple fruit that the Doto produces. The animals that eat the fruit live either in the upper canopy, where they pick the fruit from the trees, or on the forest floor, where the ripened fruit falls to the ground. The seeds of the Doto are found in the fruit and the Doto relies on the fact that the seeds will be spread far and wide by those organisms which consume the fruit.
	The Lamande is a producer which inhabits the lower canopy and forest floors of Populus. Lamandes are edible, and they are an important food source to many animals on Populus.
	The Delenus is a 12 foot tall tree which inhabits the lower canopy of Populus' rainforest. The edible portions of this plant are the flowers that appear on the tree twice a year. Some animals with very strong stomachs are also able to eat and digest the leaves of this plant.

The Shelled Manks are cold-blooded creatures that depend on the sun to keep themselves at temperatures that permit activity and growth. They tend to live near open ponds on the rainforest floor. Their diets consist mainly of plant material, such as fallen Doto Fruit, Lamande, and other plants that grow on the forest floor. The Shelled Manks have scales on their heads and legs, but the rest of their body is encased in a rounded, bony shell which proves excellent for defense. They are also colored various shades of green to blend in with the rainforest habitat. A male Mank courts a female by wagging his head at her. They reproduce sexually and the female lays eggs. They grow to a length of 8 to 12 inches.

In many ways, the Howling Prax is the "ruler" of the tropical rainforest. Praxes are extremely agile, and they are able to move through all of the different canopy levels of the rainforest. For instance, if food is lacking in the upper canopy, they can move down to the forest floor to hunt or forage there. They are also very effective because they can look for both plants and animals as a food source in these areas. Praxes have been known to eat just about anything in the rainforest whether it was moving or not. Their use of tools has also helped them hunt animals such as the Shelled Mank, whose shell is an effective defense to most other predators in the tropical rainforest. With all of this information in mind, would it be a good idea to list Praxes in the primary consumer category as well?

The Toup is a small carnivore that prowls the rainforests of Populus. The Toup survives on other small creatures that live on the forest floor. In times of hardship, the Toup will also scavenge for its meals.

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