The Rain-Soaked Giants of Yakushima
Off the southern coast of Japan lies a small, round island called Yakushima. This island is home to one of the most magical and wettest forests in the world. In fact, local people often joke that it rains "35 days a month" on Yakushima! Because of this constant moisture, a lush, green temperate rainforest has grown there over thousands of years. At the heart of this forest are the ancient Japanese cedar trees, known locally as Yakusugi.
To be called a Yakusugi, a cedar tree must be at least one thousand years old. The most famous of these giants is named Jomon Sugi. Scientists estimate that this colossal tree is anywhere from 2,000 to over 7,000 years old! The secret to their long lives lies in the island's harsh conditions. Because the soil on Yakushima is made of granite rock, it has very few nutrients. This causes the cedar trees to grow incredibly slowly. As they grow, they produce a sticky, natural sap called resin. This resin protects the wood from rotting in the damp climate and keeps hungry insects away, allowing the trees to stand for millennia.
- Yakusugi:
- An ancient Japanese cedar tree on the island of Yakushima that is at least one thousand years old.
- Resin:
- A sticky, natural substance produced by certain trees that protects them from pests and decay.
- Temperate rainforest:
- A dense forest located in a cooler climate that receives extremely high amounts of rainfall.
- Granite:
- A very hard, natural rock that makes up the nutrient-poor soil base of Yakushima.
- Ecosystem:
- A community of living organisms and their physical environment interacting together as a system.
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- 1Where is the island of Yakushima located?
- 2What is the local joke about the weather on Yakushima?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“The Rain-Soaked Giants of Yakushima” is a explanatory article reading passage about Temperate Rainforest Ecosystems, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (329 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.