Rainforest

The rainforest is one of the many biomes that we can find around the earth, it is a very humid and hot biome located near the equator of the Earth. The largest tropical rainforests in the world are found in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Tropical rainforests receive approximately 60 to 160 inches of precipitation that is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. The combination of constant heat and abundant humidity makes the rainforest a suitable environment for the habitat of many plants and animals. Tropical rainforests contain the world's greatest biodiversity. More than 15 million species of plants and animals live within this biome.

Related topics

Temperate forest, taiga, tundra, biome, terrestrial ecosystem

What is the rainforest?

Tropical rainforests are a series of forests with tall trees, a warm climate and abundant rainfall. This type of forest does not present great changes in its seasons and has a great quantity of biomes.

Rainforest characteristics

The main characteristics that we can mention of the rainforest are the following:

• The tropical rainforest is characterized by tall trees.
• The temperature in the rainforest is quite hot all year round.
• Tropical rainforests belong to the tropical humid climate group.
• Almost all rainforests are close to the equator.
• Tropical forests produce 40% of the Earth’s oxygen.
• The amount of rain that falls on them is approximately 200 centimeters per year.
• They have the most plants and animals.
• They have one of the greatest biodiversity of the planet, both of animals and plants.

Rainforest fauna

Many animal species can be found within the rainforest. Among them can be found a number of common characteristics that include a number of adaptations to the world around them. They are animals with bright colors, strong vocalizations and diets based on fruits. Insects are the largest group of animals living in tropical forests. They include brightly colored butterflies, mosquitoes, stick insects that know how to camouflage themselves, and huge colonies of ants. The rainforest of the Amazon River contains a wider variety of plant and animal life than any other Biome in the world.

Rainforest flora

There are many types of flora in the rainforest, some of them with flowers. The most interesting thing about rainforest flora is that the roots do not grow in the soil, but are aerial plants, and the water they drink to live properly comes from rainfall. Thanks to these plants, there are many insects that also feed on them. Flowers and fruits are a source of food for other animals. The vines and ferns help to connect the layers between the biome, herbs and mushrooms, fruits and nuts.

Layers

Tropical rainforests are divided into four different layers, each of which has a different type of flora and fauna. These layers are:

• Emerging layer: This layer is located above the tropical rainforest cover and is very exposed to sunlight, which is why many plants must fight to catch the sun’s rays. Some trees lose their leaves during the dry season in the tropical monsoon jungles. They have smooth trunks and few branches, and their roots are very deep, which helps them to support their weight.
• Canopy layer: This is the primary layer of the forest. The trees that form this layer are quite close together and form a layer of trees. They provide housing for many animals and 90% of the organisms are found in it, such as snakes, toucans and frogs.
• The undergrowth: It is a dark place, almost does not receive sunlight. It has many young trees and plants that can thrive in dark
• The forest floor: It is extremely dark and has very little vegetation. Its soil is composed of a layer of fallen leaves, seeds and fruits that decompose very easily due to lack of sunlight.

Weather

The climate of the rainforest is quite rainy and has a humid or monsoon tropical climate. It is characterized by a hot climate all year round. Days do not vary in length and rainfall is seasonal. Generally, there are two rainy seasons per year near the equator, only at latitudes away from the equator.

Temperature

Maximum temperatures of 35° C and average temperatures between 25° C and 27° C. The difference between the coldest month and the warmest month does not exceed 2° C.

Rainfall

The rainforest is an area in which large amounts of rain occur throughout the year. They reach up to 4,500 millimeters per year and the factor that most limits rainfall is light.

Where it is located

The rainforest is located in Central and South America, Central Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Economic activity

One of the main economic activities is agriculture. There is, then, migratory agriculture, which uses basic plantation instruments such as the sickle and the machete, and its production is intended to support farmers and families; modern agriculture or plantation is dedicated to the cultivation of a single product that can be cotton, coffee, cocoa, etc., and is an agriculture that produces large volumes and markets them. There are also mining activities and hydraulic resources.

Importance of the rainforest

Tropical rainforests are of great importance because they help give stability to the climate around the world. They maintain the correct water cycle and also protect us from floods, droughts and erosions. They are a source of home for many plants and animals and at the same time, they are home to native people who live in it.

Examples

• Yanoda: It is located in the province of Hainan in China. Its countries are amazing, and its main activity is tourism. It possesses abundant species of fauna.
• Western Mountains in India: They host 4 different tropical regions. It is the second largest in India. You can find animals such as Asian elephants, tigers and panthers.
• Monteverde: Located in Costa Rica, it is also known as the cloud forest. It is in mountainous areas, humid and with quite low temperatures. These forests serve as home to thousands of species. It has more than 500 different species of orchids and 161 reptiles and amphibians.