She spreads her luxuriant wings, as she makes her way across her home. In a place known to us as a ‘Rainforest’, one of the most enchanting biomes on our planet.
What is she?She might be a Macaw, or a Butterfly!Oh, and the above are only a couple of all the resplendent species of Flora and Fauna, you will find in rainforests the world over.
So, What is a Rainforest? The very first image that comes to mind when one hears the word, is that of a forest where it is continually raining.
You can rest assured that in this article you will find all the Rainforest Information that you are looking for, and more. From revealing the name of the Biggest Rainforest in the World, to answering the question ‘Where are Rainforests located?’, we have it all covered here.
Are you ready to take a virtual ‘hike’ in that Rainforest, and uncover its many secrets?
Rainforests: A sneak Peek Within
What is a Rainforest?In simple terms, a Rainforest is a forest that has plenty of trees, a lot of rain and a warm climate. Sounds like just the place you might want to go to next, for your family holiday? Probably not the best idea, if you’re a human being!
As we have touched upon earlier, there is an incessant amount of rain that falls in rainforests each day. At times, this even goes to more than an inch a day.
Rainforest Locations: Central and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia.
Biggest Rainforest in the World: You guessed it right, it’s the Amazon! It covers around a whopping 5.5 million square kilometres, in the continent of South America.
Rainforest Information: What makes a Rainforest?
While the Amazon is quintessentially a rainforest that has its own character, it does share common features with other rainforests.
The following are some of the common characteristics of all rainforests:
- Heavy Rainfall.
- A Distinct Canopy.
- Symbiotic Relationships.
Yes, we all know rainforests receive plenty of rain, but exactly ‘how much’? Rainforests the world over, are seen to receive at least 80 inches of water every year.
All those trees in the rainforest are spaced very close to each other. The resultant layer of leaves and branches forms a ‘canopy’, which is where most of the flora and fauna in the rainforest reside. Note: This canopy can extend to a height of around 100 feet above the ground.
This is something about rainforests, that is especially important to know. What is biodiversity? It is nothing short of all the plants, animals and even fungi, in an ecosystem. Cool Fact: It is believed by scientists that around half of all the animals and planets on Earth live in rainforests.
A rainforest is a habitat that sees the existence of plenty of symbiotic relationships between the species that exist in it.
Example: There are some plants in rainforests that provide a safe haven to ants. In return, the ants safeguard them from other insects that might look at those plants as food.
Types of Rainforests
To this point, we have uncovered a good deal of Rainforest Information. We have answered the question ‘Where are Rainforests located?’, and confirmed the commonly held belief that the Amazon is the biggest rainforest in the world.
In this section, we will take things a few notches further, and explore the types of rainforests.
Rainforest Information: Types of Rainforests
There are basically two types of Rainforests. They are the following.
Temperate Rainforests
These are the rainforests that are found along the coasts of some regions. As the name implies, they are located in ‘temperate’ regions.
- Weather:
- Fauna:
- Flora:
Of course there is plenty of rain in these rainforests too, but not as much as the kind that is received in Tropical Rainforests. Also, they are much cooler than their Tropical Rainforest Counterparts. The seasons that are prevalent here are a long and wet winter, and a summer that is shorter and drier.
There is not all that much diversity in fauna in temperate rainforests, as compared with tropical rainforests.
Noteworthy animals in Temperate Rainforests: Northern Spotted Owl, Pacific Salmon.
Temperate rainforests can be characterized by a canopy that is more ‘open.’ What’s more, there is a good mix of Evergreen and Deciduous trees here.
Noteworthy Tree Species in Temperate Rainforests: Redwoods, Cedars.
Tropical Rainforests
When we talk about the Amazon, we are speaking of a Tropical Rainforest! Needless to say, as the name implies, these are located in the Tropics.
- Weather:
- Fauna:
- Flora:
When we say it rains plenty here, what that means is, it literally rains ‘Cats and Dogs’! Cool Fact: It can rain up to as much as 2 inches in a mere hour, in a tropical rainforest! Moreover, the weather here is warm pretty much the entire year round, with the temperatures barely changing between even Night and Day.
The tropical rainforest is well known for its rich biodiversity, in particular the vast amount of animal species that it is home to.
Noteworthy animals found here: Poison Dart frogs, Toucans.
When one speaks of tropical rainforests, they are talking about vast amounts of land covered with lush vegetation. This vegetation is not only limited to trees and vines, but to a good variety of ‘epiphytes’, as well. Cool Fact: The vegetation in tropical rainforests is so very dense, that sunlight hardly enters the canopy at all. As a result, the environment on the ground here is largely humid and dim.
Noteworthy Tree Species in Tropical Rainforests: Ebony, Mahogany.
At EuroKids, we encourage all parents to get their little ones interested in exploring the world’s many natural resources. This includes Rainforests, which are nothing short of being one of the Earth’s most priceless treasures. Not only are rainforests stunningly beautiful, they also perform an important role in keeping our planet healthy.
