Rainforest From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Rainforest (disambiguation).

Page semi-protected The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. The Daintree Rainforest near Cairns, in Queensland, Australia. Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with annual rainfall bet ween 250 centimetres (98 in) to 450 centimetres (180 in).[1] The monsoon trough, alternatively known as the intertropical convergence zone, plays a significant role in creating the climatic conditions necessary for the Earth's tropical rain forests. Around 40% to 75% of all biotic species are indigenous to the rainforests.[2] It has been estimated that there may be many millions of species of plants, insect s and microorganisms still undiscovered in tropical rainforests. Tropical rainfo rests have been called the "jewels of the Earth" and the "world's largest pharma cy", because over one quarter of natural medicines have been discovered there.[3 ] Rainforests are also responsible for 28% of the world's oxygen turnover, somet imes misnamed oxygen production,[4] processing it through photosynthesis from ca rbon dioxide and consuming it through respiration. The undergrowth in some areas of a rainforest can be restricted by poor penetrat ion of sunlight to ground level. If the leaf canopy is destroyed or thinned, the ground beneath is soon colonized by a dense, tangled growth of vines, shrubs an d small trees, called a jungle[citation needed]. There are two types of rainfore st, tropical rainforest and temperate rainforest. Contents [hide] 1 Tropical 2 Temperate 3 Layers 3.1 Emergent layer 3.2 Canopy layer 3.3 Understorey/Understory layer 3.4 Forest floor 4 Flora and fauna 5 Soils 6 Effect on global climate 7 Human uses 8 Native peoples 9 Deforestation 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links Tropical Main article: Tropical rainforest General distribution of tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are characterized in two words: warm and wet. Mean monthly temperatures exceed 18 C (64 F) during all months of the year.[5] Average annual r ainfall is no less than 168 cm (66 in) and can exceed 1,000 cm (390 in) although it typically lies between 175 cm (69 in) and 200 cm (79 in).[6]

Many of the world's rainforests are associated with the location of the monsoon trough, also known as the intertropical convergence zone.[7] Tropical rainforest s are rainforests in the tropics, found in the equatorial zone (between the Trop ic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn). Tropical rainforest is present in Southea st Asia (from Myanmar (Burma) to the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and northeastern Australia), Sri Lanka, sub-Saharan Africa from Cameroon to the Congo (Congo Rainforest), South America (e.g. the Amazon Rainforest), Ce ntral America (e.g. Bosaws, southern Yucatn Peninsula-El Peten-Belize-Calakmul), a nd on many of the Pacific Islands (such as Hawai?i). Tropical rainforests have b een called the "Earth's lungs", although it is now known that rainforests contri bute little net oxygen addition to the atmosphere through photosynthesis.[8][9] Temperate Question book-new.svg This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this s ection by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challe nged and removed. (February 2013) Main article: Temperate rainforest General distribution of temperate rainforest. Tropical forests cover a large part of the globe, but temperate rainforests only occur in few regions around the world. Temperate rainforests are rainforests in temperate regions. They occur in North America (in the Pacific Northwest, the B ritish Columbia Coast and in the inland rainforest of the Rocky Mountain Trench east of Prince George), in Europe (parts of the British Isles such as the coasta l areas of Ireland and Scotland, southern Norway, parts of the western Balkans a long the Adriatic coast, as well as in the North West of Spain and coastal areas of the eastern Black Sea, including Georgia and coastal Turkey), in East Asia ( in southern China, Taiwan, much of Japan and Korea, and on Sakhalin Island and t he adjacent Russian Far East coast), in South America (southern Chile) and also in Australia and New Zealand.[10] Layers A tropical rainforest is typically divided into four main layers, each with diff erent plants and animals adapted for life in that particular area: the emergent, canopy, understorey/understory and forest floor layers. Emergent layer The emergent layer contains a small number of very large trees called emergents, which grow above the general canopy, reaching heights of 45 55 m, although on occ asion a few species will grow to 70 80 m tall.[11][12] They need to be able to wit hstand the hot temperatures and strong winds that occur above the canopy in some areas. Eagles, butterflies, bats and certain monkeys inhabit this layer.

The canopy at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia Canopy layer Main article: Canopy (biology) The canopy layer contains the majority of the largest trees, typically 30 metres (98 ft) to 45 metres (148 ft) tall. The densest areas of biodiversity are found in the forest canopy, a more or less continuous cover of foliage formed by adja cent treetops. The canopy, by some estimates, is home to 50 percent of all plant species. Epiphytic plants attach to trunks and branches, and obtain water and m inerals from rain and debris that collects on the supporting plants. The fauna i s similar to that found in the emergent layer, but more diverse. A quarter of al l insect species are believed to exist in the rainforest canopy. Scientists have

long suspected the richness of the canopy as a habitat, but have only recently developed practical methods of exploring it. As long ago as 1917, naturalist Wil liam Beebe declared that "another continent of life remains to be discovered, no t upon the Earth, but one to two hundred feet above it, extending over thousands of square miles." True exploration of this habitat only began in the 1980s, whe n scientists developed methods to reach the canopy, such as firing ropes into th e trees using crossbows. Exploration of the canopy is still in its infancy, but other methods include the use of balloons and airships to float above the highes t branches and the building of cranes and walkways planted on the forest floor. The science of accessing tropical forest canopy using airships or similar aerial platforms is called dendronautics.[13] Understorey/Understory layer Main article: Understorey The understorey/understory layer lies between the canopy and the forest floor. T he understorey/understory is home to a number of birds, snakes and lizards, as w ell as predators such as jaguars, boa constrictors and leopards. The leaves are much larger at this level. Insect life is also abundant. Many seedlings that wil l grow to the canopy level are present in the understorey/understory. Only about 5% of the sunlight shining on the rainforest canopy reaches the understorey/und erstory. This layer can be called a shrub layer, although the shrub layer may al so be considered a separate layer. Forest floor Main article: Forest floor

Rainforest in the Blue Mountains, Australia The forest floor, the bottom-most layer, receives only 2% of the sunlight. Only plants adapted to low light can grow in this region. Away from riverbanks, swamp s and clearings, where dense undergrowth is found, the forest floor is relativel y clear of vegetation because of the low sunlight penetration. It also contains decaying plant and animal matter, which disappears quickly, because the warm, hu mid conditions promote rapid decay. Many forms of fungi growing here help decay the animal and plant waste. Flora and fauna

West Usambara Two-Horned Chameleon (Bradypodion fischeri) in the Usambara Mounta ins, Tanzania. More than half of the world's species of plants and animals are found in the rai nforest.[14] Rainforests support a very broad array of fauna, including mammals, reptiles, birds and invertebrates. Mammals may include primates, felids and oth er families. Reptiles include snakes, turtles, chameleons and other families; wh ile birds include such families as vangidae and Cuculidae. Dozens of families of invertebrates are found in rainforests. Fungi are also very common in rainfores t areas as they can feed on the decomposing remains of plants and animals. Many rainforest species are rapidly disappearing due to deforestation, habitat loss a nd pollution of the atmosphere.[15] Soils [icon] This section requires expansion. (December 2008) Despite the growth of vegetation in a tropical rainforest, soil quality is often quite poor. Rapid bacterial decay prevents the accumulation of humus. The conce ntration of iron and aluminium oxides by the laterization process gives the oxis ols a bright red colour and sometimes produces mineral deposits such as bauxite.

Most trees have roots near the surface, because there are insufficient nutrient s below the surface; most of the trees' minerals come from the top layer of deco mposing leaves and animals. On younger substrates, especially of volcanic origin , tropical soils may be quite fertile. If rainforest trees are cleared, rain can accumulate on the exposed soil surfaces, creating run-off and beginning a proce ss of soil erosion. Eventually streams and rivers form and flooding becomes poss ible. Effect on global climate A natural rainforest emits and absorbs vast quantities of carbon dioxide. On a g lobal scale, long-term fluxes are approximately in balance, so that an undisturb ed rainforest would have a small net impact on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels ,[16] though they may have other climatic effects (on cloud formation, for examp le, by recycling water vapour). No rainforest today can be considered to be undi sturbed.[17] Human induced deforestation plays a significant role in causing rai nforests to release carbon dioxide,[18] as do other factors, whether human-induc ed or natural, which result in tree death, such as burning and drought.[19] Some climate models operating with interactive vegetation predict a large loss of Am azonian rainforest around 2050 due to drought, forest dieback and the subsequent release more carbon dioxide.[20] Five million years from now, the Amazon rainfo rest may long since have dried and transformed itself into savannah, killing its elf in the progress (changes such as this may happen even if all human deforesta tion activity ceases overnight).[21] The descendants of our known animals may ad apt to the dry savannah of the former Amazonian rainforest and thrive in the new , warmer temperatures.[21] Human uses

Aerial view of the Amazon rainforest, taken from a plane. Further information: Human uses of tropical rainforst Tropical rainforests provide timber as well as animal products such as meat and hides. Rainforests also have value as tourism destinations and for the ecosystem services provided. Many foods originally came from tropical forests, and are st ill mostly grown on plantations in regions that were formerly primary forest.[22 ] Also, plant derived medicines are commonly used for fever, fungal infections, burns, gastrointestinal problems, pain, respiratory problems, and wound treatmen t.[23] Native peoples [icon] This section requires expansion. (December 2008) On January 18, 2007, FUNAI reported also that it had confirmed the presence of 6 7 different uncontacted tribes in Brazil, up from 40 in 2005. With this addition , Brazil has now overtaken the island of New Guinea as the country having the la rgest number of uncontacted tribes.[24] The province of Irian Jaya or West Papua in the island of New Guinea is home to an estimated 44 uncontacted tribal group s.[25] The tribes are in danger because of the deforestation, especially in Braz il. Central African rainforest is home of the Mbuti pygmies, one of the hunter-gathe rer peoples living in equatorial rainforests characterised by their short height (below one and a half metres, or 59 inches, on average). They were the subject of a study by Colin Turnbull, The Forest People, in 1962.[26] Pygmies who live i n Southeast Asia are, amongst others, referred to as Negrito . Deforestation

Main article: Deforestation Tropical and temperate rainforests have been subjected to heavy logging and agri cultural clearance throughout the 20th century and the area covered by rainfores ts around the world is shrinking.[27] Biologists have estimated that large numbe rs of species are being driven to extinction (possibly more than 50,000 a year; at that rate, says E. O. Wilson of Harvard University, a quarter or more of all species on Earth could be exterminated within 50 years)[28] due to the removal o f habitat with destruction of the rainforests. Another factor causing the loss of rainforest is expanding urban areas. Littoral rainforest growing along coastal areas of eastern Australia is now rare due to ribbon development to accommodate the demand for seachange lifestyles.[29] The forests are being destroyed at a rapid pace.[30][31][32] Almost 90% of West Africa's rainforest has been destroyed.[33] Since the arrival of humans 2000 yea rs ago, Madagascar has lost two thirds of its original rainforest.[34] At presen t rates, tropical rainforests in Indonesia would be logged out in 10 years and P apua New Guinea in 13 to 16 years.[35] According to Rainforest Rescue, a main re ason for the increasing deforestation rate especially in Indonesia is the expans ion of oil palm plantations to meet the growing demand for cheap vegetable fats and biofuels. In Indonesia, palm oil is already cultivated on nine million hecta res and, together with Malaysia, the island nation produces about 85 percent of the world s palm oil.[36][unreliable source?] Several countries,[37] notably Brazil, have declared their deforestation a natio nal emergency.[38] Amazon deforestation jumped by 69% in 2008 compared to 2007's twelve months, according to official government data.[39] Deforestation could w ipe out or severely damage nearly 60% of the Amazon Rainforest by 2030, says a n ew report from WWF.[40] However, a January 30, 2009 New York Times article stated, "By one estimate, for every acre of rain forest cut down each year, more than 50 acres of new forest are growing in the tropics..." The new forest includes secondary forest on forme r farmland and so-called degraded forest.[41] See also Portal icon Environment portal Portal icon Ecology portal Cloud forest Ecology Inland rainforest Intact forest landscape Jungle Rainforest Foundation Fund Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary Tapiche Ohara's Reserve References Jump up ^ The Tropical Rain Forest. Marietta College. Marietta, Ohio. Retrieved 14 August 2013. Jump up ^ "Rainforests.net Variables and Math". Retrieved 2009-01-04. Jump up ^ "Rainforests at Animal Center". Animalcorner.co.uk. 2004-01-01. Retrie ved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ Killer Inhabitants of the Rainforests. "Killer Inhabitants of the Rain forests". Trendsupdates.com. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ Susan Woodward. Tropical broadleaf Evergreen Forest: The rainforest. R etrieved on 2008-03-14. Jump up ^ Newman, Arnold. The Tropical Rainforest : A World Survey of Our Most V aluable Endangered Habitat : With a Blueprint for Its Survival. New York: Checkm

ark, 2002. Print. Jump up ^ Hobgood (2008). Global Pattern of Surface Pressure and Wind. Ohio Stat e University. Retrieved on 2009-03-08. Jump up ^ Broeker, Wallace S. (2006). "Breathing easy: Et tu, O2." Columbia Univ ersity Columbia.edu Jump up ^ Moran, E.F., "Deforestation and Land Use in the Brazilian Amazon," Hum an Ecology, Vol 21, No. 1, 1993" Jump up ^ "The Temperate Rainforest". Jump up ^ Bourgeron, Patrick S. (1983). "Spatial Aspects of Vegetation Structure ". In Frank B. Golley. Tropical Rain Forest Ecosystems. Structure and Function. Ecosystems of the World (14A ed.). Elsevier Scientific. pp. 29 47. ISBN 0-444-4198 6-1. Jump up ^ "Sabah". Eastern Native Tree Society. Retrieved 2007-11-14. Jump up ^ Dendronautics Introduction[dead link] Jump up ^ "Rainforest Facts". Rain-tree.com. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ "Impact of Deforestation Extinction". Rainforests.mongabay.com. Retrie ved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ "Grida.no" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ Lewis, S.L. , Phillips, O.L., Baker, T.R., Lloyd, J. et al. 2004 Concer ted changes in tropical forest structure and dynamics: evidence from 50 South Am erican long-term plots Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 359 Jump up ^ Malhi, Y and Grace, J. 2000 " Tropical forests and atmospheric carbon dioxide , Tree 15 Jump up ^ "Drought may turn forests into carbon producers". The Age (Melbourne). 2004-03-06. Jump up ^ Cox, P. M.; Betts, R. A.; Collins, M.; Harris, P. P.; Huntingford, C.; Jones, C. D. (2004). "Amazonian forest dieback under climate-carbon cycle proje ctions for the 21st century". Theoretical and Applied Climatology 78. Bibcode:20 04ThApC..78..137C. doi:10.1007/s00704-004-0049-4. edit ^ Jump up to: a b The Future is Wild television program Jump up ^ Myers, N. (1985). The primary source. W. W. Norton & Company, New York , pp. 189 193. Jump up ^ "Final Paper: The Medicinal Value of the Rainforest May 15, 2003. Aman da Haidet May 2003". Jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ "Brazil sees traces of more isolated Amazon tribes". Reuters.com. 2007 -01-17. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ BBC: First contact with isolated tribes? Jump up ^ The Tribal Peoples, ThinkQuest Jump up ^ Entire rainforests set to disappear in next decade, The Independent Jump up ^ Talks Seek to Prevent Huge Loss of Species, New York Times Jump up ^ "Littoral Rainforest-Why is it threatened?". Pittwater.nsw.gov.au. 201 2-08-09. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ Thomas Marent: Out of the woods, The Independent Jump up ^ Brazil: Amazon Forest Destruction Rate Has Tripled, FoxNews.com, Septe mber 29, 2008 Jump up ^ "Papua New Guinea's rainforests disappearing faster than thought". New s.mongabay.com. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ "Rainforests & Agriculture". Csupomona.edu. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ "Science: Satellite monitors Madagascar's shrinking rainforest, 19 May 1990, New Scientist". Newscientist.com. 1990-05-19. Retrieved 2012-08-26. Jump up ^ China is black hole of Asia's deforestation, AsiaNews.it, 24 March 200 8 Jump up ^ Rainforest Rescue: Facts about palm oil Jump up ^ Amazon deforestation rises sharply in 2007, Usatoday.com, January 24, 2008 Jump up ^ Vidal, John (20 May 2005). "Rainforest loss shocks Brazil". guardian.c o.uk (London). Retrieved 7 July 2010. Jump up ^ Brazil: Amazon deforestation worsens, Msnbc.com, August 30, 2008 Jump up ^ Benjamin, Alison (6 December 2007). "More than half of Amazon will be lost by 2030, report warns". guardian.co.uk (London). Retrieved 7 July 2010.

Jump up ^ New Jungles Prompt a Debate on Rain Forests, The New York Times, Janua ry 30, 2009 Further reading

Part of the Illawarra Brush, in New South Wales, Australia. Butler, R. A. (2005) A Place Out of Time: Tropical Rainforests and the Perils Th ey Face. Published online: Rainforests.mongabay.com Richards, P. W. (1996). The tropical rain forest. 2nd ed. Cambridge University P ress ISBN 0-521-42194-2 Whitmore, T. C. (1998) An introduction to tropical rain forests. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-850147-1