Rainforests
There are two main types of rainforest: tropical and temperate. These are distinguished by their location; a tropical rainforest is located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, temperate rainforests are usually coastal and slightly higher or lower than the two Tropics.
Despite the difference in location, both rainforests are similar in a number of ways; both have dense vegetation, meaning the plants that grow, cover a lot of space. The climate of both rainforests consists of humidity and rainfall, both meaning plants thrive throughout the year.
However there are some huge differences in the two types of rainforest.
Despite the difference in location, both rainforests are similar in a number of ways; both have dense vegetation, meaning the plants that grow, cover a lot of space. The climate of both rainforests consists of humidity and rainfall, both meaning plants thrive throughout the year.
However there are some huge differences in the two types of rainforest.
tropical rainforests
The strata of a typical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is at a constant temperature above 18°C (64°F) and on average has between 175cm (69in) and 200cm (79in) of rainfall every year. This is due to the location near the equator meaning the tropics effectively have no seasons.
Due to this warm, wet, constant climate, rainforests have managed to exist for millions of years, with plants and animals thriving and creating a high biodiversity among all rainforests. This biodiversity is so high that it is predicted that between 45% and 75% of all species are indigenous to the tropical rainforests, and over half of the World's living animal and plant species call a tropical rainforest 'home'.
Being so dense, one hectare of rainforest can contain up to 42,000 different insect species, 313 different tree species, and 1,500 species of higher plants. The reason for this is the structure of the rainforest; the forest floor provides a place for larger mammals and small insects, the understory layer caters for birds, small mammals and reptiles, the canopy layer gives room for dense trees and some bird species, whilst the emergent layer provides light for the tallest of trees and bird of prey.
Due to this warm, wet, constant climate, rainforests have managed to exist for millions of years, with plants and animals thriving and creating a high biodiversity among all rainforests. This biodiversity is so high that it is predicted that between 45% and 75% of all species are indigenous to the tropical rainforests, and over half of the World's living animal and plant species call a tropical rainforest 'home'.
Being so dense, one hectare of rainforest can contain up to 42,000 different insect species, 313 different tree species, and 1,500 species of higher plants. The reason for this is the structure of the rainforest; the forest floor provides a place for larger mammals and small insects, the understory layer caters for birds, small mammals and reptiles, the canopy layer gives room for dense trees and some bird species, whilst the emergent layer provides light for the tallest of trees and bird of prey.
temperate rainforests
The distribution of temperate rainforests around the World
The temperature of a temperate rainforest, varies dramatically throughout the year in the Winter temperatures average 2°C (39°F) and in the Summer they reach 12°C (54°F) This variation in temperature, is due to temperate rainforests being further from the equator, so the climate changes with the seasons. Rainfall is at least 140cm a year, but can vary depending on the location of the forest.
There are only a few locations, most of them costal that actually class as a temperate rainforest, this is due to the requirements of such a limited number of animal species, and a high number of plant species.
There are only a few locations, most of them costal that actually class as a temperate rainforest, this is due to the requirements of such a limited number of animal species, and a high number of plant species.