rainforest

Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall and rich biodiversity. Tropical rainforests occur near the equator in regions such as South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, while temperate rainforests lie farther from the equator in areas including the Pacific Northwest and parts of southern Chile. Tropical rainforests typically receive more than 2,000 mm of rain per year and have warm, humid conditions year-round; temperate rainforests have cooler temperatures and abundant precipitation with seasonal variation.

Ecologically, rainforests are vertically layered. Emergent trees rise above a dense canopy, beneath which a thriving understory and a dark forest floor support many species. The nutrient cycle in these systems is rapid, often leaving soils shallow and relatively nutrient-poor, yet the biodiversity is immense, including countless plants, birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, and fungi, many of which are endemic.

Rainforests provide essential ecosystem services, including climate regulation through carbon storage, maintenance of the water cycle, soil protection, and sources of food, medicines, and cultural value. They also support Indigenous communities and tourism. The forests face threats from deforestation, logging, mining, agriculture, fires, and climate change, which cause habitat loss and species declines and can disrupt local weather patterns.

Conservation and management strategies include protected areas, sustainable forestry practices, community-based stewardship, and restoration projects. International initiatives and mechanisms such as REDD+ aim to reduce deforestation and incentivize sustainable land use and conservation of forest biodiversity.