rainforests

Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall and rich biodiversity, typically divided into tropical rainforests near the equator and temperate rainforests at higher latitudes.

Tropical rainforests usually receive more than 2000 millimeters of rain per year and maintain warm year-round temperatures, supporting multiple vertical layers of vegetation from emergent trees to the forest floor. Temperate rainforests have cooler, variable temperatures and substantial but less intense rainfall, often with persistent fog or mist that sustains a tall canopy.

The vegetation structure includes emergent trees, a continuous canopy, an understory, and a shaded forest floor. Epiphytes, lianas, and buttress roots are common in tropical sites, and nutrient cycling tends to be rapid even though soils are often nutrient-poor.

Rainforests harbor a large share of Earth’s species, including many plants, invertebrates, birds, and mammals. They play key roles in carbon storage, climate regulation, and regional hydrological cycles.

Threats include deforestation for agriculture, logging, mining, and urban development, as well as climate change and habitat fragmentation. Conservation strategies emphasize protected areas, sustainable forestry, restoration, indigenous land rights, and market-based mechanisms such as certified sustainable products.

Notable examples include the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asian forests in the tropics, and temperate rainforests in the Pacific Northwest, southern Chile, New Zealand, and parts of Australia.