Tropical Rainforest
The tropical rainforest is the earth's most diverse biome in terms of both structure and species diversity. It occurs under optimal growing conditions: abundant precipitation and year round warmth. There isno annual rhythm to the forest; rather each species has evolved its own flowering and fruiting seasons. Sunlight is a major limiting factor. A variety of strategies have been successful in the struggle to reach light or to adapt to the low intensity of beneath the canopy.
Weather
Temperature
34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit)daytime~~~~~20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit)nighttime
Precipitation
Up to 400cm (157.5in) of rain
Clothing
Temperatures are cool and sweaters light jackets, or raincoats are suggested. Any type of rain gear is suggested. Wear shorts and clothes that will keep you cool during the day and pants and clothes that will keep you warmer during the night.
Location
The Tropical Rainforest is found around the equator, where temperatures are about 25 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit) all year. Portions of South America, Central America, Central Asia, Australia, and Africa are included in the biome.
Things To Do
Skyrail Cableway
Rafting
Snorkling
Sailing
Scuba Diving
Wildlife
(Click the animal or the plants name to view more information or pictures on them)
Animals:
Africa Forest Elephant Bengal Tiger Chimpanzee Common Palm Civet or Musang Dawn Bat Golden Lion Tamarin Harpy Eagle Jambu Fruit Dove King Cobra Kinkajou Linn's Sloth Orangutan Proboscis Monkey Red-shanked Douc Langur Silvery Gibbon Slender Loris Sumatran Rhinoceros Toco Toucan Vampire Bat Wagler's Pit Viper
Plants:
Bengal Bamboo Bougainvillea Curare Coconut Tree Durian Jambu Kapok Tree Mangrove Forests Strangler FigsTualang
Things to see
Birds
Animals
Cape York, Queensland, Australia's Rainforest (to the left)
Critical Issues
Tropical Rainforests once covered the Earth. Just a few thousand years ago, rainforests covered 14% of the Earth's land surface, or 5 billion acres.
Humans have already destroyed half of forest areas, with most damage occuring in the last 200 years. With just 2.5 million square miles of tropical rainforest remaining, we continue to lose about 93,000 square miles a year.
