Rain drums on a million leaves. Somewhere above you a howler monkey roars, a hornbill beats heavy wings, and steam rises off the forest floor. In a single football-pitch of rainforest there may be more kinds of tree than in all of Britain. This is the tropical rainforest — the busiest place on Earth.
Where they are and their climate
Tropical rainforests grow in a band near the equator — the Amazon in South America, the Congo Basin in Africa, and parts of South-East Asia. Because the Sun is high overhead all year, the climate is hot (about 27 degrees C every month) and wet (often over 2000 mm of rain a year), with no real seasons — just warm, humid days and frequent afternoon downpours.
The layered structure
Plants compete for light, so the forest grows in layers, each with its own conditions and wildlife.
| Layer | Light | Life |
|---|---|---|
| Emergent | Full sun | Eagles, giant trees |
| Canopy | Bright | Monkeys, most birds |
| Understorey | Dim | Insects, young trees |
| Forest floor | Very dark | Fungi, large mammals |
Adaptations and biodiversity
- Drip tips — pointed leaves let heavy rain run off quickly, so leaves do not rot.
- Buttress roots — huge flared roots brace tall trees in the thin soil.
- Lianas — woody climbers use tree trunks as ladders to reach the light.
These conditions create astonishing biodiversity: rainforests cover about 6 percent of the land yet may hold over half of all plant and animal species.
Deforestation: causes, effects and management
| Causes | Effects |
|---|---|
| Logging for timber | Habitats and species lost |
| Clearing for farms and cattle | Soil washed away by rain |
| Mining and roads | More carbon released, worsening climate change |
Sustainable management means using the forest without destroying it: selective logging (taking a few trees, not all), replanting, ecotourism that pays local people to protect wildlife, and protected national parks.