How many tropical rainforests are in the world

Of the approximately However, the remaining tropical rainforests are either severely damaged or increasingly fragmented. Researchers are now warning that the tropical rainforest ecosystems are getting closer to a tipping point, where their natural ecosystem services can no longer be sustained, and the forest starts collapsing. Signs of this are already evident in parts of the Amazon rainforest. The human consumption of tropical rainforests predates the industrial age.

Located several meters below the canopy, the understory is an even darker, stiller, and more humid environment. Plants here, such as palms and philodendron s, are much shorter and have larger leaves than plants that dominate the canopy. Understory plants often produce flowers that are large and easy to see, such as Heliconia , native to the Americas and the South Pacific. Others have a strong smell, such as orchids.

The fruit and seeds of many understory shrub s in temperate rainforests are edible. The temperate rainforests of North America, for example, bloom with berries.

Animals call the understory home for a variety of reasons. Many take advantage of the dimly lit environment for camouflage. The spots on a jaguar found in the rainforests of Central and South America may be mistaken for leaves or flecks of sunlight, for instance.

The green mamba, one of the deadliest snakes in the world, blends in with foliage as it slither s up branches in the Congo rainforest. Many bats, birds, and insects prefer the open airspace the understory offers. Amphibians, such as dazzlingly colored tree frogs, thrive in the humidity because it keeps their skin moist. Gorillas, a critically endangered species of primate , are crucial for seed dispersal.

Gorillas are herbivore s that move throughout the dark, dense rainforest as well as more sun-dappled swamp s and jungle s. Their droppings disperse seeds in these sunny areas where new trees and shrubs can take root. In this way, gorillas are keystone species in many African rainforest ecosystems. The forest floor is the darkest of all rainforest layers, making it extremely difficult for plants to grow. Leaves that fall to the forest floor decay quickly.

Decomposer s, such as termites, slugs, scorpions, worms, and fungi, thrive on the forest floor. Organic matter falls from trees and plants, and these organisms break down the decaying material into nutrient s. The shallow roots of rainforest trees absorb these nutrients, and dozens of predator s consume the decomposers!

Animals such as wild pigs, armadillos, and anteaters forage in the decomposing brush for these tasty insects, roots and tuber s of the South American rainforest.

Even larger predators, including leopards, skulk in the darkness to surprise their prey. Smaller rodents, such as rats and lowland pacas a type of striped rodent indigenous to Central and South America , hide from predators beneath the shallow roots of trees that dominate the canopy and emergent layer. Rivers that run through some tropical rainforests create unusual freshwater habitats on the forest floor.

The Amazon River, for instance, is home to the boto, or pink river dolphin, one of the few freshwater dolphin species in the world. Tropical rainforest s are mainly located between the latitude s of Such humid air produces extreme and frequent rainfall, ranging between centimeters inches per year. Tropical rainforests are the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems in the world. It is home to around 40, plant species, nearly 1, bird species, 3, types of fish, species of mammals, and 2.

Red-bellied piranhas and pink river dolphins swim its waters. Jewel-toned parrots squawk and fly through its trees. Poison dart frogs warn off predators with their bright colors. Millions of mushrooms and other fungi decompose dead and dying plant material, recycling nutrients to the soil and organisms in the understory.

The Amazon rainforest is truly an ecological kaleidoscope , full of colorful sights and sounds. Temperate rainforest s are located in the mid-latitudes, where temperatures are much more mild than the tropics.

Temperate rainforests are found mostly in coast al, mountainous areas. These geographic conditions help create areas of high rainfall. They are also much less sunny and rainy, receiving anywhere between centimeters inches of rain per year.

Rainfall in these forests is produced by warm, moist air coming in from the coast and being trapped by nearby mountains. Temperate rainforests are not as biologically diverse as tropical rainforests. They are, however, home to an incredible amount of biological productivity, storing up to metric tons of leaves, wood, and other organic matter per hectare metric tons per acre. Cooler temperatures and a more stable climate slow down decomposition, allowing more material to accumulate.

The old-growth forest s of the Pacific Northwest, for example, produce three times the biomass living or once-living material of tropical rainforests. This productivity allows many plant species to grow for incredibly long periods of time. Temperate rainforest trees such as the coast redwood in the U. The animals of the temperate rainforest are mostly made up of large mammals and small birds, insects, and reptiles. These species vary widely between rainforests in different world regions.

Bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears are major predators in the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. Rainforests have been home to thriving, complex communities for thousands of years.

For instance, unique rainforest ecosystems have influenced the diet of cultures from Africa to the Pacific Northwest. The Mbuti, a community indigenous to the Ituri rainforest in Central Africa, have traditionally been hunter-gatherers.

Their diet consists of plants and animals from every layer of the rainforest. From the forest floor, the Mbuti hunt fish and crabs from the Ituri River a tributary of the Congo , as well as gather berries from low-lying shrubs. The giant forest hog, a species of wild boar, is also frequently targeted by Mbuti hunters, although this species is hunted for sale more often than food. From the understory, the Mbuti may gather honey from bee hives, or hunt monkeys.

From the canopy and emergent layers, Mbuti hunters may set nets or traps for birds. Although they are a historically nomadic society, agriculture has become a way of life for many Mbuti communities today as they trade and barter with neighboring agricultural groups such as the Bantu for crops such as manioc, nuts, rice, and plantains.

The Chimbu people live in the highland rainforest on the island of New Guinea. The Chimbu practice subsistence agriculture through shifting cultivation.

This means they have gardens on arable land that has been cleared of vegetation. A portion of the plot may be left fallow for months or years. The plots are never abandoned and are passed on within the family. Crops harvest ed in Chimbu garden plots include sweet potatoes, bananas, and beans. The Chimbu also maintain livestock , particularly pigs. In addition to their own diet, pigs are valuable economic commodities for trade and sale.

Humans and animals rely on the rainforest to make the majority of Earth's oxygen. One tree produces nearly lbs. A tree uses carbon dioxide to grow. A living tree draws in and stores twice as much carbon dioxide than a fallen tree releases.

But when the tree is cut down, it releases its stored carbon dioxide. For example, dead Amazonian trees emit an estimated 1. The same trees typically absorb about 2. Carbon dioxide makes up around Out of the 6 million square miles 15 million square kilometers of tropical rainforest that once existed worldwide, only 2. Ranching, mining, logging and agriculture are the main reasons for forest loss.

Between and , more than , square miles 2 million square km of forests around the world were cut down — an area about the size of all the states east of the Mississippi River. Deforestation around the world also decreases the global flow of water vapor from land by 4 percent, according to an article published by the journal National Academy of Sciences. Water constantly cycles through the atmosphere. Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big Grassroots efforts are bringing solar panels to rural villages without electricity, while massive solar arrays are being built across the country.

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