Tropical rainforest

Culinary & Cocktails Puerto Rico has transformed into a foodie paradise over the years, incorporating different influences and traditions to create exciting dishes and cocktails. Live Boricua In Puerto Rico, we call ourselves Boricua, a unique name honoring our Island heritage and the vibrant spirit of our people. When you visit, you'll find that spirit in yourself, too. • • Global English • English (U.K.) • English (Australia) • English (Canada) • English (India) • French (Canada) • Portuguese (Brazil) • English (Sweden) • French (France) • German (Germany) • Korean (Korea) • Spanish (Chile) • Spanish (Colombia) • Spanish (Mexico) • Japanese (Japan) • Simplified Chinese (China) Plan a soul-refreshing escape to an enchanted rainforest park. Here's what you need to know about visiting El Yunque National Forest. El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System but it is also a sacred place in Puerto Rican culture. Many believe its name comes from the Yuke, or "white earth," a reference to the clouds that gather around the forest's mountainous peak; others believe it derives from Yúcahu, the Taíno deity of fertility. Today, this national treasure is an excellent destination if you want to immerse yourself in nature. Here's a look at some of the top things to see and do in El Yunque, from bathing in natural pools beneath waterfalls to taking in the gorgeous scenery from its many hiking trails. Beautiful Scenery Want more “wow” during your visit? Dri...

Why are tropical forests so important? Tropical forests cover just 6% of the planet’s land surface but are some of the richest, most biodiverse places on Earth. They are home to ancient, towering trees and a huge variety of plants, birds, insects and fascinating mammals. A staggering 80% of the world's documented species can be found in tropical rainforests, which makes them a crucial habitat. Their destruction is fuelling the nature crisis. These forests have different layers, each with their own important role in sustaining a healthy ecosystem. The scattered gigantic trees form the canopy, where most of the flowering and fruiting takes place which sustains other animals including iconic species like the toucan and sloth. Below this live smaller trees which provide shelter for birds and reptiles, and major predators like the jaguar. Beneath this layer lies the forest floor, which receives very little sunlight but is alive with fungi and insects that play an important role in the wider forest ecosystem. These forests are crucial habitats and sources of food for both people and nature. They play an important role in the global water cycle, help tackle climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and provide livelihoods for local communities. Two-thirds of global forest cover loss is occurring mainly in the tropics and sub-tropics. Over 43 million hectares, an area roughly the size of Morocco, was lost in these ' What is WWF doing? WWF is committed to conserving the world's ra...

Biome is another name for a distinct type of ecosystem. Biomes are characterized by their climate, which determines the particular plants found there. The climate and the plants in a biome determine what animals live there. This article addresses the climate and biodiversity of one of Earth’s most diverse and iconic biomes: the tropical rainforest. Rainfall: The word “rainforest” implies that these are the some of the world’s wettest ecosystems. Rainforests generally receive very high rainfall each year, although the exact amount varies among different years and different rainforests. For example, South America’s tropical rainforests receive between 200 and 300 centimeters (80 and 120 inches, or 6.5 to 10 feet!) of rain in a typical year. Despite relatively consistent rain in these ecosystems, there are distinct dry seasons in some rainforests. Wet and dry seasons of tropical rainforests vary in their timing, duration and severity around the globe. Tropical rainforests also have high humidity; about 88% during the wet season and approximately 77% in the dry season. Temperature: Tropical rainforests are found near the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer (23°27’N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23°27’S). The equator receives direct sunlight. This steady flow of radiation produces consistently high temperatures throughout the year. A typical daytime temperature any time of year in tropical rainforests is 29°C (85°F), although temperatures can be much higher. In the majority o...

Rivers, streams, and creeks in the rainforest Tropical rainforests have some of the largest rivers in the world, like the Amazon, Madeira, Mekong, Negro, Orinoco, and Congo (Zaire), because of the tremendous amount of precipitation their watersheds receive. These mega-rivers are fed by countless smaller tributaries, streams, and creeks. For example, the Amazon alone has some 1,100 tributaries, 17 of which are over 1,000 miles long. Although large tropical rivers are fairly uniform in appearance and water composition, their tributaries vary greatly. Many tropical rivers and streams have extreme high and low water levels that occur at different parts of the year. In addition to rivers, rainforests have conventional, free-standing lakes and so-called oxbow lakes, formed when a river changes course. These lakes are home to species adapted to the quiet, stagnant conditions. Tropical waters, whether they be giant rivers, streams, or oxbow lakes, are almost as rich in animal species as the rainforests that surround them. But they, too, are increasingly threatened by human activities, including pollution, siltation resulting from deforestation, hydroelectric projects, and over-harvesting of resident species. Lowland rainforest rivers joining in Peru. (Photo by R. Butler) Types of rivers in the rainforest First-time visitors to the Amazon or other large tropical rivers are often shocked to see the muddy brown, almost polluted-looking water. However, this color results not from sewa...

What is a tropical rainforest? On this page we’ll find out what a tropical rainforest is and where the world’s tropical rainforests are found. We’ll also find out about the animals that live in rainforests, and why rainforests are so important. What Is A Tropical Rainforest? A rainforest is a forest that grows in an area with a high rainfall. Most rainforests receive over 2,000 mm (80 in.) of rain every year. What Is a Tropical Rainforest? A forest that grows in a tropical area with high rainfall. A tropical rainforest is a rainforest with a high rainfall that grows in a tropical region. Tropical regions – and therefore tropical rainforests – are found near the Equator, an imaginary line that circles the globe, dividing the northern and southern hemispheres. Running parallel above and below the Equator are two more imaginary lines: the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn respectively. The world’s tropical regions are located within these two lines. In tropical regions, the sun is directly overhead at least once during the year. The diagram below shows the Equator and the Tropics. World map showing the Equator (the green line) and the Tropics of Cancer (top yellow line) and Capricorn (bottom yellow line). • You can find our more about rainforests at our main Rainforests are home to a vast number of animals and plants – we’ll meet some of them further down the page – and are therefore extremely important to the world’s biodiversity. They’re also home to indigenous t...

Main navigation • Open Events × Close Events • • • • • Open Projects × Close Projects • • • • • • Open Educational Resources × Close Educational Resources • • • • • • • Open Professional Learning × Close Professional Learning • • • • • Open Volunteer × Close Volunteer • • • • • Open Support Us × Close Support Us • • • • • Open About Us × Close About Us • • • • • • • • Search The Terrestrial Biomes The biomes. A biome is a large area of land classified by its plants and animals. A biome is made up of many Misconception Alert An ecosystem is not the same thing as a biome. A biome is the specific geographic area in which ecosystems can be found. In this backgrounder, major terrestrial biomes of the world are named based on the Distribution of the Earth’s Major Biomes The map below shows where each of the eight major terrestrial biomes are located in the world. Canada contains four biomes. These are temperate deciduous forest, grassland, boreal forest/taiga, and tundra. A biome has the same characteristics no matter where in the world it is found. This means that the boreal forests of Canada look like the boreal forests of Russia. The characteristics of each biome are dependent on its Shown is a colour world map illustrating the location of terrestrial biomes. The map shows the world's oceans in blue, and its landmasses in stripes and blobs of eight different colours. A legend on the right side identifies the biomes associated with each colour. Red is labelled "Tropical Rainfo...

The Tropical rainforest biome is an ecology or ecosystem composed of mainly vegetation communities. The trees are closely spaced, and the crowns interact with each other to result in an unbroken canopy of plants. Tropical rainforests are abundant. Statistically, they cover approximately 7% of the Climate Tropical rainforest climate is mainly humid due to warm summers and cold winters. The average temperature is approximately 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and it’s almost the same throughout the year. Tropical rainforests cannot thrive in temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit since the plant life is not well-suited to frosty conditions. The region experiences about 255 days of sunshine annually. Furthermore, the terrain is gentle, so weather conditions are rarely extreme. Even though the climate of tropical rainforests is hospitable, it can be quite challenging to navigate the dense undergrowth. Temperature The average temperature in a tropical rainforest is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is not uncommon for the temperature to range from 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature in a tropical rainforest is relatively consistent throughout the year. There is little variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures. The temperature does not typically drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit or rise above 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature in a tropical rainforest is influenced by the location of the rainforest. Tropical rainforests near the equator have a higher average temp...