Characteristics of a Tropical Rainforest
Distribution of the equatorial climate
- The tropical rainforest (TRF) biome is mainly found in a band between 15° north and 15° south of the equator within the equatorial climate zone
- Covering only 6% of the Earth's surface the main areas of tropical rainforest ecosystem are in the following countries:
- Amazon which is the largest remaining rainforest on Earth usually associated with Brazil but covers parts of seven other countries
- Central America including parts of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama
- Central Africa including Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea and Gabon
- Indo-Malaysia, including Malaysia, Indonesia and a number of other countries in South-East Asia
Tropical rainforest climate characteristics
Characteristics of Tropical Rainforests
Characteristics | Equatorial Climate |
Location |
Low latitudes Within the Tropics, 23.5° north and south of the equator Amazon in South America, New Guinea, South-east Asia, and the Zaire Basin |
Annual Precipitation |
Over 2000mm |
Temperature Range |
Low range of mean monthly temperatures - 26-28°C Constant high temperatures Diurnal range is about 7oC |
Seasons |
No seasons—hot and wet all year round |
Humidity |
High, usually over 75–80% |
Soils |
Many of the soils in the rainforest are latosols Due to leaching and rapid uptake of nutrients by plants, the soils are not very fertile Nutrients are concentrated in the upper topsoil |
Biodiversity |
Tropical rainforests contain the highest biodiversity of plants and animals on Earth Estimates range from over 50% to 80% of the world's plant and animal species One 10km2 area can contain up to 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies |
Climate graph for Iquitos, Peru
Humans
- Traditional communities such as the Awa in Brazil and the Huli in Papua New Guinea live in harmony with the rainforest
- Communities survive through hunting and gathering using the rainforest plants and animals in a sustainable way
- Many communities have been forced off the land by commercial activities such as mining, agriculture and logging