What is a Rainforest?

　　Rainforests are very dense, warm, wet forests. They are havens (安身之处) for millions of plants and animals. Rainforests are extremely important in the ecology of the Earth. The plants of the rainforest generate much of the Earth's oxygen. These plants are also very important to people in other ways; many are used in new drugs that fight disease and illness.

Strata of the Rainforest

　　Different animals and plants live in different parts of the rainforest. Scientists divide the rainforest into strata (zones) based on the living environment. Starting at the top, the strata are:

EMERGENTS: Giant trees that are much higher than the average canopy height. It houses many birds and insects.

CANOPY: The upper parts of the trees. This leafy environment is full of life in a tropical rainforest and includes: insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, and more.

UNDERSTORY: A dark, cool environment under the leaves but over the ground.

FOREST FLOOR: Teeming with animal life, especially insects. The largest animals in the rainforest generally live here.

Animals of the Rainforests

　　An incredible number of animals live in rainforests. Millions of insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals call them home. Insects are the most numerous animals in rainforests. Tropical rainforests have a greater diversity of plants and animals than temperate rainforests or any other biome. In temperate rainforests, most of the animals are ground dwellers and there are fewer animals living in the forest canopy.

Where are Rainforests?

　　Tropical rainforests are found in a belt around the equator of the Earth. There are tropical rainforests across South America, Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia (and nearby islands). Temperate rainforests are found along the Pacific coast of the USA and Canada (from northern California to Alaska), in New Zealand, Tasmania, Chile, Ireland, Scotland and Norway. They are less abundant than tropical rainforests.

Rainfall

It is almost always raining in a rainforest. Rainforests get over 80 inches (2 m) of rain each year. This is