By: Jennifer TravisTropical Rainforest Biomes

Where are the rainforests found?

Central America in the Amazon river basin.

Africa - Zaire basin, with a small area in West Africa and eastern Madagascar.

Indo-Malaysia - west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.

Climate

In an average year, the climate of a rainforest is very humid due to the rainfall that adds up to an amount of 250cm per year.

The climate then becomes very hot and wet because of the rain. The rain is formed because this climate is right next to the

equator. This allows more sunlight to hit the earth and sea which creates a water vapor. When the hot meets the cold it forms droplets which eventually become clouds and the clouds produce rain.

The average temperature of a rainforest is about 77 degrees Fahrenheit which stays the same all year round.

You will never find a rainforest that has a temperature of 32°F or below because the plant life could not live as the plants are not adapted to the frost.

Plant Life

The trees give off water through the pores of their leaves, this process can account for almost half of the precipitation in the rainforest.

The plants in the rainforest have made some adaptations to their environment. With over 80 inches of rain per year the plants needed to be able to shed water quickly so that branches don’t get weighed down and break.

Leaves of these plants are very large so they are capable of absorbing more sunlight.

Over 2,500 species of vines can be found in the rainforest Trees of the same species are rarely found beside each

other.

Animal Life

Common Characteristics of animals in the rainforest are those of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Other characteristics are bright colors and sharp patterns, loud vocalization and their diet consists mostly of fruit.

Insects also make up part of the rainforest biome, including brightly colored butterflies, mosquitoes, camouflaged stick insects, and huge colonies of ants.

Various species of decomposers like insects, bacteria, and fungi make quick work of turning dead plant and animal matter into nutrients.

Rainforest Food Web