World Rainforests and Rainforest Conservation
A rainforest is characterized by towering, largely evergreen trees and heavy rainfall. Some rainforests have existed in their current form for at least 70 million years, making them the oldest existing ecosystems on Earth. Despite only making up 6% of the Earth's surface, they contain more than half of the world's plant and animal species, making them extraordinarily diverse and complex. A 10-square-kilometer (4-square-mile) area of rainforest can have up to 1,500 flowering plants, 750 types of trees, 400 species of birds, and 150 species of butterflies, making it astonishingly dense in both flora and fauna.
Except for
Antarctica, every continent has thriving rainforests. The Amazon River in South
America and the Congo River in Africa are both surrounded by some of the
world's greatest rainforests. Dense rainforest ecosystems can be found in areas
of Australia and Southeast Asia's tropical islands. A form of rainforest
includes even the chilly evergreen woods of Northern Europe and the Pacific
Northwest of North America.
The abundant
biodiversity found in rainforests is crucial to both the health of our planet
and our own well-being. Our climate is regulated by rainforests, which also
give us access to essential goods.
However,
unsustainable industrial and agricultural growth has seriously deteriorated the
condition of the world's rainforests. To safeguard these priceless but
vulnerable ecosystems, citizens, governments, multilateral organizations, and
conservation organizations are collaborating.
Rainforest Structure
Four levels
typically make up a rainforest's structure: emergent, canopy, understory, and
forest floor. Because there are variations in the amount of water, sunlight,
and air movement in each layer, each has distinct properties. Despite the
differences between each layer, they are all interconnected and have an impact
on one another through processes and species.
Emergent Layer
The emergent
layer is the top layer of the rainforest. Trees that are up to 60 meters (200
feet) tall dominate the skyline in this area. On tree trunks, the foliage is
frequently thin, but as the trees ascend to the sunny upper layer, where they
photosynthesize the sun's rays, the foliage opens up widely. During prolonged
droughts or dry seasons, trees in the emergent layer can store water because to
their small, waxy leaves. Strong winds can carry seeds that are small and light
away from the parent plant.
Animals frequently fly or glide through the unstable upper branches of the emergent layer. Small animals that lack the ability to glide or fly must be lightweight in order to be sustained by a tree's slender highest layers. Birds, bats, gliders, and butterflies are among the creatures that inhabit the emergent layer of the Amazon rainforest. Its main predators are large raptors like harpy eagles and white-tailed hawks.
The emergent
layer is populated by pygmy gliders in the rainforests of New Guinea. The name
"pygmy glider" refers to a little rodent that glides from branch to
branch using flaps of skin between its legs.
In most tropical
rainforests, bats are the most numerous animal species, and they frequently fly
across the emergent, canopy, and understory layers. The Madagascan flying fox,
one of the largest species of bat in the world (found on the African island of
Madagascar), is a key pollinator that primarily consumes fruit juice but will
also chew flowers to obtain their nectar.
Canopy Layer
The canopy, a
thick layer of plants of about 6 meters (20 feet) thick, lies beneath the
emergent layer. The two remaining levels are covered by the dense dome of
leaves and branches that makes up the canopy.
The canopy creates a damp, quiet, and dark environment below by obstructing winds, rain, and sunshine. Because of the humidity, trees have developed glossy leaves with water-repellent pointy points.
When there is no
wind, many canopy plants encase their seeds in fruit, whereas trees in the
emergent layer depend on wind to disperse their seeds. Animals are drawn to
sweet fruit by its sweetness, and when they eat it, they drop seeds on the
forest floor. The most well-known fruit tree in the canopy is probably the fig
tree, which is present in the majority of tropical rainforests around the
world.
The canopy of
the rainforest is home to more creatures than any other layer due to the
abundance of food there. Many—but not all—canopy dwellers are recognizable for
their loud or frequent vocalizing since the dense vegetation muffles sound.
Scarlet macaws and keel-billed toucans snatches up canopy fruit in the Amazon
jungle with their huge beaks, then barking spider and howler monkeys pick it.
In the canopy, the two-toed sloth nibbles on fruit, leaves, and shoots in
silence.
The canopy is
also home to tens of thousands of different insect species, including bees,
beetles, borers, and butterflies. The majority of these insects are the main
source of food for the reptiles living in the canopy, notably the Southeast
Asian "flying" Draco lizards.
Understory Layer
The understory
is significantly darker, stiller, and more humid because it is several meters
below the canopy. Here, the vegetation is more shorter and has bigger leaves
than under the canopy, including palms and philodendrons. Large leaves of
understory plants capture the little sunlight that penetrates the thick canopy.
Large,
noticeable flowers are frequently produced by understory plants, including the
South Pacific and North American native Heliconia. Others, like orchids, have a
powerful scent. Even in the dim understory, these characteristics draw
pollinators.
Many understory
bushes in temperate rainforests provide edible fruit and seeds. For instance,
berries are in bloom in North America's temperate rainforests.
For a number of
different reasons, animals live in the understory. Many use the low light to
their advantage when hiding. One might mistake the jaguar's spots, which are
abundant in the rainforests of Central and South America, for leaves or
sunspots, for example. In the Congo jungle, the green mamba, one of the
deadliest snakes in the world, slithers up branches while blending in with the
vegetation. The understory's wide-open spaces are preferred by a lot of bats,
birds, and insects. Amphibians flourish in the humidity because it keeps their
skin moist, like the brilliantly colored tree frogs.
Some of the most
endangered and well-known rainforest inhabitants, including forest elephants,
pythons, antelopes, and gorillas, call Central Africa's tropical rainforest
canopies and understories home. The highly endangered ape species known as the
gorilla is essential for seed distribution. Gorillas are herbivorous animals
that roam in both more open, sunlit marshes and jungles as well as the dark,
thick rainforest. In these sunny locations, where new trees and bushes might
flourish, their droppings scatter seeds. In many African rainforest ecosystems,
gorillas serve as a keystone species.
Forest Floor Layer
The darkest
layer of the rainforest is the forest floor, which makes it very challenging
for plants to thrive. Fallen leaves decompose swiftly on the forest floor.
The forest
floor is a haven for decomposers like termites, slugs, scorpions, worms, and
fungi. When organic matter falls from trees and plants, it is broken down into
nutrients by the living things that inhabit the environment. These nutrients
are absorbed by the shallow roots of rainforest trees, and dozens of predators
eat the decomposers!
Animals like
wild pigs, armadillos, and anteaters hunt for delectable insects, roots, and
tubers among the decaying vegetation of the South American jungle. Even bigger
predators, such as leopards, sneak up on their prey at night. Rats and lowland
pacas, a kind of striped rodent native to Central and South America, are
smaller rodents that hide from predators under the shallow roots of trees that
make up the canopy and emergent layer.
Some tropical
rainforests have rivers that cut through them, resulting in peculiar freshwater
habitats on the forest floor. One of the few freshwater dolphin species in the
world, the boto, or pink river dolphin, lives in the Amazon River. Black
caimans, sizable alligator-related reptiles, live in the Amazon as well,
whereas the Nile crocodile, the caimans' crocodilian relative, lives in the
Congo River.
Types of Rainforests
Tropical Rainforests
The majority of
tropical rainforests are found in the tropics, between latitudes 23.5°N (Tropic
of Cancer) and 23.5°S (Tropic of Capricorn). Central and South America, western
and central Africa, western India, Southeast Asia, the island of New Guinea,
and Australia are all home to tropical rainforests.
The tropics
receive practically direct sunlight, which generates powerful solar energy that
maintains high temperatures between 21° and 30°C (70° and 85°F). High
temperatures maintain the air's warmth and humidity, which ranges from 77 to 88
percent on average. A year's worth of rainfall, ranging from 200 to 1000
centimeters (80 to 400 inches), is produced by this humid air. Tropical
rainforests produce up to 75% of their own rain through evaporation and
transpiration because they are so warm and humid.
The rich flora
and wildlife of tropical rainforests depend on such abundant sunlight and
moisture for their survival. This region is home to over half of all species in
the globe, with an estimated 40 to 100 or more different tree species per
hectare.
The world's most
ecologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems are those found in tropical
rainforests. The largest tropical rainforest in the world is the Amazon. It
supports about 40,000 plant species, 1,300 bird species, 3,000 fish species,
427 animal species, and 2.5 million insect species. Its waters are home to pink
river dolphins and red-bellied piranhas. Through its trees, jewel-toned parrots
squawk and fly. Bright colors used by poison dart frogs to ward off potential
predators. Monkeys such as capuchin and spider swing and scurry through the 400
billion or more trees that make up the rainforest. The decomposition of dead
and dying plant matter by millions of mushrooms and other fungi recycles
nutrients for the soil and organisms in the understory.The world's most
ecologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems are those found in tropical
rainforests. The largest tropical rainforest in the world is the Amazon. It
supports about 40,000 plant species, 1,300 bird species, 3,000 fish species,
427 animal species, and 2.5 million insect species. Its waters are home to pink
river dolphins and red-bellied piranhas. Through its trees, jewel-toned parrots
squawk and fly. Bright colors used by poison dart frogs to ward off potential
predators. Monkeys such as capuchin and spider swing and scurry through the 400
billion or more trees that make up the rainforest. The decomposition of dead
and dying plant matter by millions of mushrooms and other fungi recycles
nutrients for the soil and organisms in the understory. A veritable ecological
kaleidoscope, the Amazon jungle is bursting with vibrant sights and sounds.
Temperate Rainforests
The
mid-latitudes, where temperatures are significantly milder than in the tropics,
are where temperate rainforests can be found. Most often, coastal and
mountainous regions are home to temperate rainforests. Areas with heavy
precipitation are influenced by several geographical factors. On the Pacific
Northwest coasts of North America, Chile, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan,
New Zealand, and southern Australia, temperate rainforests can be found.
As their name
suggests, temperate rainforests are far cooler than their tropical counterparts,
with average temperatures ranging from 10 to 21°C (50 to 70°F). Additionally,
they get far less sunshine and rain, with an average annual rainfall of between
150 and 500 millimeters (60 and 200 inches). Warm, moist air from the coast
that is trapped by surrounding mountains causes rain to fall in these forests.
The ecological
diversity of temperate rainforests is less than that of tropical rainforests. A
staggering quantity of biological production, however, may be found there, with
each hectare holding up to 500–2000 metric tons of leaves, timber, and other
organic waste (202-809 metric tons per acre). More material can collect since
breakdown is slowed down by cooler temperatures and a more stable atmosphere.
For instance, the biomass (living or once-living material) produced by
old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest is three times that of tropical
rainforests.
Many plant
species can thrive for extraordinarily extended periods of time thanks to this
productivity. Among the oldest and biggest tree species in the world are those
found in temperate rainforests, including the coast redwood in the U.S. state
of California and the alerce in Chile.
Large mammals,
tiny birds, insects, and reptiles make up the majority of the fauna of the
temperate rainforest. These species vary greatly among rainforests in various
parts of the world. In the Pacific Northwest rainforests, black bears, mountain
lions, and bobcats are the main predators. Ground creatures like wallabies,
bandicoots, and potoroos—small marsupials that are among the most endangered
mammals in Australia—feed on the foods that the forest floor provides. The
Magellan woodpecker and the Juan Fernández fire crown, a hummingbird species
with a crown of color-changing feathers, are just two of the unusual birds that
call Chile's rainforests home.
People and the Rainforest
For thousands of
years, thriving, intricate communities have existed within rainforests. The
food of societies from Africa to the Pacific Northwest, for instance, has been
influenced by distinct rainforest habitats.
Mbuti
In the past, the
Mbuti were a hunter-gatherer people who lived in the Ituri rainforest in
Central Africa. Every layer of the rainforest's flora and creatures make up
their food.
Despite being a
traditionally nomadic people, many Mbuti villages now practice agriculture as a
way of life, trading and bartering with nearby agricultural communities like
the Bantu for products like manioc, nuts, rice, and plantains.
Chimbu
On the island of
New Guinea, the Chimbu people reside in the highland jungle. Shifting farming
is a form of subsistence agriculture used by the Chimbu. This indicates that
they have gardens on formerly cleared-vegetation-covered arable land. It's
possible for a piece of land to go dormant for months or even years. Plots are
never given up on and are passed down through families.
In Chimbu garden
plots, crops like beans, sweet potatoes, and bananas are harvested.
Additionally, the Chimbu keep livestock, primarily pigs. Pigs are valuable
commercial commodities for trade and selling in addition to being used for
food.
Tlingit
The Tlingit
people live in the temperate rainforest along North America's northwest coast.
The Tlingit have a varied diet that includes both freshwater and marine
creatures as well as game from inland woods.
The traditional
Tlingit diet consists of a vast range of aquatic life, including crab, shrimp,
clams, oysters, seals, and fish like herring, halibut, and, most importantly,
salmon, thanks to the abundance of Pacific inlets, rivers, and streams. You can
pick kelps and other seaweeds to add to soups or to dry for later use. The
Tlingit proverb "When the tide is out, our table is set" is
well-known.
Historical
Tlingit hunters may have hunted deer, elk, rabbit, and mountain goats in more
inland regions. Plants that are collected or harvested include wild celery,
berries, and nuts.
Yanomami
Native to the
northern Amazon jungle, which straddles the boundary between Venezuela and
Brazil, the Yanomami are a people and civilization. The Yanomami engage in both
agricultures using shifting cultivation and hunting, like the Chimbu.
Deer, tapirs (a creature
resembling a pig), monkeys, birds, and armadillos are among the prey items that
the Yanomami hunt. The Yanomami use hunting dogs to assist them to look for games
on the forest floor and in the understory.
The Yanomami
engage in slash-and-burn farming, which involves burning vegetation off the
soil before planting crops. Corn, bananas, and cassava are among the crops
farmed. The Yanomami also grow cotton, which is used to make hammocks, nets,
and garments, in addition to food crops.
Benefits of Rainforests
Ecological Well-Being
The health of
our planet depends critically on the presence of rainforests. Tropical
rainforests are sometimes referred to as the Earth's thermostat and include
about 1.2 billion hectares (3 billion acres) of vegetation.
About 20% of the
oxygen, we breathe is produced by rainforests, and they also store a
significant quantity of carbon dioxide, greatly lessening the effect of
greenhouse gas emissions. Massive volumes of solar radiation are absorbed,
which aids in controlling global temperatures. Together, these processes aid in
maintaining the climate on Earth.
The water cycle
of the planet is also preserved by rainforests. Evapotranspiration, which
contributes to the regulation of healthy rainfall around the earth, returns
more than 50% of the precipitation that falls on a rainforest to the
atmosphere. The Amazon Basin alone holds one-fifth of the freshwater that is
stored in the world's rainforests.
Human Well-Being
We get a lot of
items from rainforests that we utilize every day. Tropical woods used in
flooring, doors, windows, boat construction, and cabinetry include teak, balsa,
rosewood, and mahogany. Furniture, baskets, insulation, and cord are all made
with fibers like raffia, bamboo, kapok, and rattan. Just a few of the spices
found in the rainforest include ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon. Fruits
including bananas, papayas, mangoes, cacao, and coffee beans are all supported
by the ecology.
We also get a
lot of medicines from rainforests. The U.S. National Cancer Institute estimates
that only rainforests have 70% of the plants that are effective in treating
cancer. Muscle relaxants, steroids, and pesticides are all made from plants
found in rainforests. Asthma, arthritis, malaria, heart disease, and pneumonia
are all conditions they are used to treat. Less than 1% of rainforest species
have had their medicinal potential studied, making the significance of these
species to human health all the more astounding.
Even fungi from
the rainforest can benefit humanity. For instance, a polyurethane-eating
mushroom was found in the Ecuadorian tropical rainforest. Polyurethane is a
tough, long-lasting kind of plastic that is utilized in everything from garden
hoses to carpets to shoes. Even without oxygen, the fungi can consume plastic,
which has prompted many environmentalists and companies to invest in research
to find out whether the fungi may help reduce garbage in urban dumps.
Threats to Rainforests
The rapid disappearance
of rainforests is mostly a result of human progress over the past few
centuries. Rainforests used to make up 14% of the Earth's surface, but
currently they barely account for 6%. The area of tropical rainforests has
likely decreased by more than half since 1947, to between 6.2 and 7.8 million
square kilometers (3 million square miles).
Many biologists
predict that 5–10% of the species in rainforests will disappear every ten
years. Within the next century, widespread deforestation may result in the
total extinction of a number of significant rainforest habitats.
The reason for
the accelerated habitat loss is the daily clearing of 40 hectares (100 acres)
of rainforest for industrial and agricultural purposes. Logging firms harvest
trees for timber in the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, and paper mills
use the wood for pulp. Huge swaths of forest are cleared for arable land in the
Amazon rainforest by large-scale agricultural activities like cattle ranching.
Road construction and other infrastructure improvements in the Congo rainforest
have diminished habitat and blocked migratory routes for many rainforest
species. Mining and logging operations clear-cut forests in both the Amazon and
the Congo in order to construct highways and excavate mines. Large-scale
hydroelectric power projects, whose dams flood acres of land, are a threat to
some rainforests. Forest ecosystems are being encroached upon by development on
all sides.
This increasing
deforestation is fueled by economic inequality. Many rainforests are found in
developing nations with resource-based economies. Product demand is driven by
wealthy countries, and energy consumption is increased by economic growth.
These needs urge regional administrations to develop rainforest land for a
little portion of its worth. Poor residents of these areas are also encouraged
to better their lives by turning woods into subsistence farms.
Rainforest Conservation
Innovative
measures are being taken by numerous people, groups, governments, multilateral
organizations, and conservation organizations to safeguard vulnerable
rainforest environments.
Many nations
sponsor organizations and projects that encourage the sustainable exploitation
of their rainforests. Costa Rica is a leader in this area, investing in
ecotourism initiatives that provide income for regional economies and the
forests on which they are dependent. The nation also entered into a contract
with Merck, an American pharmaceutical giant, that dedicates a portion of the
profits from pharmaceutical chemicals obtained from the rainforest to funding
environmental conservation initiatives.
Global
intergovernmental organizations deal with rainforest preservation. For
instance, the REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest
Degradation) Program of the United Nations provides financial incentives for 58
member nations to reduce carbon emissions brought on by deforestation. A
national forest monitoring system that tracks and maps information on logging
concessions, deforestation in protected areas, and national forestry sector actions
was developed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo using REDD monies. In
Cambodia, where there is inadequate forest zoning and border enforcement, money
from the REDD program were also utilized to research the best methods for
resolving land disputes.
The
conservation of the rainforest is a concern for non-profit organizations in
many different ways. For instance, The Rainforest Trust aids regional
conservation organizations in preserving and purchasing vitally important areas
all throughout the world. In Ecuador, where the Ro Canandé Reserve is thought
to have one of the largest concentrations of endemic and threatened species in
the world, the Rainforest Trust collaborated with the Fundación Jocotoco to
acquire 495 more hectares (1,222 more acres). The Trust established an
8,900-hectare (22,000-acre) reserve on Sangihe Island in collaboration with
Burung Indonesia to save Asia's highest density of vulnerable bird species.
A nonprofit
organization called The Rainforest Alliance assists companies and customers in
understanding that their products protect rather than harm rainforests.
Ingredients in goods with the Rainforest Alliance seal come from farms or
forests that adhere to strict rules aimed at promoting the sustainable growth
of local communities and rainforests. After a business has successfully
completed an education program on efficiency and sustainability, the Alliance
also permits it to use its seal. This logo also enables travelers to plan
environmentally responsible vacations.
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