Rainforest

Of all the world's forests, it is those in the tropics that face the greatest threat from mankind. Tropical rainforests are one of nature's treasures, and many of them are now at risk. We have already destroyed half of the world's original tropical rainforests! Just in a few decades, we can possibly witness the complete elimation of the world's rainforests. The biodiversity of this biome is legendary -- this biome contains the largest biomass. Did you know that enough rainforests are being destroyed every minute to fill 50 football fields? We need to preserve these valuable resources because they are the lungs of our planet, and can possibly hold cures for many of our most deadly diseases. The tropical rainforests are a critical link in the ecological chains of our our earth's biosphere. To learn more interesting facts about the tropical rainforests, please visit our Did you know? section.
Important Facts |
    * Amazon rainforests produce about 40% of the world's oxygen   * One in four pharmaceuticals comes from a plant in the tropical rainforests   * 1400 rainforest plants are believed to offer cures for cancer   * 40% of tropical rainforests have already been lost in Latin America and Southeast Asia |
Technically, this type of forest can be defined as a forest in the tropics receiving 4-8 meters of rain each year. Tropical rainforests are found in Central and South America, Southeast Asia and islands near it, and West Africa. There are smaller rainforests in northern Australia and other small islands. All tropical rainforests are found along the equator where the temperatures and the humidity is always high, with the days being equal to the nights.

Generally, there is a flow of air that comes from the poles of the Earth, towards the equator. These winds are filled with moisture and the intense heat that is located at the equator causes the moisture to rise, cool and then condense to create rain. This continuous cycle causes it to rain almost 24 hours a... [continues]

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