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What is the climate like in a tropical rainforest?
What are the characteristics of a tropical rainforest?
Do all tropical rainforests have a constant rainfall?
What is a true rainforest?
Temperatures in the tropical rainforest are high throughout the year. Annual temperatures usually average around 28°C and show little variation from day to day. The range is temperature throughout the year is low. The temperature never drops below 20°C and rarely exceeds 35°C.
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- Origin
tropical rainforest, luxuriant forest found in wet tropical uplands and lowlands around the Equator. Tropical rainforests, which worldwide make up one of Earth’s largest biomes (major life zones), are dominated by broad-leaved trees that form a dense upper canopy (layer of foliage) and contain a diverse array of vegetation and other life. Contrary ...
Tropical rainforests represent the oldest major vegetation type still present on the terrestrial Earth. Like all vegetation, however, that of the rainforest continues to evolve and change, so modern tropical rainforests are not identical with rainforests of the geologic past.
Tropical rainforests grow mainly in three regions: the Malesian botanical subkingdom, which extends from Myanmar (Burma) to Fiji and includes the whole of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu and parts of Indochina and tropical Australia; tropical South and Central America, especially the Amazon basin; and West and Central Africa (see biogeographic region). Smaller areas of tropical rainforest occur elsewhere in the tropics wherever climate is suitable. The principal areas of tropical deciduous forest (or monsoon forests) are in India, the Myanmar–Vietnam–southern coastal China region, and eastern Brazil, with smaller areas in South and Central America north of the Equator, the West Indies, southeastern Africa, and northern Australia.
The flowering plants (angiosperms) first evolved and diversified during the Cretaceous Period about 100 million years ago, during which time global climatic conditions were warmer and wetter than those of the present. The vegetation types that evolved were the first tropical rainforests, which blanketed most of Earth’s land surfaces at that time. Only later—during the middle of the Paleogene Period, about 40 million years ago—did cooler, drier climates develop, leading to the development across large areas of other vegetation types.
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Ecosystems
It is no surprise, therefore, to find the greatest diversity of flowering plants today in the tropical rainforests where they first evolved. Of particular interest is the fact that the majority of flowering plants displaying the most primitive characteristics are found in rainforests (especially tropical rainforests) in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, particularly South America, northern Australia and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia, and some larger South Pacific islands. Of the 13 angiosperm families generally recognized as the most primitive, all but two—Magnoliaceae and Winteraceae—are overwhelmingly tropical in their present distribution. Three families—Illiciaceae, Magnoliaceae, and Schisandraceae—are found predominantly in Northern Hemisphere rainforests. Five families—Amborellaceae, Austrobaileyaceae, Degeneriaceae, Eupomatiaceae, and Himantandraceae—are restricted to rainforests in the tropical Australasian region. Members of the Winteraceae are shared between this latter region and South America, those of the Lactoridaceae grow only on the southeast Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, members of the Canellaceae are shared between South America and Africa, and two families—Annonaceae and Myristicaceae—generally occur in tropical regions. This has led some authorities to suggest that the original cradle of angiosperm evolution might lie in Gondwanaland, a supercontinent of the Southern Hemisphere thought to have existed in the Mesozoic Era (252 to 66 million years ago) and consisted of Africa, South America, Australia, peninsular India, and Antarctica. An alternative explanation for this geographic pattern is that in the Southern Hemisphere, especially on islands, there are more refugia—i.e., isolated areas whose climates remained unaltered while those of the surrounding areas changed, enabling archaic life-forms to persist.
Climate. Tropical rainforest climate is mainly humid due to warm summers and cold winters. The average temperature is approximately 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and it’s almost the same throughout the year. Tropical rainforests cannot thrive in temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit since the plant life is not well-suited to frosty conditions.
Tropical rainforests are hot and wet. Mean monthly temperatures exceed 18 °C (64 °F) during all months of the year. [4] Average annual rainfall is no less than 1,680 mm (66 in) and can exceed 10 m (390 in) although it typically lies between 1,750 mm (69 in) and 3,000 mm (120 in). [5]
May 15, 2019 · Tropical rainforests are found near the equator, with high average temperatures and humidity, while temperate rainforests lie mostly in coastal, mountainous areas within the mid-latitudes. A...
- Christina Nunez
Feb 6, 2021 · Tropical Rainforest Climate. Tropical Rainforests are typically located around the equator. Due to this, one of their primary characteristics is the hot and wet climate. These forests experience rainfall throughout the year, with minimal dry seasons in between. The hot and humid climate is perfect for the growth of bacteria and other ...
May 21, 2024 · Tropical rainforests are found primarily in South and Central America, West and Central Africa, Indonesia, parts of Southeast Asia, and tropical Australia. The climate in these regions is one of relatively high humidity with no marked seasonal variation.
