Climbing Plants As well as all the trees and flowering plants mentioned in the Tropical Biodiversity section, rainforest composition also includes abundant climbing plants like orchids, ferns and the dominant…
Rainforest composition in the canopy is dominated by a few trees like mahogany, ebony, and teak. The canopy can be continuous over hundreds of kilometers and is occasionally penetrated by…
For years, scientists have wondered why rainforests are so diverse. Competition for resources should lead one species to dominate and exclude the others, but this doesn’t happen to the extent…
Humboldt and Darwin While on a five year journey to South America in 1799, Alexander von Humboldt wrote of ‘an inexhaustible treasure trove’ of Nature. He co-authored a 3,700 page…
The lack of distinct seasons characterises the tropics. Unlike temperate forests, most rainforests have only a wet and dry season. Throughout these periods the conditions are still constantly hot and…
Tropical rainforests are strongly influenced by climate and are situated in the world’s hot and moist zones. The tropical rainforests receive more of the sun’s energy than any other vegetation…
Rainforests are one of several different types of tropical forest. Around 65% of the moist forests are rainforests, which are composed of evergreen broadleaved trees. The rainforests are located at…