Rainforest

For other uses, see Rainforest (disambiguation).

A thick rainforest in Chiapas, Mexico
Olympic rainforest located at Olympic Peninsula, Washington state
Rainforest at Mount Palung National Park, Borneo
A paranomic view of the Tropical rainforest, Nilgiri mountains, India
Canopy of Khao Sok tropical rainforest
Primitive tropical rainforest in Palawan
Rainforests in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropical rainforests or temperate rainforests, but other types have been described.

Estimates vary from 40% to 75% of all biotic species being indigenous to the rainforests.[1] There may be many millions of species of plants, insects and microorganisms still undiscovered in tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests have been called the "jewels of the Earth" and the "world's largest pharmacy", because over one quarter of natural medicines have been discovered there.[2]

Rainforests as well as endemic rainforest species are rapidly disappearing due to deforestation, the resulting habitat loss and pollution of the atmosphere.[3]

  1. ^ "Rainforests.net – Variables and Math". Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
  2. ^ "Rainforests at Animal Center". Animalcorner.co.uk. 2004-01-01. Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
  3. ^ "Impact of Deforestation – Extinction". Rainforests.mongabay.com. Retrieved 2012-08-26.