Rain forest

What are they?

Tropical forests are a natural reservoir of genetic diversity that provides a rich source of medicinal plants, subsistence foods and a variety of other useful forest products.

Importance

They are an important habitat for migratory animals and maintain approximately 50 percent of species on Earth, as well as a large number of diverse indegenous cultures and unique.

Rain forests have an elemental role in regulating global weather in addition to maintaining regular rainfall, while protection against floods, droughts and erosion. They store vast quantities of carbon to produce a significant amount of oxygen to the world.

Where there?

Most rain forests are found in four biogeographic realms: the afrotropical (mainland Africa, Madagascar and scattered islands), Australia (Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific Islands) the Indomalásio (Indiam Sri Lanka, Asia and Southeast Asia) and the Neotropical (South America, Central America and the Caribbean islands).

Framework

Tropical forests worldwide are quite diverse, but many share the same characteristics including climate, precipitation, canopy structure, complex symbiotic relationships and a diversity of species.

- Mammals of tropical forests: tamarin golden lion, orangutan, spider monkey, jaguar, capybara, otter, peccary, paca and giant anteater

- Insects typical of tropical forests: grasshopper, butterfly, dragon flies, beetles and crickets.

- Birds typical of tropical forests: parrot, stork, macaw, woodpecker, toucans, pigeon, peacock and black heron.

Climate

Air temperature in all months of the year over 18º C, did not have winter season and annual rainfall greater than the annual potential evapotranspiration.

What affects them?

Environmental services core tropical forest ecosystems are at risk due to climate change, such as the maintenance of the water cycle and carbon balance in the atmosphere. This represents an enormous additional threat to biodiversity of tropical forests. Change the dynamics of tropical forest ecosystems can affect the carbon balance of the Earth, changing the cycles of water and energy and thus affect the climate...