There are two types of rain forests in the world. One would be the temperate rain forest, and the more well known tropical rain forest. Temperate rain forests are located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, South America, New Zealand, and Australia. Tropical rainforests can be found closer to the equator. Despite the difference in names their climates are very similar. They are both identified by their abundant moisture supplied by rainfall or by coastal clouds and fog. Tropical rain forests are known for their warm, wet weather because they are near the equator. The average temperature in a rain forest is about 25°C and they have an annual precipitation rate of 200-600 cm. Just like in a temperate forest, rain forests have layers as well. A tropical rain forest has three layers: the canopy, understory, and the ground. The temperate rain forests have every layer except for the emergent layer.
Plants and Animals
Due to the near perfect warm weather of the rain forest and the many different niches it contains, many different species of plants can be found. In the emergent you can find giant trees that grow much taller than the ones in the canopy. In the canopy, trees that stand at about 18-45 meters tall and thick vines, like lianas, act like a living roof that shades the forest ground from rain, sunlight, and strong winds. In the canopy you can find monkeys and birds, such as the scarlet macaw living off of the nuts and fruit that grow up in the canopy. In the understory the air is humid and dark because it is shaded by the canopy, but you can still find plants such as ferns, broad leafed shrubs, and dwarf palms. You can find a variety of animals, which include insects, birds, bats, chameleons, snakes, and tree frogs. On the forest ground you can find many plants and fallen trees being quickly decomposed by ants, termites, earthworms, bacteria, and fungi. You can also find other mammals such as rodents, jaguars, and bobcats.