Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
"Tropical evergreen forest" redirects here.
For the tropical evergreen coniferous forests, see tropical and subtropical coniferous forests.
Tropical and subtropical moist forest (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a tropical and subtropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The habitat type is sometimes known as jungle.
Description
TSMF is generally found in large, discontinuous patches centered on the equatorial belt and between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, TSMF are characterized by low variability in annual temperature and high levels of rainfall (>200 centimetres (79 in) annually).
Forest composition is dominated by evergreen and semi-evergreen deciduous tree species.
These trees number in the thousands and contribute to the highest levels of species diversity in any terrestrial major habitat type.
In general, biodiversity is highest in the forest canopy.
The canopy can be divided into five layers: overstory canopy with emergent crowns, a medium layer of canopy, lower canopy, shrub level, and finally understory.
These forests are home to more species than any other terrestrial ecosystem: Half of the world's species may live in these forests, where a square kilometer may be home to more than 1,000 tree species.
These forests are found around the world, particularly in the Indo-Malayan Archipelago, the Amazon Basin, and the African Congo Basin.
A perpetually warm, wet climate makes these environments more productive than any other terrestrial environment on Earth and promotes explosive plant growth.
A tree here may grow over 23 metres (75 ft) in height in just 5 years.
From above, the forest appears as an unending sea of green, broken only by occasional, taller "emergent" trees.
These towering emergents are the realm of hornbills, toucans, and the harpy eagle.
The canopy is home to many of the forest's animals, including apes and monkeys.
Below the canopy, a lower understory hosts to snakes and big cats.
The forest floor, relatively clear of undergrowth due to the thick canopy above, is prowled by other animals such as gorillas and deer.
All levels of these forests contain an unparalleled diversity of invertebrate species, including New Guinea’s stick insects and butterflies that can grow over 30 centimetres (1 ft) in length.
Many forests are being cleared for farmland, while others are subject to large-scale commercial logging.
An area the size of Ireland is destroyed every few years.
Types
Notable ecoregions
A number of TSMF ecoregions are notable for their biodiversity and endemism:
See also
- Tropical dry broadleaf forest
- Tropical coniferous forests
- Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS)
- International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
- List of tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregions
- Monodominance
- Trees of the world
- Tropical vegetation
Credits to the contents of this page go to the authors of the corresponding Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests.