A typical rainforest will have 125 to 660cm of rainfall per year and average humidity of between 77% and 88%. The temperature ranges from 20°C to 34°C. Rainforests provide around 40% of the Earth’s oxygen.

All tropical rainforests have similar characteristics such as climate, canopy structure, rainfall  and plant and animal relationships.  The range of species in a rainforest can vary because of the rainforest location or area. For example, a rainforest that joins onto a mangrove forest is different and contains different species than a rainforest that blends with mountain forest. The distribution of rainforest mainly coupled with warm, moist climates with lots of sun and rain witch occur close to the equator. Due to the many rivers of the Amazon this is a main factor of species distributions carrying many cedes and animals down the rivers spreading them out across the jungle.   

There are four layers to a rainforest. The bottom layer is the forest floor. Hardly any plants grow here because its very dark as the sun cannot get through the thick canopy of leaves. The forest floor is made of up quickly decomposing leaves. Many insects live in this layer, including ants that are preyed on by anteaters. 

The next layer is the understory. It is only a little lighter here so plants need to grow big leaves to catch the sun. 

A large amount of insects live here as well as tree frogs, leopards and jaguars. 

Above the understory is the canopy layer, the main part  or roof of a rainforest. Plants found in the canopy layer are epiphtyes, e.g orchids, lichens, mosses and ferns. and grow on the trunks, branches and leaves. 

Bromeliads are special epiphytes because they are mini ecosystems in themselves. They can collect water and are inhabited by frogs, salamanders, mosquito larvae and beetles.  

There is a lot of food for animals, such as snakes and toucans, to eat. The top is the emergent layer with the tallest trees, mostly evergreen. Monkeys, eagles, bats and butterflies can be found here. 

Rainforests provide us with medicines and food, e.g chocolate, sugar, pineapples and cinnamon, as well as other products like rubber.

Rainforests are tall, dense jungle with high rainfall and hot, humid climate. All the plants and animals are specially adapted to live in this harsh environment and are unique to rainforests.

Most rainforest are found near the equator. Rainforests are the Earth’s oldest living ecosystems. Some have been evolving for over 65 million years. Covering just 6% of the Earth’s surface, they contain around half of all species of plant and animal in the world.