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Temperate Rain Forests

When most people envision the rainforest, they think of the tropical forests found in parts of South America, Africa, and Asia. Though these areas are certainly one kind of rainforest, a lesser-known rainforest known as a temperate rainforest also exists.

These rainforests receive high levels of rain, just like their tropical counterparts, but they are made up primarily of coniferous trees and flowering pants. Temperate rainforests are found in the areas of the globe known as temperate zones, including areas in North America, Australia, and Europe.

The largest region of temperate rainforests is the Pacific temperate rain forests coregion, which is located in North America. The definitions of what make up temperate rainforests vary, with some defined based on climactic attributes, and others based on physical features. Regardless of the definition used, these temperate rainforests all share similar characteristics, including massive tree canopies that make it nearly impossible to see the sky, and large amounts of annual precipitation.

The majority of the plant life in temperate rainforests are large, coniferous trees. Examples include the Douglas Fir and the Western Red Cedar. Occasionally, deciduous trees are also found within temperate rainforests, such as the Big-Leaf Maple. Like their tropical counterparts, temperate rainforests are also home to many different varieties of lichens and mosses.

One of the largest differences between the temperate rainforest and a tropical rainforest is the temperature of each environment. Whereas the tropical rainforest is a steamy, hot environment, temperate rainforests are considerably cooler. This temperature change greatly affects the different animal species that live in the two areas, as animals in the temperate rainforest must be able to live in cold, wet regions. As there are much fewer animals capable of living in cold weather, the temperate rainforest has a significantly lower number of species than the tropic rainforests.

One of the primary concerns for temperate rainforests is the issue of deforestation. Though deforesting is a problem faced by rainforests across the globe, the temperate rainforests are particularly in danger, due to the massive size of the trees located in these areas. The larger trees provide more timber for the lumber companies, thus many are trying to operate in these areas. In addition to the removal of the large trees, which are used as homes for many of the animals and organisms living in the rainforest, several issues arise if the process is not completed properly. One such problem is that of soil erosion, which occurs when nearby soil passes into the water systems. This hurts the environment in two ways, as it takes necessary nutrients away from the rainforest, while contaminating the marine environments.

Though they may not be as well-known as tropical rainforests, temperate rainforests are equally important in ecological value. The biodiversity and rich wealth of organisms in these endangered areas are extremely important to the future of mankind, as many of these organisms exhibit properties that make them valuable for human use. This makes the protection of these vulnerable areas vital to future generations.

The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world. Learn about the Size of the Amazon Rainforest


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	Home » Rain Forests » Temperate Rain Forests Temperate Rain Forests When most people envision the rainforest, they think of the tropical forests found in parts of South America, Africa, and Asia. Though these areas are certainly one kind of rainforest, a lesser-known rainforest known as a temperate rainforest also exists. These rainforests receive high levels of rain, just like their tropical counterparts, but they are made up primarily of coniferous trees and flowering pants. Temperate rainforests are found in the areas of the globe known as temperate zones, including areas in North America, Australia, and Europe. The largest region of temperate rainforests is the Pacific temperate rain forests coregion, which is located in North America. The definitions of what make up temperate rainforests vary, with some defined based on climactic attributes, and others based on physical features. Regardless of the definition used, these temperate rainforests all share similar characteristics, including massive tree canopies that make it nearly impossible to see the sky, and large amounts of annual precipitation. The majority of the plant life in temperate rainforests are large, coniferous trees. Examples include the Douglas Fir and the Western Red Cedar. Occasionally, deciduous trees are also found within temperate rainforests, such as the Big-Leaf Maple. Like their tropical counterparts, temperate rainforests are also home to many different varieties of lichens and mosses. One of the largest differences between the temperate rainforest and a tropical rainforest is the temperature of each environment. Whereas the tropical rainforest is a steamy, hot environment, temperate rainforests are considerably cooler. This temperature change greatly affects the different animal species that live in the two areas, as animals in the temperate rainforest must be able to live in cold, wet regions. As there are much fewer animals capable of living in cold weather, the temperate rainforest has a significantly lower number of species than the tropic rainforests. One of the primary concerns for temperate rainforests is the issue of deforestation. Though deforesting is a problem faced by rainforests across the globe, the temperate rainforests are particularly in danger, due to the massive size of the trees located in these areas. The larger trees provide more timber for the lumber companies, thus many are trying to operate in these areas. In addition to the removal of the large trees, which are used as homes for many of the animals and organisms living in the rainforest, several issues arise if the process is not completed properly. One such problem is that of soil erosion, which occurs when nearby soil passes into the water systems. This hurts the environment in two ways, as it takes necessary nutrients away from the rainforest, while contaminating the marine environments. Though they may not be as well-known as tropical rainforests, temperate rainforests are equally important in ecological value. The biodiversity and rich wealth of organisms in these endangered areas are extremely important to the future of mankind, as many of these organisms exhibit properties that make them valuable for human use. This makes the protection of these vulnerable areas vital to future generations. The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world. Learn about the Size of the Amazon Rainforest
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