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Rainforest Animals

Rainforest animals include mammals such as sloths, tapirs, jaguars, tigers, howler monkeys, spider monkeys and orangutans; reptiles such as caimans and the green anaconda; amphibians such as poison dart frogs and the red-eyed tree frog; and birds such as toucans, macaws and the harpy eagle.
On this page is an alphabetical list of rainforest animals with pictures and facts.

You can use the Rainforest Animals Index, below, to find information on a specific rainforest species.

Find out how much you know about rainforest animals by downloading the free printable worksheet for use with this page (simply download and print: no sign-up necessary!)

Become a rainforest expert with our Rainforest Workbooks (a fun home or classroom activity!)

Introduction

Despite covering only between 6 and 7% of the world's land surface, rainforests are home to more than half of all the world's animal and plant species.

In addition to the vast number of known rainforest animals, biologists estimate that there are millions of species living in rainforests that are still to be discovered!

On this page you'll find information on a wide range of rainforest animals. What's your favorite? Have you ever seen any of the animals on this page? Let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page!

Rainforest Animals List: Index

You can find out more about the animals listed below by clicking on the pictures or on the links provided.

Other rainforest animal pages on ActiveWild:

FREE Rainforest Animals Printable Worksheet - Test your knowledge!

Click on the images or links below to view & download FREE printable question sheets for use with this page.

(You can find more free worksheets from Active Wild on this page: Free Printable Worksheets.)

Worksheet Download Links
The answers to the questions can be found either on this page or on pages linked to from this page.
These question sheets make a great home or classroom activity, and can be used to encourage internet-based research, as well as to improve knowledge of the rainforest biome.

List Of Rainforest Animals

For individual species (i.e. tiger), we've included the animal's scientific name and its IUCN conservation status (if assessed).

For groups of species (i.e. anteaters) we've included the number of species in the group and the group's name.

Amazonian Giant Centipede

Reaching lengths of up to 30 cm (1 ft.), the Amazonian giant centipede is one of the world's largest centipedes. The species is found in the Amazon Basin (the region surrounding the Amazon River) and other tropical parts of northern South America.

The Amazonian giant centipede is a voracious predator. It hunts insects, spiders (including tarantulas), lizards, frogs, snakes and even small mammals. The centipede injects its prey with paralyzing venom. This venom is delivered via 'venom claws' located on the centipede's first segment.
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Anteater

Anteaters belong to a group of animals with the Latin name Vermilingua, which means ' worm tongue '. The name comes from the animals' long, thin tongues, which are used to gather up large quantities of ants and termites.

There are four species of anteater: the giant anteater, silky anteater, southern tamandua and northern tamandua.
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Arrau Turtle

The Arrau turtle is also known as the South American river turtle. It is a large freshwater turtle found in rivers throughout much of northern South America. The species is present in both the Amazon and the Orinoco rivers.

Full-grown adults have carapace (shell) lengths of over 1 m (3.3 ft.) and can weigh up to 90 kg (200 lb.).

The Arrau turtle is the world's largest species of side-necked turtle. Side-necked turtles (Pleurodira) tuck their heads into their shells with a sideways motion. (Members of the other main group of turtles, Cryptodira, draw their heads straight back into their shells.)

Although the Arrau turtle's conservation status is currently 'Lower Risk', its population is thought to be declining rapidly and there are some calls for the species to be considered 'Critically Endangered'.
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Aye-aye

The aye-aye is a species of lemur found in the rainforests of Madagascar (an island country off the east coast of Africa). It is the world's largest nocturnal primate.

(You can find out more about lemurs further down the page.)

The aye-aye eats grubs (insect larvae), which it finds by tapping on trees with its fingers. By listening carefully to the noise produced by the tapping, it can tell if a grub is hidden under the bark.

The aye-aye's elongated middle fingers are specially adapted for hooking grubs out of holes.
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Binturong

Binturongs - otherwise known as ' bearcats' - are the largest members of the animal family Viverridae. (Members of this family are known as viverrids).

The binturong's long tail is ' prehensile ' (i.e. it can hold onto things). A binturong uses its tail as an 'extra hand' while climbing.

The binturong is the only Old World mammal with a prehensile tail. ('Old World' is a collective term for the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa.)

Binturongs live in the forests of South and Southeast Asia.
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Blue Morpho Butterfly

Blue morphos are brilliant blue butterflies. There is more than one species of blue morpho; the name is used for any blue butterfly in the genus morpho. (A genus is a group of closely related species.)

Blue morphos feed (among other things) on rotting fruit, which they find on the floor of rainforests in South and Central America.

Sometimes there are so many blue morphos flying over the rainforest canopy that pilots can see the blue of their wings from the sky!
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Boa Constrictor

The boa constrictor is a large rainforest snake. It ambushes its prey, then constricts (squeezes) it before swallowing it whole.

This fearsome reptile is found in Central and South American rainforests.

The boa constrictor is a member of the family Boidae, a group of large, non-venomous snakes that also contains the green anaconda (see further down the page).

The boa constrictor is one of the few animals commonly known by their scientific names!
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Caiman

Number of species: 6

Family: Alligatoridae; subfamily Caimaninae

Where found: Central & South America

Caimans are predatory reptiles that live in the rivers and lakes of Central and South American rain forests (and other habitats). There are six species of caiman.

The spectacled caiman ( Caiman crocodilus) is one of the most common species of caiman. It gets its name from the bony ridge on its nose, which makes the reptile appear to be wearing glasses.

The largest caiman is the black caiman ( Melanosuchus niger), which grows to lengths in excess of 5 m (16 ft).

Together with crocodiles, alligators and gharials, caimans form a group of animals known as ' Crocodilians '.
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Candiru

The candiru is a small fish found in the Amazon River and several other South American rivers and their tributaries. It has a long, thin, translucent body. Small spines are present on its gill covers.

These rainforest fish feed on the blood of larger fish by attaching themselves to their gills of their victims. It is even rumored that the candiru can enter a human body. However, this is both unproven and unlikely.
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Capybara

The capybara is the world's largest rodent. It lives South and Central American forests.

The capybara has several adaptations for a semi-aquatic lifestyle. and is always found living close to water. It can remain submerged for up to five minutes; a useful skill for an animal whose predators include jaguars and ocelots!

Civet
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Civets are cat-like mammals found in rainforests in Asia and Africa. They produce a strong-smelling substance that is used to make perfume (although most perfume manufacturers are now switching to synthetic alternatives).

Most civets are members of the family Viverridae (the binturong also belongs to this family). The African palm civet, a civet found in African rainforests, is the only species in the family Nandiniidae.

Civets are mammals in the group Carnivora. This group is split into two branches; Feliforma (the cat-like carnivorans) and Caniformia (the dog-like carnivorans). Civits, along with animals such as cats and hyenas, are placed in Feliforma.

Coati
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Coatis are also known as ' coatimundis'. These cat-sized omnivorous mammals are members of the raccoon family, Procyonidae.

Coatis forage on the forest floor by day. They find food among the leaf litter using their acute sense of smell. During the night they rest in the rainforest canopy.

Coatis are found in South America and in southern North America.

Electric Eel
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Despite its name and eel-like appearance, the electric eel is a knifefish rather than a true eel. This long, thin fish has a fin running almost the whole length of the underside of its body. By moving this fin with a wave-like motion the electric eel is able to swim both forwards and backwards.

Like other knifefish, the electric eel is able to produce electrical fields that help it navigate in murky water. The electric eel has greatly developed this ability and is able to produce voltages strong enough both to stun prey and deter predators. A shock from an electric eel can even be life-threatening to humans!

Giraffe Weevil
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This strange-looking rainforest bug is found in the island country of Madagascar. The giraffe weevil's name comes from the species' elongated neck. This is an adaptation for fighting and nest-building.

The neck of the male is over twice as long as that of the female, giving the insect a total body length of almost 1 in. (2.54 cm).

The female makes a nest by rolling a leaf into a tube, in which she will lay a single egg.

Goliath Beetle
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The five species of goliath beetles are the world's largest insects. In their adult form they are over 10 cm (3.93 in.) long. Their larvae weigh up to 100 grams (3.5 oz.)

Despite their large size, Goliath beetles are still able to fly.

Goliath beetles are found in the tropical rainforests of Africa.

Goliath Birdeater
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The goliath birdeater is a member of the tarantula family Theraphosidae. This huge rainforest spider is the heaviest spider in the world (although its leg-span, at 11 inches (28 cm) is only the second largest, after the giant huntsman spider). Its body reaches a length of up to 4.75 in. (12 cm).

The Goliath birdeater lives deep in the rainforests of northern South America, including the Amazon rainforest. It hunts at night, preying on a variety of large invertebrates and small vertebrates, including lizards and frogs. Despite its name, the species only occasionally eats birds.

Green Anaconda
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The green anaconda is the world's heaviest species of snake, but not the longest (that's the reticulated python). However, a green anaconda can still grow to over 16.4 ft. / 5 metres in length!

This huge rainforest snake is an excellent swimmer, and is found in the lakes and rivers of the Amazon Rainforest.

Like all members of the family Boidae, the green anaconda is non-venomous. Instead, it relies on its squeezing ability to subdue its prey.

Green Iguana
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The green iguana is a large lizard that lives in the forests of Central and South America. Although this rainforest reptile looks fierce, it mainly eats plants.

The species is arboreal (tree-dwelling). It is often found near water, and is an excellent swimmer.

The closely-related Lesser Antillean iguana, a species found in the rainforests of the Lesser Antilles islands in the Caribbean, is critically endangered.

You can find out more about iguanas on this page: Iguana Facts

Harpy Eagle
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The harpy eagle is the largest bird of prey found in the rainforest.

Although it is one of the world's biggest eagles, it's wingspan is (relatively) small; this is an adaption for flying through the forest.

The harpy eagle is said to be the world's most powerful bird of prey. It is capable of plucking mid-sized mammals such as monkeys and sloths from out of trees.

Hoatzin
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The hoatzin is a pheasant-shaped bird with a long body, broad tail, and a spiky crest on its head.

The hoatzin is an unusual bird for several reasons. Juvenile hoatzins have a claw at the 'elbow' joint of each of their wings. The species nests above water, and if threatened, the juveniles drop into the water. Using their claws, they are able to climb back into the nest once the danger has passed.

The species also has an unusual way of digesting its food, which consists largely of green leaves. The food is broken down by bacteria in a special area in the bird's crop (the expandable storage area in a bird's throat), in a similar way to that in which cows digest grass.

The fermenting leaves in the hoatzin's crop give off an unpleasant aroma. Because of this, the species has the alternative name of ' stinkbird '.

Howler Monkey
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All fifteen species of howler monkey live in the rainforests of South and Central America. Howler monkeys live in groups known as ' troops '. There can be from 6 to 15 howler monkeys in a troop.

A howler monkey's cry can be heard through 3 miles of rainforest. The monkeys use their loud voices to let rival troops know where they are (this way they don't actually have to fight to keep their territories).

Despite the loud calls, some people keep howler monkeys as pets!

Jaguar
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Jaguars are the world's third-largest cat species - only tigers and lions are bigger. These big cats live in South American rain forests, where they are apex predators (i.e. top of the food chain).

Jaguars have extremely powerful jaws and are excellent swimmers - not even caimans are safe from these fearsome carnivores!

You can find out more about this rainforest predator on this page: Jaguar Facts.

King Vulture
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The king vulture is a large bird that lives in the rainforests of Central and South America. It has black and white plumage and a strikingly-colored head and bill.

Scientific name: Sarcoramphus papa

Conservation status: Least Concern

Where found: Central and South America

Like other vultures, it is primarily a scavenger. It feeds on carrion that it finds on the forest floor. Due to its size and strength it is able to prevent other scavenging birds from feeding on the carrion until it has had its fill.

Leafcutter Ant
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They may be small, but leafcutter ants are some of the most amazing - and important - animals that live in rainforests.

These industrious insects build nests that are up to 30 m (98 ft.) across. These huge nests are home to over 8 million insects!

(There are many countries in the world whose human populations are smaller than the number of leaf cutter ants that live in just one nest!)

Perhaps even more amazingly, leafcutter ants grow their own food in special ' fungus gardens ' within their immense nests!

Long trails of leafcutter ants can often be seen carrying leaves from the rainforest canopy to their nest. The leaves are fed to the fungus, which in turn is fed to the ants' larvae.

Lemur
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Lemurs are small primates found in the rainforests of Madagascar. Lemurs are ' endemic ' to Madagascar, which means that they're found nowhere else on Earth!

There are around 100 species of lemur. The species shown in the photo above is a ring-tailed lemur. Sadly, like many lemurs, the ring-tailed lemur is endangered.

Leopard
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Leopards are big cats found in Africa and parts of Asia. The rainforest is just one habitat in which this versatile animal is able to live; it's equally at home in savannas, woodlands and grasslands.

The spots on a leopard's coat are called ' rosettes'. One way of telling leopards and jaguars apart is by looking at their rosettes. A leopard's rosettes are empty, whereas those of a jaguar are filled with smaller black spots. Leopards are also slightly smaller than jaguars.

Leopards are incredibly strong, and are known to carry their prey up trees. (They have to do this, otherwise lions and hyenas might try to steal it from them!)

Lovely Fairywren
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The lovely fairywren is an Australian rainforest bird found in the northeast of the country. It often lives on the rainforest edge, and is frequently seen high in the rainforest canopy. The species lives in small family groups.

The lovely fairywren lives in the rainforests of northeastern Australia. It is usually found at the edges of rainforests, often high up in the rainforest canopy. The species lives in small family groups.

This colorful Australian bird is one of 11 species of fairywren, all of which are small and brightly-colored.

Macaw
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Macaws are members of the family Psittacidae, one of the three parrot families (not all of the members of this family are macaws). Macaws are large, colorful birds with large bills and long tails. Most species can be told apart from other parrots by their featherless faces.

There are 19 species of macaw. Several of these, including the hyacinth macaw, great green macaw and scarlet macaw, are found in rainforests.

A macaw's feet are " zygodactyl "; the outer two toes face forwards while the inner two toes face backwards. This helps the bird to climb and land on tree trunks. This type of foot is a characteristic of several woodland and forest birds, including parrots, woodpeckers and cuckoos.

Ocelot
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The ocelot is a small wild cat found in South and Central America. The species is also occasionally seen as far north as Texas and Arizona.

Around the size of a bobcat, the ocelot is sometimes referred to as the 'dwarf leopard' on behalf of its spotted coat.

The ocelot is a nocturnal predator that rarely targets prey larger than rabbits and armadillos.

You can find out more about the ocelot on this page: Ocelot Facts

Orangutan
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Orangutans are members of the great ape family, Hominidae - just like us! Orangutans live in rainforests on the Southeast Asian islands Borneo and Sumatra. The name 'orangutan' means 'man of the forest' in Malay.

Orangutans are the world's largest arborial (tree-dwelling) animals. They spend up to 95% of their lives in the trees.

Sadly, all three species of orangutan are now critically endangered. This is mainly due to deforestation. Much of the orangutan's natural habitat has been cleared to make way for palm oil plantations.

Piranha
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Piranhas are freshwater fish found in the lakes and rivers of South America. With powerful jaws tightly packed with sharp teeth, piranhas have a reputation for being dangerous predators.

This fearsome reputation isn't entirely deserved. Piranhas aren't top of the rainforest food chain, and are just as likely to end up as dinner for other animals.

Many piranhas, rather than being purely carnivorous, are actually omnivores who feed on plant matter as well as on meat.

Piranha attacks on humans are rare, and seldom result in serious injury.

There may be over 60 species of piranha (scientists are unsure of the exact number). The largest piranha species is the red-bellied piranha, which grows up to 50 cm (20 in) in length.

You can find out more about piranhas on this page: Piranha Facts.

Poison Dart Frog
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Most of the 170 or so species of poison dart frog have brightly-coloured skin. This acts as a warning to potential predators that the frogs are poisonous.

Hunters from rainforest tribes used poison taken from the skin of poison dart frogs on the tips of their blowdarts.

The golden poison frog ( Phyllobates terribilis) is one of the world's most poisonous animals.

Poison dart frogs are found in Central and South American rainforests.

Rainforest Scops Owl
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This rainforest owl lives in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. With a wingspan of up to 54 cm (21 in.), it is one of the smaller owl species.

The rainforest scops owl appears in three color variations, brown, grey or reddish-brown. When threatened it raises the two ear-like crests on its head.

Red Eyed Tree Frog
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Thanks to its eye-catching good looks the red-eyed tree frog has become one of the world's best-known amphibians.

When resting, the frog conceals its bright colors under its green body and closes its large red eyes, making it surprisingly difficult to spot.

These iconic frogs live in the canopy layer of Central American rainforests.

The red eyed tree frog's bright colors are part of a defense mechanism called ' startle coloration '. The frog hopes that a quick flash of its bright red eyes will momentarily confuse a potential predator, giving it time to escape!

Red Imported Fire Ant
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The red imported fire ant is an ant in the genus Solenopsis. It is found in tropical areas of South America. The species is found in a number of habitats, including rainforests.

The species has spread beyond its original range, and is considered to be one of the world's worst invasive species. It has been introduced to the United States and even to Australia via shipping containers.

Like all fire ants, the red imported fire ant can deliver a painful sting. The species is resilient to floods and droughts, and has even been seen amassing into floating, living 'boats' consisting of thousands of individuals.

Sloth
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Sloths are medium-sized rainforest mammals found in South and Central America. These tree-dwelling animals spend nearly all of their lives hanging upside-down from branches in the rainforest canopy.

Sloths move very slowly and have a low metabolism (the rate at which the body uses energy). This is an adaptation for living on leaves, which contain very little energy. Moving slowly also helps sloths stay hidden from predators such as the harpy eagle.

Because sloths are such slow movers, algae often begins to grow in their fur, giving them a green color. This is actually beneficial to the sloths, as it camouflages them among the leaves.

You can find out more about sloths on this page: Sloth Facts

South American Lungfish
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The South American lungfish is one of six species of lungfish alive today. Lungfish are fish that have retained their ancestors' ability to breathe air. As the name suggests, lungfish have lungs, and can breathe without using their gills.

The South American lungfish is found in slow-moving rivers and streams in the Amazon Basin. It is a long, thin fish that can grow to over 1 meter (3.3 ft.) in length.

During the dry season, the South American lungfish is able to surround its body in mucous and can survive buried in the mud, even if the river dries up.

Spider Monkey
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Spider monkeys get their name from their long limbs and tail; these agile primates actually look like giant spiders! Spider monkeys live in the rainforests of South America.

All seven species of Spider Monkey are now threatened; one is rated Vulnerable, four are Endangered, and two are Critically Endangered.

Tapir
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Tapirs are large hoofed animals in the family Tapiridae. They have long, prehensile snouts which they use to grasp and manipulate foliage while foraging for food. (Prehensile means 'adapted for grasping or holding'.)

Tapiridae, the family to which all 5 species of tapir belong, is one of three animal families that make up the group of animals known as odd-toed ungulates.

The other families in this group are the horse family (Equidae) and the rhinoceros family (Rhinocerotidae).

The only species of tapir found outside of the Americas is the Malayan tapir, which is found in Asia.

You can find out more about these rainforest animals on this page: Tapir Facts

Tarsier
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Tarsiers are small primates that live in rainforests on Southeast Asian islands. They have extremely large eyes and long tails. (The eyes of some tarsier species are larger than their brains!) Tarsiers are adapted for jumping, and move around by leaping through the trees.

These nocturnal animals exist mainly on a diet of insects.

There is some confusion over the exact number of tarsier species. Currently, 11 species of tarsier are listed in the Catalogue of Life (a list of all of the world's species), but other authorities recognize more or fewer species. All tarsiers are in the family Tarsiidae.

Tiger
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The tiger is the world's largest cat species. It lives in a variety of habitats, including rainforests and a variety of other types of forest.

Tigers are found in several Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The species is also found in southeast Russia.

The tiger is an endangered species. It is estimated that there are only around 3,000 to 4,000 of these beautiful animals left in the wild. The main threats to tigers are habitat loss and poaching.

Toucan

You can find out more about tigers on this page: Tiger Facts.

Toucans are a family of around 43 crow-sized birds found in Central and South America.
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These distinctive birds are known for their large, colorful bills.

A toucan uses its long bill to reach food without having to fly or climb to another branch. The bill also helps the toucan stay cool by transferring body heat to the surrounding air.

The keel-billed toucan, pictured above, lives in the canopy of Central American rainforests. It is primarily a frugivore (fruit-eater), although it will also eat a variety of animals, including snakes and the nestlings of other birds.

Vampire Bat

You can find out more about toucans on this page: Toucan Facts.

Bats are mammals whose arms have evolved into wings, allowing them to fly. There are 3 species of vampire bat: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat, and the white-winged vampire bat.
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All vampire bats feed on the blood of other animals. Vampire bats know exactly where to bite their victims by using infrared radiation to see where the blood is flowing closest to the skin!

Vampire bats are found in the Americas. As well as being found in rainforests, they also live in woodlands and grasslands.

White-Lipped Treefrog
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This Australian amphibian is the world's largest species of tree frog, and Australia's largest native frog. The species is also found in Papua New Guinea.

Tree frogs are amphibians in the family Hylidae. Tree frogs are named for their arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle.

The white-lipped tree frog is found in north-east Queensland, and is present in the Daintree Rainforest. The species is also found in urban areas, and occasionally gets transported hundreds of miles to other states in banana boxes.

You can find out more about the white-lipped tree frog on this page: White-Lipped Tree Frog Facts

What Is A Rainforest?

As the name suggests, rainforests are forests found in areas that receive a high amount of rain. All rainforests receive at least 1.8 m (70 in.) of rain in a year; some rainforests receive over 3 m (118 in.).

Tropical rainforests are rainforests that are located near the Equator. They are hot, humid places. The average monthly temperature in a tropical rainforest is at least 18 °C (64 °F), with little difference between summer and winter.
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A tropical rainforest's unique mix of high rainfall and constant high temperature provides plants and animals with an ideal environment in which to live.

Because of their high biodiversity, tropical rainforests are among the world's most important habitats. (Biodiversity is the amount of different species that live in one area.)

Rainforest Animals List: Discover More with Active Wild!

We hope that you've enjoyed discovering the amazing rainforest animals on this page. Rainforests are home to a wide and varied range of species and this ancient habitat is vitally important for sustaining a large proportion of the world's biodiversity.

What's your favorite rainforest animal? Are there any animals we've missed? Let us know in the comments below!

The animals on this list represent only a fraction of the species that live in the world's rainforests; you can discover more animals on the pages listed below:

You can find out more about rainforests on the following pages:

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Rainforest Animals List With Pictures & Facts, Free Printable Worksheet

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Huge rainforest animals list with pictures & facts for kids & adults. Includes free printable worksheets & links to further information.

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Home to an estimated 40,000 plant species, including 16,000 native tree types, with new ones still being discovered on a regular basis, the Amazon Rainforest is one gigantic expanse of greenery and accounts for some 20% of the world's entire allocation of natural forest. Studies have shown that a single square kilometre of Amazon Rainforest can contain upwards of 90,000 tonnes of living plants. That being said, some of the most interesting and unique species of plants can be found in the Amazon jungle. Rainforest Cruises has put together a list of 10 very cool plants found in the Amazon Rainforest.

The Coolest Plants Found in the Amazon Rainforest

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The Coolest Plants in the Amazon Rainforest | Rainforest Cruises

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Home to an estimated 40,000 plant species, including 16,000 native tree types, with new ones still being discovered on a regular basis, the Amazon Rainforest is one gigantic expanse of greenery and accounts for some 20% of the world's entire allocation of natural forest.

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In the previous article we covered plants in the tropical rainforest. On this page, you'll find a tropical rainforest plants list, with pictures and information on individual plant species.

This article is part of our Rainforest Series.

Tropical Rainforest Plants Information

The world's tropical rainforests are home to an incredible number of plants. The Amazon Rainforest alone provides a habitat for over 40,000 plant species!

The hot, humid climate of the world's tropical regions provide ideal conditions for plant life.

However, even in a rainforest there is competition for sunlight and nutrients; plants have to adapt to find their place in the ecosystem.

In order to do this, some plants grow faster, some have bigger leaves, and others evolve better defences against predators.

As we'll find, some rainforest plants have even co-evolved with animals, forming relationships that are beneficial for both.

In this list of tropical rainforest plants, some of our chosen species are very big, some are very beautiful ... and some are even dangerous (if you're an insect)!

Tropical Rainforest Plants List

Epiphytes

Epiphytes are plants that live on other plants. They don't have roots in the ground, and have evolved various strategies for obtaining water and nutrients. Sometimes a single tree can be home to many different epiphyte species, together weighing several tonnes. Epiphytes even grow on other epiphytes!

Many of the plants in this tropical rainforest plants list are epiphytes.

Bromeliads

The most common epiphytes are bromeliads. Bromeliads are flowering plants whose long leaves are arranged in a rosette. They attach themselves to the host tree by wrapping their roots around its branches. Their leaves channel water into a central 'tank'.

A bromeliad's tank is a habitat in itself. The water is used not only by the plant, but also by many rainforest animals. Birds and mammals drink from the tank. Tadpoles grow there, and insects lay their eggs in the pond.

Orchids

There are many types of rainforest orchid, and we'll look at some individual species below. Orchids in the rainforest are often epiphytes. Some have specially adapted roots that enable them to capture water and nutrients from the air. Other orchids have roots that spread out over the branch of the host tree, capturing water without needing to bury into the ground.

Açai Palm (Euterpe precatoria)

Carnauba Palm (Copernicia prunifera)

Carnauba wax is used in car polish, lipstick, soap, and in many other products. It is even rubbed on surfboards to help them slip through the water faster!

Rattan Palm

There are over 600 species of rattan palm. They grow in African, Asian and Australasian rainforests. Rattans are vines; long plants which are unable to support themselves. Instead, they wrap themselves around other trees. Hooked spines on their stems allow them to climb up the other trees towards the sunlight. Rattans are harvested and used in furniture construction.

Walking Palm (Socratea exorrhiza)

Walking palms grow in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. They have stilt roots that project out of the trunk above the ground (see our Plants In The Tropical Rainforest article to find out more about stilt roots).

It was once thought that these roots enabled the trees to 'walk' to a new position if it was knocked over by another tree. Scientists now think that the roots simply improve the tree's stability.

Amazon water lily (Victoria amazonica)

The Amazon water lily is an aquatic plant that grows in the lakes and rivers of South American rainforests. Its huge leaves can be up to 3 metres (9.8 ft.) in diameter. There are rows of sharp spines on the undersides of the leaves. These deter rainforest animals such as manatees from eating them.

Rubber Tree (Hevea brasiliensis)

The rubber tree, which was first found in the Amazon Rainforest, is now also grown in tropical areas in Asia and Africa. The tree is harvested for latex, a milky fluid found in vessels in the tree's bark. These vessels are opened and the latex which runs out is collected in buckets. This is known as 'rubber tapping'.

Latex is used to make natural rubber. Natural rubber has many uses, including car tyres, hoses, pulley belts and clothing.

There are over 1.9 million rubber trees growing in the Amazon Rainforest.

Bougainvillea

A colourful entry to the tropical rainforest plants list, Bougainvilleas are native to South America. They are grown as ornamental plants in other areas. Bougainvilleas are well-known for their beautiful flower-like leaves, which grow around the actual flower. These thorny plants grow as vines and shrubs.

Indian Timber Bamboo (Bambusa Tulda)

Vanilla Orchid

The vanilla orchid was first used as a flavouring by the Aztecs. Today, the word 'vanilla' is usually used to describe a flavour, rather than the plant from which it comes. Vanilla orchids grow like vines, climbing up other trees.

Wild vanilla orchids are pollinated by hummingbirds and melipona bees. They grow in Central and South America.

Bucket Orchid

Plants in the genus Coryanthes, also known as Bucket orchids, rely on bees known as orchid bees for pollination. In order to get the bees' help, the plants offer the insects a reward: a specially scented substance that can be used by male bees to attract females.

The male bee is first attracted by the flower's scent. As it tries to get to the sweet-smelling, female-attracting liquid, it will occasionally fall into the flower's 'bucket'; a special chamber inside the body of the flower.

The only way out of the bucket is through a part of the flower that attaches pollen to the bee's body. After making its escape, the bee will then pollinate any other bucket orchid of the same species that it visits.

The bucket orchid and the orchid bee have co-evolved; each is dependent on the other to reproduce.

Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta)

Tualang (Koompassia Excelsa)

Tualangs have very smooth bark, making them difficult for animals to climb. This is beneficial to the giant honey bee, an insect that nests high in the tree's branches.

Tualang trees have buttress roots, making them both more stable and able to reach more nutrients.

Strangler Figs

Many epiphytes avoid harming the plants on which they grow. This isn't the case with strangler figs, which kill the host plants.

A strangler fig begins life in the branches of another tree. As the fig grows, its roots descend to the forest floor. Its stem then wraps around the host tree, forming a lattice. The fig is now able to capture more sunlight and draw up more nutrients than its host, which eventually dies.

The strangler fig lattice, which is often formed by more than one fig, is by then strong enough to support its own weight. It remains standing even when the host tree has rotted away.

The strangler fig is an extremely important plant in the rainforest ecosystem. Its fruit is food for many rainforest animals.

Corpse Flower (Rafflesia arnoldii)

The Rafflesia arnoldii has the biggest flower in the world. This rare plant grows on vines that cross the forest floor. It is found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.

Rafflesia arnoldii flowers can reach 1 m (3 ft.) in diameter. They produce a smell like rotting flesh, which is how they got the name 'Corpse Flower'. This scent attracts the flies which will pollinate the flower.

Pitcher Plants

No tropical rainforest plants list would be complete without a carnivorous plant! Pitcher plants have evolved to prey on insects, and are found in areas in which the soil is low in nutrients.

There are many different types of pitcher plant; all work in the same way. Insects fall into the plant's tube-like body after having been lured in with nectar or tempting scents. The insects are prevented from escaping by hairs in the sides of the tube.

The insects eventually drown in a pool of liquid at the bottom of the tube. The plant draws nutrients from bodies of their prey.

Some of the best-known pitcher plants are those of genus Nepenthes.

Heliconia

Heliconias are flowering plants found in the tropical rainforests of the Americas. They grow on the forest floor, and are pollinated by hummingbirds attracted by their brightly-colored flowers.

Heliconias are popular ornamental plants in many parts of the world. They are also known as 'lobster claws' due to the shape of their flowers.

Kapok (Ceiba pentandra)

Kapok trees are tall rainforest trees whose highest branches form part of the emergent layer. Kapoks have buttress roots. Kapok trees are found in the tropical rainforests of South America, Asia and Africa.

Durian (Genus: Durio)

Durian trees grow in Southeast Asia. Their fruit is famous for being very strong-smelling. Some people like the smell, but others find it repulsive! Despite this, the fruit is a popular food.

Mahogany (Genus: Swietenia)

Trees of the genus Swietenia are harvested for their wood, which is called mahogany. This red-brown wood is valued for its beauty and colour. Swietenia trees are native to the rainforests of the Americas.

Tropical Rainforest Plants List: Conclusion

This tropical rainforest plants list includes flowers with special adaptations, trees with unusual root structures, and many plants that are used by man either for food or to make other goods and products.

Although no list of this type can hope to include all of the plants in the rainforest, we hope that we've provided you with an idea of the lives and uses of many varied plants found in tropical regions.

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Tropical Rainforest Plants List, Information, Pictures & Facts

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Tropical rainforest plants list, with pictures, facts & information. Includes amazing flowers, trees, carnivorous plants, vines, crops, bamboo & many more.

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Biomes

One of the most fascinating biomes on planet Earth is the tropical rainforest. It is filled with tall trees, interesting plants, giant insects, and all sorts of animals.
What makes a forest a rainforest?

As you might have guessed from the name, rainforests are forests that get a lot of rain. Tropical rainforests are located in the tropics, near the equator. Most rainforests get at least 75 inches of rain with many getting well over 100 inches in areas.

Rainforests are also very humid and warm. Because they are close to the equator, the temperature stays between 70 and 90 degrees F for most of the year.

Where are the world's rainforests?

There are three major areas of tropical rainforests:

Africa - The major tropical rainforest in Africa is in the southern central portion of the continent with the Congo River running through it. There are also rainforests in western Africa and Madagascar.

Southeast Asia - Much of Southeast Asia is considered part of a tropical rainforest biome. It runs all the way from Myanmar to New Guinea.

South America - This is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It covers much of the northern part of South America as well as the southern portion of Central America. The area is often called the Amazon basin and has the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers running through it.

Biodiversity
The tropical rainforest has the most biodiversity of all the land biomes. Despite only covering around 6% of the Earth's surface, scientists estimate that around half of the planet's animal and plant species live in the world's rainforests.

Layers of the Rainforest

The rainforest can be divided up into three layers: the canopy, the understory, and the forest floor. Different animals and plants live in each different layer.

The canopy - This is the top layer of trees. These trees are usually at least 100 feet tall. Their branches and leaves form an umbrella over the rest of the layers. Most of the plants and animals live on this layer. This includes monkeys, birds, insects, and reptiles of all sorts. Some animals can live their entire lives without leaving the canopy to touch the ground. This layer is the loudest layer with the animals making lots of noise.

The understory - Beneath the canopy is the understory. This layer is made up of some shorter trees and shrubs, but mostly the trunks and branches of the canopy trees. This layer is home to some of the larger predators like snakes and leopards. It is also home to owls, bats, insects, frogs, iguanas, and various other animals.

The forest floor - Because of the thickness of the canopy, very little sunlight makes it to the forest floor. This layer is home to lots of insects and spiders. There are also some animals that live on this layer including deer, pigs, and snakes. This layer is the quietest layer as animals sneak around in the dark making little noise.

Sometimes scientists refer to a fourth layer called the emergent layer. This is made up of tall trees that grow above the canopy.
What makes this biome so important?

The rainforests are important to the world for many reasons. One reason is that they act as the Earth's lungs by producing around 40% of the world's oxygen. Since all of us need oxygen to live, that reason ranks pretty high. The rainforests also provide a number of important drugs to help sick people and cure diseases. It is believed by many that there are even cures for cancer waiting for us to discover in the rainforest. The rainforest is also home to many species of animals and is a beautiful and irreplaceable part of nature.

The Disappearing Rainforests

Unfortunately, human development is killing off much of the world's rainforest. Around 40% of the world's rainforests have already been lost. Environmentalists are doing what they can to help countries preserve this vital biome.

Facts About Tropical Rainforests

Surprisingly, the soil in a rainforest is shallow and has little nutrients.

In the Amazon rainforest there are over 2,000 species of butterflies.

They are home to interesting "flying" animals such as squirrels, snakes, and frogs.

It is estimated that 25% of the ingredients in medicines today come from the rainforest.

Rainforests impact the temperatures and weather patterns throughout the world.

One fifth of the world's freshwater supply is in the Amazon rainforest.

Every second, a section of rainforest the size of a football field is cut down.

Only about 2% of the sunlight hits the forest floor.

Activities
Take a ten question quiz about this page.

More ecosystem and biome subjects:

Land Biomes
Desert

Grasslands

Savanna

Tundra

Tropical Rainforest

Temperate Forest

Taiga Forest

Aquatic Biomes
Marine

Freshwater

Coral Reef

Nutrient Cycles
Food Chain and Food Web (Energy Cycle)

Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Cycle

Water Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Back to the main Biomes and Ecosystems page.
Back to Kids Science Page

Back to Kids Study Page

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Science for Kids: Tropical Rainforest Biome

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Kids learn about the tropical rainforest biome. This diverse ecosystem produces much of the Earth's biodiversity.

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Kids learn about the tundra grasslands biome. This cold and dry ecosystem is located far to the north.

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Kids learn about the grasslands biome. Flat with few trees, these ecosystems feed much of the world.

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Biomes

We've all seen deserts in the movies. They are full of miles and miles of sand dunes. However, not all deserts are like this. Many deserts are rocky with scattered plants and shrubs. There are even deserts that are icy and cold. On this page we will describe the hot and dry deserts. You can follow these links to read about the icy cold polar deserts that are found in the Antarctic and the North Pole.

What makes a desert a desert?

Deserts are primarily defined by their lack of rain. They generally get 10 inches or less rain in a year. Deserts are characterized in an overall lack of water. They have dry soil, little to no surface water, and high evaporation. They are so dry that sometimes rain evaporates before it can hit the ground!

Hot in the Day, Cold at Night

Because deserts are so dry and their humidity is so low, they have no "blanket" to help insulate the ground. As a result, they may get very hot during the day with the sun beating down, but don't hold the heat overnight. Many deserts can quickly get cold once the sun sets. Some deserts can reach temperatures of well over 100 degrees F during the day and then drop below freezing (32 degrees F) during the night.

Where are the major hot and dry deserts?

The largest hot and dry desert in the world is the Sahara Desert in Northern Africa. The Sahara is a sandy desert with giant sand dunes. It covers over 3 million square miles of Africa. Other major deserts include the Arabian Desert in the Middle East, the Gobi Desert in Northern China and Mongolia, and the Kalahari Desert in Africa. Go here to learn more about the world's deserts.

How do animals survive in the desert?

Animals have adapted to survive in the desert despite its extreme temperatures and lack of water. Many of the animals are nocturnal. Meaning they sleep during the heat of the day and come out when it is cooler at night. These same animals sleep in burrows, tunnels under the ground, during the day in order to stay cool. Desert animals include meerkats, camels, reptiles such as the horned toad, scorpions, and grasshoppers.

Animals that live in the desert also have adapted to needing little water. Many get all the water they need from the food they eat. Other animals store up water that they can use later. The camel stores up fat in its hump while other animals store up reserves in their tails.

What plants can live here?

Only certain types of plants can survive the harsh environment of the desert. These include cactus, grasses, shrubs, and some short trees. You won't see a lot of tall trees in the desert. Most of these plants have a way to store water in their stems, leaves, or trunks so they can survive a long time without water. They also tend to be spread out from each other and have a large root system so they can gather up all the water possible when it does rain. Many desert plants are armed with sharp spines and needles to help protect them from animals.

Dust Storms

Because the desert is so dry, the wind will grind pebbles and sand into dust. Occasionally a big wind storm will gather up this dust into a huge storm. Dust storms can be over 1 mile high and so thick with dust you can't breathe. They can travel for over a thousand miles, too.

Expanding Deserts

Currently deserts cover around 20% of the world's land, but they are growing. This is called desertification and is caused by different factors including human activities. The Sahara Desert is expanding at the rate of around 30 miles per year.

Facts about the Desert Biome

The giant saguaro cactus can grow 50 feet tall and live for 200 years.

Plants that store water in their stems are called succulents.

Some desert trees have deep taproots that grow up to 30 feet deep in order to find water.

The elf owl will sometimes live inside a cactus during the day and then come out at night to hunt.

Dust storms from the Gobi Desert have been known to reach Beijing, China nearly 1,000 miles away.

Camels can go without water for a week. A thirsty camel can drink 30 gallons of water in less than 15 minutes.

Activities

Take a ten question quiz about this page.

More ecosystem and biome subjects:

Land Biomes
Desert

Grasslands

Savanna

Tundra

Tropical Rainforest

Temperate Forest

Taiga Forest

Aquatic Biomes
Marine

Freshwater

Coral Reef

Nutrient Cycles
Food Chain and Food Web (Energy Cycle)

Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Cycle

Water Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Back to the main Biomes and Ecosystems page.

Back to Kids Science Page

Back to Kids Study Page

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Kids learn about the desert biome. The dryest areas on Earth still have plant and animal life.

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climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover, Earth science data, NASA, environmental processes, Blue Marble, global maps

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Coniferous Forest

Coniferous forest is generally found in the far north with a vast area of coniferous forest being found deep within the Arctic Circle. Coniferous forests are predominantly made up of conifers which are the toughest and longest living trees in the world. Conifers grow relatively close together producing dense and sheltered forest.

There are two real types of coniferous forest, which are the boreal forests that stretch across the far north, and more temperate forests which are found in New Zealand, Chile and western North America. Some of the trees in the temperate coniferous forests of North America can grow to be 75 metres tall and are more than 500 years old.

The boreal coniferous forests stretch in an almost unbroken band across the far north from Siberia, throughout Northern Europe, to Alaska. This coniferous forest covers a distance of 6 million square miles and can be 1,000 miles wide in places. A large proportion of boreal coniferous forest stands within the Arctic Circle, meaning that plants and animals that live there have be well adapted to the bitterly cold winters.

Although life is not as rich in coniferous forests as it is in temperate forests or rainforests, there are a number of species that thrive within them. Coniferous forests are made up of conifer trees which have needle shaped leaves and grow very close to one another. Although conifers are excellent at withstanding the cold, the pine needles are acidic and this is passed into the soil when the pine needles fall to the ground. This means that only plants that can grow in acidic conditions will survive in coniferous forests.

The plants that grow within a habitat affect the herbivores that live there meaning that only herbivores that can survive on plants that are so acidic, can inhabit coniferous forests. Coniferous forests are mainly home to insects, who build their nests in the dense trees. Deer and elk can often be found in coniferous forests as they browse on the berries that grow on the low-laying shrubs. Large predators such as bears and wolves can also be found in coniferous forests where they hunt for prey, such as large herbivores.

Out of all of the forest types, coniferous forests are thought to have been the least affected by humans and deforestation. This is thought to be because the trees that grow within coniferous forests are softwood trees and so are only really used in the production of paper. However, as demand for paper increases around the world, larger areas of coniferous forests are being cut down.

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Coniferous forest is generally found in the far north with a vast area of coniferous forest being found deep within the Arctic Circle. Coniferous forests are predominantly made up of conifers which are the toughest and longest living trees in the world. Conifers...

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AlchemistClub - Coniferous Forest Ecosystem

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The coniferous forest has 300 to 900 millimeters of rain each year.The coniferous forest is probely the worlds largest land biome.Coniferouse means cone bearing or coming for the cones.the coniferouse forest was named after the confer tree that produces seeds and cones.The coniferouse forest have cold long winters with snow and warm hot humid summes

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It is not quite Christmas yet, but the coniferous forest does not know that. Also known as the evergreen tree, coniferous trees have beautiful variety and numerous fun characteristics which make them a crucial ecosystem. These forests are made up mostly of the conifer tree, just part of the forest's biology.

The first trees grew from clubmosses, ferns, and other prehistoric plants. Over some time the plants adapted to their environments and became more treelike. Trees that adapted to warmer climates grew first. When these forests began to become well adapted, gradually the plants began to adapt to the drier colder weather.

Coniferous forests thrived during the Jurassic Period about 160 million years ago. The Ice Age killed off a large majority of the trees that had covered the earth. Only about 12 thousand years ago did the earth begin to repopulate its tree coverage. Thanks to the trees that had adapted to the cooler weather, coniferous trees opened the path to trees beginning to grow again.

There are numerous types of coniferous forests; boreal, mountain coniferous, temperate evergreen forest, temperate pine forest, and the southern hemisphere coniferous forest. The spruce, pine, and fir are the tough guys that live in this area.

These forests are tough! Boreal means "northern" and is a Russian word meaning "little sticks." The boreal forests are found in the Arctic tundra. This land is a very dry and cold place, making an environment where many plants and animals cannot live. Surprisingly, the boreal forest is thriving and makes up about 11% of the world's land surface coverage.

Mountain Coniferous Forest

These trees battle the snowy regions of the world, usually found under permanent layers of snow. Such forests are located in the Rockies, the Alps, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada's. At the higher elevations are the subalpine forests. They grow at really high elevations where the weather is the harshest. Lodgepole pines and the bristlecone pine grow well in this type of location but are stunted in growth. Alpine firs also grow in the subalpine forest region but remain close to the ground.

Moving down the mountain just a bit are the montane forests. In this more moderate climate, conifers grow taller and stronger.

Temperate Evergreen Forest

These forests grow in areas with moderately humid climates. Summers in these areas are normally warm with some cool winters. Winters are not normally extreme in these locations, making growth easier. Sometimes, due to the humidity, these forests are called temperate rain forests. Commonly found in the forests are hemlock, western red cedar, Douglas fir, and coast redwood.

The giant redwoods in California grow straight up into the air and live for hundreds of years! Redwoods grow to be 300 feet or higher with a circumference of 22 feet. Hyperion is the tallest redwood in California, measuring 379.1 feet and is estimated to be about 2,000-2,300 years old. With such a high forest canopy, there is not a lot of growth on the forest floor, but some ferns and little shrubs manage to find some sunlight.

Temperate Pine Forest

Pine trees love growing in hilly or upland regions where it is warm and dry. These trees are usually found following from New Jersey all the way to Florida and across the way to Texas. Basically, if it is warm and dry, a temperate pine forest could be found.

Southern Hemisphere Coniferous Forest

This region includes Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. In these locations, the trees are smaller and have different leaves. The monkey-puzzle is a commonly found tree in these locations, and are seen growing in the high plateaus or mountains.

There are over 600 living species of conifer trees. Much debating goes on in determining the origin of the trees, but only 60 of those 600 live in Canada. To name a few of these species there are the balsam firs, black spruces, eastern hemlocks, jack pines, northern white cedars, red pines tamaracks, and eastern white pines. These trees usually keep their foliage year round, but it is not completely unusual for them to shed their needles a bit. All are softwoods and can survive very cold temperatures and acidic soil levels. Conifers are found in the northern hemisphere but there are some that grow in the south as well.

Conifers are one of the oldest growing trees on the planet. The Bristlecone pine, native to California, can live to be almost 5,000 years old and can grow to 100 meters high. Paper, lumber, furniture and some anti-cancer drugs are made from these trees. Although these trees grow for long periods of time, they are in danger. Deforestation and habitat destruction have put the conifer trees at risk of extinction. Only about 34% of conifers are alive today.

Coniferous trees are cone-bearing trees and shrubs, so they are considered resinous. Their scientific name is Coniferales of the Gymnosperms. This classification is made up of woody trees that have seeds that do not bloom. Within this classification are 67 sub-classifications and this can be broken down into 600 other sub-classifications. To say the least, there are a lot of different types of conifers out there.

Coniferous trees are called evergreens because they remain green and retain their foliage through the year. It is not unusual to see a few loose needles that fell off here and there, but there will never be a bare conifer that is living. Other trees have scale-like leaves that do not shed individually. The cones that form on the ends of the branches are where all of the seeds are held. When the pinecones fall off they dry out, opening up their seed pockets. As animals and the wind move them about, then the seeds fall out and spread new generations of trees. Squirrels love eating these seeds and after they pass through the animal's body, the seed is planted.

Conditions

Conifers love cold weather, which is when they thrive the most. The trees prefer an area that has short and cool summers with long snowy winters. Coniferous tree needles have a heavy waxy outer coat and this wax coat keeps the water in the tree. This will then protect it from water loss in the freezing weather. Branches of the trees are also extremely flexible, allowing the heavy snow to slide off.

The conifer has something called resin ducts too. These ducts are a giant plumbing system for a sticky pitch that is secreted through the ducts onto the surface of the tree. The resin acts as a natural bandage for the tree. Often, like a human or animal, when a tree has an area that has been split, shed, or broken bacteria can enter the tree. These bacteria can cause root rot and other diseases that could potentially kill the tree. This resin that the tree secretes will cover those areas, preventing any bacteria from entering the tree. The resin can be harvested too. The earliest use of resin was caulking for wooden ships. Today there are numerous commercial uses, including assisting with the extraction of turpentine.

Conifers have seed cones and pollen cones. These cones can grow on the same tree or cross-pollinate between two. The pollen cones produce bright yellow pollen that is dispersed by the wind every spring. As the pollen is being blown around, it enters into the seed cones. Within these seed cones fertilization, the embryo, and seed development occur.

This reproduction time continues through spring into autumn but remains in the same growing season. In pines, the growing season is every other year. This extends the growing season over two years for pines. Either form of reproduction ends with the fertilized pinecone falling from the tree. When the pinecone dries out or disintegrates, the seed is then planted.

Eventually, even the evergreen will shed all of its needles. The needles fall to the ground below and form a really springy mat of dead foliage. These needles remain very tough and will be broken down by a thread-like fungus. When these needles are decomposed, the nutrients are returned to the roots of the tree. But, since pine needles are not easy to decompose, they create a very acidic soil.

As stated earlier, the conifer forest has some very acidic soil. This acidic soil is called podzols and has multiple layers. There is a compacted layer called the mor, which contains many different fungi. Since the soil is so acidic there is little to no life in it. Earthworms and other invertebrates are rarely found in this soil type.

Variations

-Boreal soil: Covered in lots of organic material and has poor drainage.

-Dry Confir soil: Covered in lots of debris like leaves and pine cone needles etc. Rich in nutrients.

-Mountain soil: Rocky and hard soil; low in nutrients.

Coniferous forests are usually in areas that are very cold, so the animal life living in the forest would need to be able to survive the cold too. Mosquitoes and flies are the insect life that is able to thrive in this type of climate. Meanwhile, waxwings, grouse, hawks, owls, and woodpeckers live in the trees. Keeping warm in their nests. Voles, squirrels, moose, reindeer, lynx, and wolves thrive on the floor of the forest. Basically, creatures with a lot of fur or feathers will be found in the conifer forest.

Depending on the type of conifer forest, the climate will change. Some of the trees like it dry, while others like it warm and humid. Other times trees will prefer an area with a lot of rainfall, whereas another would not do well with a lot of rainfall. It really does depend on the tree and its location.

There is a lot to be talked about with the coniferous forests. There are lots of different kinds of trees, lots of locations, and lots of different climate preferences. It is certainly a big world with many different types of life to be found and enjoyed

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The Coniferous Forest - An Ecosystem All Of It's Own

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It is not quite Christmas yet, but the coniferous forest does not know that. Also known as the evergreen tree, coniferous trees have beautiful variety and numerous fun characteristics which make them a crucial ecosystem. These forests are made up mostly of the conifer tree, just part of the forest's biology.

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Follow the links to learn more about the Coniferous Forest

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Find amazing facts about animals, science, history and geography, along with fun competitions, games and more. Visit National Geographic Kids today!

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15 rainforest facts | National Geographic Kids

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Join us here at Nat Geo Kids to discover 15 cool rainforest facts. Learn fascinating facts about the rainforest's trees, plants, people and more...

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The Earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms. A complex community of plants and animals in a region and a climate is called a biome.

Some of the biomes on Earth include:

Desert - very dry, either hot or cold

Tundra - cool, treeless, and dry

Chaparral or scrub - coastal area with hot, dry summers and mild, cool, rainy winters

Taiga or Coniferous Forest - cool and dry, with coniferous trees

Temperate Deciduous Forest - cool and rainy, with deciduous trees

Grassland - Windy, partly dry sea of grass with few trees, including tropical savanna, prairie, steppe, pampas, etc.

Mountain biomes: there are a lot of different mountainous biomes, from grasslands at low altitudes, taiga (coniferous forests) below the treeline, and alpine (the same as tundra)

Temperate Rain Forest - cool and wet

Tropical Rain Forest - warm and very wet

Land Cave - cool and dark

Wetlands - there are many types of wetlands, including swamps, marshes, moors, bogs, fens, sloughs, etc.

Freshwater Marsh - a wetland located near creeks, streams, rivers and lakes

Temperate ponds

Marine (ocean or sea) - including

euphotic (sunlit) zone

littoral or intertidal zones

coral reef (warm shallow salt-water environments based on coral formations)

estuarine biomes (where rivers meet oceans)

pelagic biomes (open seas near the surface)

disphotic (twilight) zone

midnight (aphotic) zone

benthic biomes (bottom)

sea trenches

sea Caves

And many more.

Some Land (Terrestrial) Biomes:

In this worksheet, write the definition of a word, what part of speech it is, and use it in a sentence. Words: biome, wetland, tropical, temperate, prairie, chaparral, intertidal zone, rainforest, tundra, taiga. Or go to the answers. Or go to a pdf of the questions and answers (subscribers only).

In this worksheet, the student is given a series of short answers using biome-related words. For each answer, the student writes a short question.

A list of words related to biomes and ecosystems.

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biome habitat ecosystem ecology niche taiga animal printouts

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tundra desert tropical rain forest rainforest forests firest deciduous conifer chaparal chapparal animal coloring pages taigas cold forest boreal forest cold climate forest northern coniferous forest

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Habitat Animal Printouts. The Earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms. A complex community of plants and animals in a region and a climate is called a biome.

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Kids learn about the world's biomes and ecosystems. The network of life and biodiversity needed for all to survive.

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Wetland Biome Description

The wetland biome is one that many people don't really see as being important. In fact, in many areas they consider it to be a nuisance. Swampland is the most common type of wetland biome you will find. They also include marshes and bogs and they can be various sizes. Some of them are very long and deep. Others are nothing more than a few feet of water in a given location but they are still very important.

In a wetland biome the water is always going to be standing still. You will find them in many low lying areas. It is common for them to be very close to lakes, rivers, and streams. They may have water in them all the time or only during particular times of the year. That is a key factor that separates it from other forms of biomes. The combination of both land and water are essential for this biome to form.

They help the environment to be better due to the fact that they have a natural supply of water. They help to prevent flooding in many locations as they are able to take on excess water from the other sources. However, when a river or lake is low they can also release water back into them. They also have the natural ability to purify surface water.

Plant matter is released into freshwater biomes from a wetland biome. The importance of this is that it allows for fish to have plenty of types of food for them to survive. Florida has one of the largest wetland biomes in the world. The humid conditions are perfect for such forms of plant and animal life to be able to survive.

Louisiana has long been a home for various wetland biomes. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina has destroyed many of these areas. The changes in the environment proved to be too much for them to fully recover from. In some areas they are slowly recovering but only time will tell how it turns out. Protecting the wetland biomes has to be a priority though due to the fact that they are so important to those other biomes around them.

Wetland Biome Characteristics

In a wetland biome the conditions are always very moist and humid. What you will find with characteristics can be very specific to a given location. That is because the wetland biome is so frequently going to overlap with or be a part of other biomes out there. Without this particular one though many others wouldn't be able to thrive as they do.

The only places on Earth where you won't find the wetlands biome are around the Artic. The tundra there is too cold and frozen for them to develop. Just about every other biome though is associated with them in some way. In fact, many times the wetland biome is overlooked by people due to where it happens to be located. Experts though know what to look for and have been able to fully identify them.

Wetland biomes can be made up of freshwater or saltwater. In some regions they are actually a combination of both. The type of water that is found in it will strongly affect the types of life that are able to survive there. The delicate ecosystems in place around these areas are very detailed. When you take the time and effort to examine them closely you will be very surprised by what you find.

Wetland Biome Flora and Fauna

It may surprise you to discover that the wetland biome has more diversity than any other biome out there when it comes to animal life. There are plenty of animals that find this to be the perfect home for them. They have the right climate, access to food, and the shelter they need for survival. Amphibians and due very well in this type of environment. They include frogs and lizards.

Birds are also found in this type of environment. Many of them live there all year long. Others will be there for part of the year and then migrate. There are also those that stop to feed along a route to a new location in the wetland biome. With some species of birds it is found that they move from one wetland biome to the next along their migration patterns.

Alligators and crocodiles are the largest animals found in the wetland biome. In some wetland biomes there is salt content in the water. When that is the case you may find some more diversity in those locations. Those living creatures include shrimp and shellfish.

Beavers, minks, and rats are the fur bearing creatures you may find around a wetland biome. The size of them and the location will depend on many factors. For the beaver it will be determined by if they have enough for food. They also need various materials to build a dam from for shelter.

Plant life that grows in the wetland biome are referred to as hydrophytes. They include pond lilies, cattails, tamarack, and blue spruce. Sometimes cypress and gum will be present too but it will depend on the actual location of the habitat. There are numerous types of grasses that grow in a wetland biome. Sometimes shrubs with fruits including the cranberry can be found in these locations.

Threats and Conservation

Many wetland biomes are severely threatened though. Most humans fail to realize just how beneficial they are to the environment. As a result, they end up trying to destroy them and then build on those areas. In fact, some refer to the wetlands as the wastelands. They are often drained and then used for other purposes. Not thoughts are given to the forms of plant and animal life that reside in them.

Global warming has also lead to many wetland biomes drying up. The additional heat combined with less rainfall often means that there isn't enough water for them. At the very least many of them are getting smaller than they were before. As a result they can't substantiate the same volume of plants and animals as they once were able to.

Experts often worry about the wetland biomes as they seem to be very fragile. When there are problems such as pollution or with the land not being managed properly they aren't going to be a success. There are currently many organizations in place with the goal of getting everyone to be more aware of why the wetlands are so important.

In some areas the efforts have gone as far as to try to get courts to pose injunctions of building where wetland biomes exist. They want to restore these lands and even see them grow rather than being destroyed. It is a complex issue with supporters on both sides with reasons why they should have it their own way.

The benefits of all biomes including the wetlands though far outweigh the alternatives. We often don't realize that our own quality of life often depends on the balances that are in place among the various biomes. When we take actions that damage the wetland biomes or destroy them, we can also cause a chain reaction. Without realizing it we can cause problems for other biomes as well.

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The wetland biome is one that many people don't really see as being important. In fact, in many areas they consider it to be a nuisance. Swampland is the most common type of wetland biome you will find. They also include marshes and bogs and they can be various sizes.

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:::: What's It Like Where You Live? ::::

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As one would expect, the further you travel from the Equator, the colder the ocean waters generally become. Near the Equator, surface water temperatures can be as high as 80° Fahrenheit (27° Celsius). Near the poles, the temperature drops to a chilly 28° Fahrenheit (-2° Celsius).

The western side of oceans are usually warmer than the eastern side. This is due to the way in which both the atmospheric and oceanic currents move water from the equator towards the poles on the western side of oceans, and from the poles towards the equator on the eastern side of oceans.

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As one would expect, the further you travel from the Equator, the colder the ocean waters generally become. Near the Equator, surface water temperatures can be as high as 80° Fahrenheit (27° Celsius). Near the poles, the temperature drops to a chilly 28° Fahrenheit (-2° Celsius).

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:::: What’s It Like Where You Live? - Temperate Oceans ::::

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The ocean ecosystem covers most of the earth's surface and is home to millions of plants and animals. Understanding the ocean ecosystem is important for children, as it affects everyone. It influences the weather all over the earth and produces about 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

While there are five different named oceans - the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern oceans - they are all actually the same body of water. The oceans cover about 70 percent of the earth's surface and have an average depth of 2.4 miles. The deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench, is about 36,200 feet deep, which is deeper than Mt. Everest is tall. The ocean ecosystem includes everything in the oceans, as well as the saltwater bays, seas and inlets, the shorelines and salt marshes. It is home to the smallest organisms like plankton and bacteria, as well as the world's largest living structure - the Great Barrier Reef, which can even be seen from the moon.

The ocean is divided up into three zones, or layers, based on how much sunlight they receive. The top layer is called the euphotic zone, which receives lots of sunlight. It starts at the ocean's surface and goes down to about 230 feet on average. The second layer is the disphotic zone, which receives some sunlight, but not enough for plants to survive. The third layer is the aphotic zone, which gets no light at all. Not only is the aphotic zone completely dark, it is extremely cold and few marine animals can survive here.

Marine plants live in the euphotic zone of the ocean, because they need sunlight to create food through photosynthesis. These plants include seaweeds, marine algae and sea grasses. Mangrove trees, which live on muddy tropical shores, are also part of the ocean ecosystem. These plants absorb carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen through photosynthesis. Kelp is just one type of marine algae you might recognize. It provides food and shelter to ocean animals and is even used by humans in things like ice cream and toothpaste.

Phytoplankton is another important plant found in the ocean. This is the food for many ocean creatures, from the largest whales to the smallest fish. There is so much phytoplankton in the ocean, it produces about half of the oxygen in the world.

The ocean contains a large variety of animal life, including fish, mollusks, dolphins, seals, walruses, whales, crustaceans, bacteria, sea anemones and many others. Most marine animals live in the top two ocean zones, where they have access to plants and other ocean animals to eat. The ocean is home to the largest animal species on earth - the blue whale. The blue whale can grow to over 100 feet long.

The deep ocean does include life too, including some of the strangest animals on earth. One such creature is the anglerfish. It creates its own light on a tiny lure that it uses to attract other animals. When its prey gets closes enough, the anglerfish gobbles it up.

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The ocean ecosystem covers most of the earth's surface and is home to millions of plants and animals. Understanding the ocean ecosystem is important for children, as it affects everyone. It influences the weather all over the earth and produces about 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

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The oceans hold about 96.5% of all of Earth's water and is one of the most amazing places on earth!
Bursting with wildlife and teeming with mysteries to be solved, we've still only explored a tiny fraction. Take a deep breath, gang, as we dive into our ocean facts!

Top ten ocean facts

1. Around 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans.

2. The largest ocean on Earth is the Pacific Ocean, covering around 30% of the Earth's surface.

3. The name "Pacific Ocean" comes form the Latin name Tepre Pacificum, "peaceful sea".

4. The deepest known area of the Earth's oceans is known as the Mariana Trench. It's deepest point measures 11km. That's a long dive down!

5. The world's oceans are home to incredible creatures that are masters of disguise! Take a look for yourself...

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable ocean ecosystems primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

6. The longest mountain range in the world is found under water. Stretching over 56,000km, the Mid-Oceanic Ridge is a mountain chain that runs along the centre of the ocean basins.

7. About 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by the oceans.

8. The sea is home to the world's largest living structure - the Great Barrier Reef. Measuring around 2,600km, it can even be seen from the Moon!

9. We have only explored about 5% of the world's oceans. There's a lot more to be discovered!

10. The sea can be described as the planet's mega museum. There are more artefacts and remnants of history in the ocean than in all of the world's museums combined!

Pretty amazing, huh?

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Plastic Pollution primary resource, all about protecting our oceans and sea life? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

Video: TED2007
Photos: Getty Images UK

Did you enjoy our ocean facts? Let us know which one was your favourite by leaving a comment below!

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The oceans hold about 96.5% of all of Earth's water and is one of the most amazing places on earth! Bursting with wildlife and teeming with mysteries to be solved, we've still only explored a tiny fraction. Take a deep breath, gang, as we dive into our ocean facts! 1.

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climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover, Earth science data, NASA, environmental processes, Blue Marble, global maps

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:::: What’s It Like Where You Live? ::::

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climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover, Earth science data, NASA, environmental processes, Blue Marble, global maps

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
:::: What's It Like Where You Live? ::::

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climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover, Earth science data, NASA, environmental processes, Blue Marble, global maps

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:::: What's It Like Where You Live? ::::

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Temperate Deciduous Forest : Mission: Biomes

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climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover, Earth science data, NASA, environmental processes, Blue Marble, global maps

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climate change, global climate change, global warming, natural hazards, Earth, environment, remote sensing, atmosphere, land processes, oceans, volcanoes, land cover, Earth science data, NASA, environmental processes, Blue Marble, global maps

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This website has links on the left to help you find all the information.

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:::: What's It Like Where You Live? ::::

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Follow the links to learn more about the Grassland

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Follow the links to learn more about the Wetland

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Follow the links to learn more about the Ocean

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Follow the links to learn more about the Desert

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Follow the links to learn more about the Tundra

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Follow the links to learn more about the Tropical Forest

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Plants that live in the deciduous forest

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Plants that live in the deciduous forest

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Deciduous forests can be found in the eastern half of North America, and the middle of Europe. There are many deciduous forests in Asia. Some of the major areas that they are in are southwest Russia, Japan, and eastern China. South America has two big areas of deciduous forests in southern Chile and Middle East coast of Paraguay. There are deciduous forests located in New Zealand, and southeastern Australia also.

The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is 50° F. The average rainfall is 30 to 60 inches a year.

In deciduous forests there are five different zones. The first zone is the Tree Stratum zone. The Tree Stratum zone contains such trees as oak, beech, maple, chestnut hickory, elm, basswood, linden, walnut, and sweet gum trees. This zone has height ranges between 60 feet and 100 feet.

The small tree and sapling zone is the second zone. This zone has young, and short trees. The third zone is called the shrub zone. Some of the shrubs in this zone are rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurel, and huckleberries. The Herb zone is the fourth zone. It contains short plants such as herbal plants. The final zone is the Ground zone. It contains lichen, club mosses, and true mosses.

The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In the autumn the leaves change color. During the winter months the trees lose their leaves.

The animals adapt to the climate by hibernating in the winter and living off the land in the other three seasons. The animals have adapted to the land by trying the plants in the forest to see if they are good to eat for a good supply of food. Also the trees provide shelter for them. Animal use the trees for food and a water sources. Most of the animals are camouflaged to look like the ground.

The plants have adapted to the forests by leaning toward the sun. Soaking up the nutrients in the ground is also a way of adaptation.

A lot of deciduous forests have lost land to farms and towns. Although people are trying to protect the forests some poachers are trying to kill the animals in the forests. The animals are losing their homes because of people building their homes.

by Connie T. 2001
Bibliography:
"All about nature: Biomes-Habits", http://www.zoomwhales.com/biomes/tempdecid/tempdecid.shtml, 11/21/00

"Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome", http://mbgnet.mobot.org/pfg/diverse/temp/index.htm, 11/4/00

"Temperature Deciduous Forest Biome", http://mbgnet.mobot.org/pfg/diverse/temp/locatns.htm, 11/5/00

"Temperature Deciduous Forest Biome", http://mbgnet.mobot.org/pfg/diverse/temp/whats.htm, 11/20/00

"World Biomes", http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm, 5/1/01"

The word "Deciduous" means "falling off or out at a certain season". That explains why deciduous forest means a forest in which the leaves fall off the trees when the winter comes.

The deciduous forests are located in the temperate zone above the tropical forests and below the coniferous forests. Most of Europe, the eastern half of North America, parts of Japan and Asia were once covered with large deciduous forests. Most of the deciduous forests have now disappeared but many of the trees still grow in deciduous forest biome. The types of trees you can find in these three regions are broad leafed deciduous trees and some of the evergreen species. The trees are more commonly known as ash, oak, lime, beech, birch and northern arrowwood. Also found in this biome are wild flowers such as oxlip, bluebells, painted trillium and primrose. As well as things such as carpet moss, tawny milk-cap mushrooms and lady fern.

The soil is very fertile. In fact, some of the great agricultural regions are found in this biome. That is one of the reasons there aren't a lot of original deciduous forests left in the world. Almost all of the forests in North America are second growth forests but it still has the biggest variety of original plant species. In Europe there are only a few species of original trees left. Most of the forests have been cleared for agriculture. China has been clearing the natural trees for at least 4,000 years and most of the forests are man-made.

There are many types of animals in the deciduous forest ranging from mammals like deer to bugs like mosquitoes. Many of the animals are either nut and acorn feeders, or omnivores. Many of the animals have adapted to forest life. Some of them hibernate during the winter months.

A few common animals found in the deciduous forest are, deer, gray squirrels, mice raccoons, salamanders, snakes, robins, frogs and many types of insects. Some animals migrate south when winter comes.

Most deciduous forests are found in Eastern North America somewhere around 35-48° N, and Europe and Asia around 45-60° N. There are some deciduous regions in the southern hemisphere but their plants and animals are different from those of the northern deciduous forests.

The average temperature is around 50° F (about 10° C). The average rainfall is 30-60 inches (75-150 cm ) per year. You can find all four seasons: winter (cold and frosty), summer (hot and humid), fall (cool and breezy), and spring (warm and breezy). There is about a 6 month growing season.

2000
Bibliography:
"Deciduous Forest". World Book Encyclopedia. 1994 ed.

"Deciduous", Websters New World Dectionary, 1994 ed.

"Temperate Deciduous Forest", http://www.coff.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/clymo5.html (June 4, 2000).

"Mid-Latitude Deciduous Forest", http://wbgnet.mobot/sets/temp/index.htm (June 4, 2000).

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Deciduous forests can be found in the eastern half of North America, and the middle of Europe. There are many deciduous forests in Asia. Some of the major areas that they are in are southwest Russia, Japan, and eastern China. South America has two big areas of deciduous forests in southern Chile and Middle East coast of Paraguay.

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Follow the links to learn more about the deciduous forest