Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests

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Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, also known as tropical rain forests or tropical wet forests, are a tropical and subtropical biome.

Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests are found in a belt around the equator and in the humid subtropics, and are characterized by warm, humid climates with high year-round rainfall. Tropical and subtropical regions with lower rainfall or distinct wet and dry seasons are home to Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests. Temperate rain forests also occur in certain humid temperate coastal regions.

Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests are common in several terrestrial ecozones, including parts of the Afrotropic (equatorial Africa), Indomalaya (parts of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia), the Neotropic (northern South America and Central America), Australasia (eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, and northern Australia), and Oceania (the tropical islands of the Pacific Ocean). About half of the world's tropical rainforests are in the South American countries of Brazil and Peru. Rain forests now cover less than 6% of Earth's land surface. Scientists estimate that more than half of all the world's plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen.

rainfall : high, year round, sometimes with seasonal variation.
temperature : always warm
soil : generally poor and leached.
plants : high diversity
animals : high diversity

Threats: The most severe threat to the Tropical Rainforest is Human intervention. Clearing and degradation of tropical rain forests for timber, grazing land and agriculture, continues to lead towards severe soil erosion of already nutrient-poor soils. The rapid rate of clearing is destroying the homes and biodiversity in one of the most animal and plant prolific biomes on earth. Due to all of this, tropical rainforests now only cover 6% of the earth’s surface.

link MGBnet

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