There are only two seasons: rainy and dry. There are about twelve hours of daylight each day. Average temperature is between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius on average, and varies very little throughout the year. Also evenly distributed throughout is rainfall, which exceeds 2000mm annually. The soil is nutrient-poor and acidic; rapid decomposition of matter prevents build-up. Landforms include mountains, hills, flatlands, streams, swamps, and wet grasslands. Rainforests hare home to a wide variety of aquatic life. Perhaps the most famous aquatic body is the Amazon River, which runs through the aptly-named Amazonia. Other aquatic ecosystems include streams and wetlands.
Tropical rainforests are home to an incredibly diverse variety of species. Some examples of plants include orchids, bromeliads and ferns. Examples of animals include toucans, golden tamarinds and the ever-popular vampire bat, pictured below:
Unfortunately, rainforests are now host to a great deal of environmental degradation. Some facts: a half-an-acre of rainforest is lost every second due to deforestation, one hundred and thirty seven animal, plant and insect species are lost every day and the population of tribes native to the Amazon rainforest have declined from about ten million to less than two hundred thousand! With deforestation eating up the world's rainforests, the whole biome could be lost to us in only forty years if harvesting continues at the same rate. Considering that rain forests host many of the world's species, the majority of which humanity hasn't even discovered yet, this is very bad news. For this reason there are many endangered rainforest species, including some of the most charismatic--such as the Golden lion tamarind, whose near-extinction has been driven primarily by the fur trade, and forty species of the toucan, whose numbers are being disrupted by loss of habitat and by the commercial pet trade.
Because rainforests are so unique, a high quantity of ecotours and other options are available. Suggestions for the adventurous and discerning traveler are to visit the rainforests of Madagascar and Costa Rica, both of which are absolutely splendid. While visiting rainforests, remember that travel in the tropics is not always smooth and that showing respect to the environment and to the local people is a necessity to fully appreciate the enormity of the experience.
SOURCES:
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/rainforest/rainfrst.html
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rnfrst_animal_page.htm
http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/forests.php
PICTURES:
http://mac122.icu.ac.jp/gen-ed/biogeog-jpgs/tropical-rainforest.JPG
http://geographicae.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/tropical-rainforest.jpg
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/31/96631-004-ED0EA6D0.jpg
http://www.duke.edu/web/nicholas/bio217/jmz28/rainforest-animals-redeyedfrog1.jpg
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