19. Rainforests

The climate of the African rainforest region

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Below, you can see the climate diagram of Lagos, Nigeria. Located in West Africa, Lagos is situated on the edge of the African rainforest region.

The African rainforests experience an average monthly temperature of above 25 degrees Celsius throughout the year. In addition, the rainforests receive plenty of rainfall throughout the year, especially from May to June.

Rainforests

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Rainforest regions are found in the tropical zone, in Africa, Asia and South America.

The Sun shines directly at the planet's equator troughout the year. This results in a warm, tropical climate. In addition, lowland areas near the equator receive plenty of rainfall. When the climate is both warm and humid, there is a lot of plant growth. Because of this, the African equatorial regions are dominated by thick, lush forests. These forests are called rainforests because of the high amount of rainfall they experience.

Rainforests are not very suitable for human habitation. Heavy rainfall results in floods, which damages roads. The warm, humid forests are full of stinging insects and other pathogens. This is why rainforests have been almost untouched by humans for thousand of years. Recently, however, people and large companies have begun to use the vast natural resources of the African rainforests at an alarming rate. Because of this, the rainforests are in danger of becoming destroyed.

Rainforests are the home of incredibly diverse animal and plant species. The rainforests must be protected in order to preserve this biodiversity.

Rainforest vegetation

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The vegetation of the rainforests competes for sunlight. Trees strive to grow as tall as possible to guarantee the amount of sunlight they receive. This is why the tallest trees in the African rainforests can be over 50 meters tall.

The canopy of the rainforest is thick and comprises of multiple layers of trees and plants.

The trunks of large trees are home to many epiphyte plants, such as vine-like lianas and beautiful orchids. The rainforest's ground level receives almost no sunlight. Because of this, the vegetation there is scarce.

Rainforest animals

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Because plant leaves can only be found in the tall canopies of rainforest trees, most rainforest-dwelling animals are also found living in these tree-tops.

The African rainforests are home to hundreds of different bird species, as well as snakes, apes and monkeys. The most famous African apes are probably the chimpanzee and the gorilla.

On the rainforest's ground level, the amount of vegetation is scarce. As a result, only a few large animals live there. These include the leopard (pictured on the right).

Rainforests are full of various insect species. The larvae of these insects eat plant leaves, and they are themselves the food of many birds and other insects.

Various species of fish, giant snakes and crocodiles also live in the rivers of the African rainforests.

Photographs from the African rainforests

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: The trees of African rainforests form tall, multi-layered canopies.
: Cacao can only grow in tropical forests. This is why the African rainforests are important cocoa-farming regions.
: Colorful frogs can be found in the African rainforests.
: Hippopotamuses. The hippopotamus is a large herbivore mammal found in African rainforests and savannas. It spends most of its time in the water.
: Endangered mountain gorillas can only be found in Africa.
: A chimpanzee gathering food from the water.
: The proboscis monkey or long-nosed monkey is an endangered species living in the southeast Asian island of Borneo. Many animals living in the rainforest are threatened by extinction because their living habitat is destroyed by logging.
: Parrots are well-known inhabitants of the tropical rainforests.
: The leopard is a canine predator.

Terminology

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Rainforests
Term	Explanation
rainforest	A vegetation zone found in areas near the equator, charaterized by lush vegetation and high amount of rainfall.