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Definition of Biome

Locations and Examples of Biome

The tropical rainforest is one of the earth’s most complex biomes in the sense of its diversity in both structure and its geographical species. In terms of its growing conditions, the tropical rainforest is typically successful in optimal climate that includes abundant precipitation and year-round warmth.  Particularly due to this climate, flowering and fruiting seasons are not set to an annual determined date; rather, as discussed in other parts of this website, animals and plants have adapted specific reproducing time periods. Also, the tropical rainforest is particularly known for their tall trees and canopy layer of leaves, which demonstrates the many ways in which sunlight, a limiting factor, is reached for the survival of the fauna and flora within the biome.

Tropical Rainforests are humid forests that are typically located near the equator. Particularly, they exist within the world’s “tropics”: The Tropic of Cancer, located at 23.5 degrees North Latitude, to The Tropic of Capricorn, located at 23.5 degrees South Latitude. Due to this location, tropical rainforests can thrive. However, not all areas located within this area are suited for rainforests (either too cold or unsuitable considering geographic site and topography), making the occurrence of tropical rainforests rare and enlightening. Examples of tropical rainforests include the Amazon Rainforest, located in the Neotropical disjunctive location (Geographically: Amazonia into Central America), the Ituri Rainforest, located in the African disjunctive location (Geographically: Zaire Basin with an outlier in West Africa as well as Eastern Madagascar), and the Daintree Rainforest, located in the Indo-Malaysian disjunctive location (Geographically: West Coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland Australia).

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