How would you describe a tropical forest?

How would you describe a tropical forest?

What is a tropical forest? Tropical forests are closed canopy forests growing within 28 degrees north or south of the equator. They are very wet places, receiving more than 200 cm rainfall per year, either seasonally or throughout the year. ... Rainforest trees are quite different from trees of temperate forests.

What are the characteristics of a tropical biome?

The tropical rainforest biome has four main characteristics: very high annual rainfall, high average temperatures, nutrient-poor soil, and high levels of biodiversity (species richness). Rainfall: The word “rainforest” implies that these are the some of the world's wettest ecosystems.

How fires help forests?

Fire removes low-growing underbrush, cleans the forest floor of debris, opens it up to sunlight, and nourishes the soil. Reducing this competition for nutrients allows established trees to grow stronger and healthier. History teaches us that hundreds of years ago forests had fewer, yet larger, healthier trees.

Are forest fires natural disasters?

Though they are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as natural disasters, only 10 to 15 percent of wildfires occur on their own in nature. ... Naturally occurring wildfires can spark during dry weather and droughts.

Does climate change cause drought?

Climate change increases the odds of worsening drought in many parts of the United States and the world in the decades ahead. ... A changing climate can also alter atmospheric rivers (narrow streams of moisture transported in the atmosphere), which can especially disrupt precipitation patterns in the Western United States.

Which is worse flood or drought?

Repeated droughts around the world are destroying enough farm produce to feed 81 million people for a year and are four times more costly for economies than floods, the World Bank found in a new study. ...

How do droughts affect the atmosphere?

When a drought occurs and soils dry out, plants reduce photosynthesis and breathe less in order to save water and preserve their tissues. As a consequence, they are no longer able to capture carbon dioxide from the surrounding air and more CO2 remains in the air.