Rainforests

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013, Saadia Iqbal, You Think!, The World Bank,   "The Youth Guide to Biodiversity" 1st Edition (Chapter 6) Youth and United Nations Global Alliance. Reproduced with permission.

Chapter 6. Verbatim.

Rainforests can be either temperate or tropical. Bothkinds have a few things in common: high rainfall all year round, and very lush, dense and tall vegetation. Both are also rich in plant and animal species, although the diversity is greater in tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests are warm and moist; while temperate rainforests are cool and moist.

Because of human activities, rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate: a few thousand years ago, over 15.5 million square kilometres of tropical rainforest existed worldwide. Today, only 6.7 million square kilometres are left. Not only is this a terrible loss to the Earth’s natural beauty and diversity, it will also hurt people’s lives and well-being. 

Tropical rainforests contain more biodiversity than any other ecosystem on Earth. They cover less than two percent of the Earth’s total surface area, and are home to 50 percent of the Earth’s described plants and animals! Like all forests, rainforests play a huge role in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

Also, with their millions of plants, they regulate temperatures through a process called transpiration, in which plants return water to the atmosphere. Transpiration increases humidity and rainfall, and has a cooling effect for miles. 

Another way in which the rainforest provides tremendous value to the world is through its medicinal plants. It is estimated that one out of four ingredients in our medicine comes from rainforest plants; and so far, less than one percent of the tropical rainforest species has been analysed for their medicinal value!