Tropical Rainforest Field Guide
Discover the layers of the rainforest and the species that live from the forest floor to the canopy.
An introduction to tropical rainforests organised by forest layer, with examples of species documented in Biosphere and pointers for further exploration.
- Organization
- Biosphere
- Type
- field guide
- Format
- guide
- Audience
- general, students
- Topics
- forests, wildlife, plants, biodiversity
Key information
- Coverage: Tropical forests of the Americas, Africa and Asia
- Level: Introductory
Tropical rainforests grow where it is warm and wet all year. Their structure is vertical: each layer receives a different amount of light and holds a different community of plants and animals.
The four layers
| Layer | What it is like | Examples in Biosphere |
|---|---|---|
| Emergent layer | The tallest trees rising above the canopy, exposed to sun and wind | Birds of prey, flying insects |
| Canopy | A dense roof of leaves where most fruit and flowers are found | Scarlet macaw |
| Understory | Shaded, humid and still; large-leaved plants | Monstera, jaguar |
| Forest floor | Dark, with fast decomposition of fallen leaves | Gorilla, Rafflesia, corpse flower |
Species to explore
- The scarlet macaw feeds on fruit and seeds in the canopy.
- The jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas and a strong swimmer.
- Rafflesia and the corpse flower produce some of the largest flowers on Earth, which are pollinated by carrion flies and beetles.
Continue in the Tropical Rainforest habitat guide to see threats and conservation for this ecosystem.