Rain Forest
Rain Forest, woodland characterized by lush vegetation and comparatively high temperature and rainfall throughout the year. Rain forests are the world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems. Although they account for less than 7 percent of the land surface on Earth, they contain more than 50 percent—some scientists estimate as high as 90 percent—of its plant and animal species. One hectare (about 2.5 acres) of tropical rain forest may contain more than 600 species of trees. Rain forests also play a critical role in global climate regulation by absorbing carbon dioxide, a gas believed to be partially responsible for global warming . Plants naturally absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen gas in the process of photosynthesis , and tropical rain forests absorb more carbon dioxide than any other terrestrial ecosystem on earth. Global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30 percent in the last century. There is general agreement among the scientific community that by absorb...