the canopy. There is more food in the canopy layers than on the ground. .

             Thus, there is a greater diversity of animals living in different canopy layers. .

             Minimal light reaches the forest floor. Leaf litter is always scarce in.

             the true tropical rain forest. Because of the warm moist environment.

             countless numbers of fungi, insects, and bacteria take up nutrients, which are.

             released through decomposition. Everything is then quickly reabsorbed by.

             the trees. Organic remains are not given a chance to build up on the ground.

             All this amazing variety of species in tropical rain forests, is a result.

             of the favorable environmental factors. The average annual temperature is.

             26 to 27 degrees Celsius (79 to 81 F). The total annual rainfall is usually.

             greater than 2,000 millimeters (80 inches). It might even reach 4,000 to.

             7,000 millimeters (157 to 270 inches) in some areas. The total rainfall is.

             never less than 1,500 millimeters (59 inches) annually. .

             In a true tropical rain forest the climate is uniform and fairly.

             distributed throughout the year. The dry season never exceeds a few.

             months. If the dry season is lengthy, other communities take over the true.

             tropical rain forest. For instance tropical deciduous forests and tropical.

             monsoon forests have a different appearance and structure, than tropical rain.

             forests. Both communities also contain species of trees that loose their.

             leaves during the dry season.

             Tropical mountain forests are found in mountainous tropical areas. .

             This rain forest changes the higher the altitude. These forests contain a wide.

             range of typical species that often grow in only one region. Tropical rain.

             forests are found in the Congo basin of Africa, Madagascar, South America,.

             Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Indonesia, and Oceania. .

             The majority of the worlds tropical rain forests are in 10 degrees of.

             the equator. Tropical rain forests used to cover about 20 percent of Earth"s.

             dry land. Today, rain forests cover only about 6 percent of the Earth"s dry.