The jungles are forests thick with trees, animals, and other plants. The jungles are perilous as many predator animals are present there. For example, they are full of different lives, such as reptiles, monkeys, birds, insects, gorillas, snakes, lions, eagles, owls, wood, ladybugs, and other animal species. The jungle can also be described as an area densely overgrown with tangled vegetation and trees, mainly in warm places with heavy rainfall.
In addition to this, the forest floors are covered with shrubbery, vines, and tons of insects that make it very difficult to make ones’ way through one. Some of the jungle features are similar to rainforests, but with fewer trees and more sunlight. About half the world’s animal and plant species live in the jungle environment. The jungle is found near the equator.
In contrast, the rainforests are the areas of tall green trees with a higher rainfall amount. The rainforest is considered the oldest living ecosystem in the world, with some species surviving in present forms for approximately 70 million years. Furthermore, the rainforest is a warm, lush, wet habitat. The rainforest trees grow very tall as they compete with other plant species for sunlight. For example, the Kapok trees present in tropical rainforests worldwide can grow about 200 feet tall.
The facts about rainforests include that they are a very strong natural climate solution, and have also become net carbon emitters. The tropical rainforests cover no more than 3% of the Earth, yet they are home to almost more than half of the terrestrial species of the Earth. The rainforests receive a higher rainfall amount. However, the rainforests play an essential role in increasing local humidity and absorbing a greenhouse gas i.e., carbon dioxide. They also stabilize an incredible amount of wildlife, plants, and climate, producing a beautiful rainfall all around the Earth.
Although jungles and rainforests look similar, differences also exist. Both are covered with dense, thick trees and green vegetation. They are both present near North’s equator. On the other hand, differences include the rainforest can either be temperate or tropical, while the jungle always has tropical weather. Both rainforest and jungle have a heavy rainfall; a rainforest is dark, humid, and damp, while the jungle is humid, warm, and has sunlight.
The rainforest is extensive and high-reaching, while the jungle is smaller than the rainforest and nowhere near as high. The location of most animals in rainforests is canopy trees and emergent layers, and on the forest floor in jungles. Despite all these facts, people still confuse both terms. There is no need to worry as this blog post has provided exciting facts and information about these terms as mentioned below;
Jungle
Rainforest
The jungles are the primary types of dense forests that are parts of the tropical rainforest ecosystems. In addition to it, the jungles are found in tropical areas, usually near the equator. Many jungles are present in various countries, such as western Africa, Southeast Asia, northern South America, and Central America.
The tropical reforests are primarily present between the latitudes of 23.5 degrees South (the Tropic of Capricorn) and 23.5 degrees North (the Tropic of Cancer). The rainforests are found in various countries worldwide, including Australia, the island of New Guinea, western India, and Central and South America.
The average temperature of jungles ranges from about 21 to 30 degrees Celsius or 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The jungle biome remains warm the whole year and must stay frost-free. However, the environment of jungles is pretty wet, maintaining humidity between 77% and 88%.
The climate of rainforests is always and wet and hot in many parts of the equatorial belt, but seasonal rainfall is experienced n regions to its south and north. Furthermore, the rainforest temperature is humid and hot due to the abundance of water and high temperature. Otherwise, the biome is warm the whole year.
The common plant types present in jungles are palm trees, Brazil-nut trees, and even epiphytes (the trees that grow on other trees). The jungle is also home to ferns, mosses, and vines. The jungles are already a harsh environment for plants; therefore, they cannot afford to be eaten or attacked by various animals.
Some of the common plant types found in tropical rainforests are Avocado trees, Bam-Boo trees, Cassava trees, Banana trees, Rubber trees, Bromeliads, Kapok trees, Philodendron’s ferns, and Orchids. In addition to it, the rainforests grow on the trees and host plants, getting their nutrients from the dust and moisture in the air.
Research has shown that more than fifty invertebrate species are present in jungles. Approximately fifty various ant species are present on a single tree in Peru. However, various aquatic animals, herbivores, birds, and predatory animals, including crocodiles, anacondas, toucans, macaws, forest antelopes, tapirs, and rhinos, reticulated pythons, tigers and Asian wild dogs, are also present.
The rainforests are populated with arachnids (like ticks and spiders), amphibians (like toads and frogs), reptiles (like lizards and snakes), worms, and mammals (like jaguars and sloths) and birds (like toucans and parrots). However, almost three million animal species live in the rainforest, and about 2,500 trees help create and sustain the vibrant ecosystem. A greater amount of biodiversity is at risk.
The tropical and temperate jungles are very wet and lush. It rains a lot in the jungles, about one hundred inches per year. In addition to this, the jungle can downpour as much as about five centimeters or two inches in an hour.
It also rains a lot in the temperate and tropical rainforests. The yearly rainfall ranges from 200 to 1000 centimeters or 80 to 400 inches. It can also rain hard. They can downpour, adding four hundred inches of rain per year.
The jungles are the oldest living systems on the Earth, with some surviving or living in their present form for about seventy million years. They are very complex and diverse, home to more than half of the world’s animal and plant species. Furthermore, the jungles cover almost six percent of the earth’s surface.
Almost every type of animal lives or survives in the rainforests. These forests cover less than two percent of the total area of the earth’s surface. According to the Nature Conservancy, the jungles are the home to fifty percent of Earth’s animals and plants. However, the rainforest receives at least 200 centimeters rain per year.
The jungles have many advantages and disadvantages. For example, they provide many medicines and food; they are home to millions of animals and plants, they clean the air we breathe, regulate the earth’s climate and many more.
The rainforests play an essential role in keeping our planet healthy and providing beauty that comes with great diversity in animals and plants. It releases oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide that we depend on for our survival.
The loss of trees and other vegetation in jungles can cause increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, flooding, soil erosion, fewer crops, desertification, climate change, and a host of problems for various indigenous people. In addition to this, human activities are the primary reasons behind this mass rainforest destruction.
The rainforest destruction causes the loss of vegetation worldwide that is used for various purposes such as urbanization, agricultural croplands and mining activities. In addition to t, this deforestation is greatly accelerated by various human activities. It has negatively affected biodiversity, natural ecosystem and climate change.
There are many popular jungle predator specimens, such as River Otter, Anaconda, Cayman (Black crocodile), Jaguar (Otorongo), Piranhas, Electric Eel, Happy Eagle, etc. The Black Caiman is the Amazon ecosystem’s largest predator that eats birds, fish, turtles, and some land-dwelling animals.
There are many popular rainforest predator specimens, such as Green Anaconda, Happy Eagle, Jaguar, Arapaima (Amazon rainforest predator), Bull Shark (Apex predator of Amazon rainforest), Giant Otter, Electric Eel, etc. The Happy Eagle, Anaconda and jaguar are the top predators.
There are many ways to improve jungles. For example, support forest conservation organizations, conserve the trees and forests in your areas, etc.
There are many ways to improve rainforests. For example, learn about forests, both global and local, demand better labeling products, etc.
FAQ’s
Sometimes people get confused and raise questions about jungle vs rainforest to clear their minds. Therefore, the answers to some of those questions are as mentioned below;
Are jungles and rainforests the same thing?
The jungle is a descriptive term, not a scientific one, and it does not refer to a specific ecosystem like the rainforest. It is also not filled with thick vegetation like the rainforests. There is a layer of tall trees in rainforests that blocks most of the sunlight.
Conclusion
Various plants and animals are present worldwide, all possessing unique identification characters discriminating against them. The same is the case with jungles and rainforests. Although they look similar, differences also exist. There is no need to worry as this blog post provides exciting facts and information about these terms to clear people’s minds. It will help greatly if you read this article with great care and pay full attention.
