Different Types of Forests

You have probably heard this phrase before: “Forests are the lungs of our planet”. I must tell you that such thing is entirely correct. They make up 31% of the world’s land area.

But that’s not everything you can know about forests! Let me tell you even more interesting facts about them, such as their diverse forms, each with unique ecosystems! These are so important because they work as sanctuaries for many birds and animals (and some of them are endangered species!).

They’re also home to more than 80% of terrestrial species and absorb roughly 15.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Along the Pacific coast of Central America, these ecosystems face threats. Preserving these natural habitats are at the heart of what we do at Paso Pacifico.

Join our team as we explore the different types of forests in the world and why their conservation is imperative.

Understanding the Different Types of Forests in the World

While forests can be classified by geographical regions, their latitudes and climates are what influence humidity, precipitation, temperature, and wind, ultimately shaping the diversity of the plants and animals that thrive in them.

Based on this distinction, the three main types of forests are:

Boreal Forests 

Also known as taiga, boreal forests are the largest terrestrial pool of biomes. They occupy 17% of the earth’s land area and 27% of the total forest area.

There are two types of boreal forests:

• Open canopy boreals cover 11% of the land surface area. They have cold and dry climates (45° to 70° latitude), lesser diversity of species, and short growing seasons. 
• Closed canopy boreals are located at lower altitudes. They have warmer climates, rich diversity of species, a long growing season, and a canopy cover of over 20%.

Sweden, Russia, Canada, and Japan are some of the most common places where you can find such forests (they’re also great places for tourism!). They act as carbon sinks, and are really important. Why? Because they store carbon in tree biomass and soil organic matter.

Did you know that these places are home to more than 300 species of birds? This makes it up to three million migratory birds! That’s A LOT! But there’s even more: more than 30,000 species of insects such as pollinators and decomposers, and even mammals live there (around 85 species, including wolves, moose, lemmings, elks and more). This safe habitat for such species is also great for other species that are currently in danger, like the grizzly bear, species of squirrels, polar bears, wolverines and the woodland caribou. Do you understand why we must do whatever we can to ensure their safety?

Even after all of that we said, there’s more important data to cover. Did you know that almost 80% of the planet’s forests are permafrost? This happens due to climate change, and it’s happening extremely fast. We must do something before it’s too late. This accelerated process includes many risks, which I’ll mention to you: damage to infrastructure, landslides, collapsing grounds, instability related to geological problems and even rising sea levels!

Tropical Forests 

Found along the equator in regions like Central and South Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and South America, tropical forests cover about 12% of the Earth’s land surface. They are warm throughout the year, and their abundant cloud cover (which extends to over 8,700 yards ) restricts heat loss, preventing temperatures from dropping.

Popular types of tropical forests include:

• Mangrove forests, where trees grow in low-oxygen soil and brackish water. They stabilize the coastline, offering protection from currents and storms.
• Evergreen rainforests receive over 79 inches of rain annually. They have warm humid conditions and the most diverse terrestrial systems.
• Moist tropical forests exhibit low variability and less rainfall.
• Tropical dry forests receive very little rain and are the most endangered major tropical ecosystems. Long dry seasons are followed by heavy rain.
• Cloud forests are found in high altitudes. They have a low-level cloud cover which makes the crowns of trees appear as if they’re bathed in mist. They also host an abundant collection of epiphytes or air plants.

Tropical forests contain about half of all terrestrial life. They are extremely dense with diverse varieties of flora and fauna. These forests are home to species on the brink of extinction, including the yellow-naped amazon parrot, which is on the IUCN Red List.

Temperate Forests 

Temperate forests are positioned between boreal and tropical forests. They are located at mid-latitudes of around 25° to 50° across North America and Eurasia, covering more than  10.7 trillion square feet. They experience four seasons, receive around 20 to 60 inches of annual precipitation, and support diverse plant growth.

Temperate forests are usually classified into three types:

• Coniferous forests are terrestrial biomes with cold climates marked by conifers, which grow needles and cones instead of leaves and flowers. 
• Deciduous forests are broad-leaf areas that lose their foliage each winter as they enter dormancy. They are classified into five zones based on the height of their trees.
• Temperate rainforests receive heavy rain and are influenced by the sea.

Temperate forests are home to endangered species like the European mink, Vanzolini’s spiny-chest frog, and the mountain caribou that thrive alongside a wide variety of plants, vegetation, passerine birds, and wildlife thanks to the distinctive seasons.

The Plight of the Most Endangered Forests

Do you wanna know something really interesting, and worrying at the same time? Tropical rainforests are one of the most threatened ecosystems. Logging, deforestation, and agricultural expansion are the main threats. They’re so important, but at the same time so overlooked!

Let me add even more relevant data. They used to cover over 14% of the Earth’s land (and that was A LOT). But now they make up only 6% of its surface. We must do something fast if we don’t want that number to drastically reduce. If deforestation continues, they will lose 5% to 10% of their species each decade.

However, tropical dry forests are the most endangered. While they’re known to be resilient, they are no match for the consequences of human interference, climate change and man-made fires designed to clear large forest areas. 

Consequently, they’ve shrunk from 5.9 trillion square feet in the 1500s to 5.2 billion square feet. 

 We now have only 0.09% of the original forested area left. 

The Rich Biodiversity in Rainforests and Dry Forests

Rainforests have the most diverse and complex ecosystems. Lot’s of birds and other amazing animals live there, such as the curl-crested araçari, harpy eagle, resplendent quetzal, and sun parakeet (around 5,000 species are there!).

They’re also home to over 50% of known plant species and hundreds of mammals like anteaters, antelopes, capybaras, elephants, gorillas, jaguars, tigers, and orangutans.

Dry forests, on the other hand, host a range of migratory and aquatic/shore birds. They have an astonishing diversity of trees, most of which are deciduous during the arid season to conserve water. 

They’re home to the black-eared opossum, green iguana, guanay cormorant, northern tamandua , Peruvian booby, Peruvian pelican, roseate spoonbill, Sechuran fox, snowy plover, southern flamingo, the South American sea lion, and the Tumbesian tegu.

Nine out of 25 biodiversity hotspots identified contain dry forest areas. Thanks to dry forests’ climatological conditions,  they are a refuge for thousands of endemic species.

For instance, the Tumbesian region, an area in west Ecuador and northwest Peru, has 58 restricted-range birds. Twenty-three of them are threatened/endangered, like the white-winged guan. That’s why 9 out of 25 biodiversity hotspots identified contain dry forest areas.

Rainforests vs. Dry Forests

We all know how rainforests are. In case you don’t, they usually have high rainfall, a lot of vegetation and are characterized by plenty of biodiversity! What does this mean? That many creatures live there! Found in the tropics, these types of regions have a lot of solar radiation, which means that they contribute to around 25% world carbon. What is this for? Well, they’re really useful to regulate global temperature!

So, what makes them different compared to dry forests? Well, those usually endure very prolonged droughts, meaning that the life there had to adapt to such extreme weather in order to survive.

These regions cover around 41.5% of the world, which is a lot! But more interesting, up to a third of the world population live there! Isn’t that surprising? Millions rely on these biomes to live, which means that conserving them is extremely important.

Types of Forests on the Pacific Coast of Central America

You might ask yourself how many types of forest in the world can exist. So let me name three types of forest you can find: Coastal, tropical and cloud forests! Besides those, there’s also mangroves. All of them absorb carbon and are great sources of natural air and water, meaning that many endangered animals make use of them to live, as we humans do. That’s why protecting these places are extremely vital.

Still, it’s heartbreaking to say that most of these places are often threatened. Wildfires, agriculture and timber harvesting are some of the common issues that make these places deteriorate and reduce the oxygen of the world.

Paso Pacífico’s Conservation Efforts

Our organization, Paso Pacifico, works on the Pacific coast of Central America developing different initiatives that can improve the overall well-being of animals and environments. For example, our reforestation projects, preservation of wildlife and engagement with different communities creating sustainable land use allows us to protect and restore habitats without harming anyone.But that’s not everything! We work to restore different forests and prevent the extinction of endemic species (spider monkeys, sea turtles, stingless bees, yellow-naped amazon parrots, jaguars, and migratory birds and more!). So, if you wanna help us, consider donating!