Editing Rainforest (section)

== Flora and fauna ==

It is unknown how many species are found in the world's tropical rainforests, however a very large proportion of the vascular plants are native to them.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ghazoul |first1=Jaboury |last2=Sheil |first2=Douglas |date=2010 |title=Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation |url=https://archive.org/details/tropicalrainfore0000ghaz_x2k5 |url-access=registration |language=en |edition= |location=Oxford ; New York |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=5, 9 |isbn=978-0-19-928587-7 |oclc=456181268 |access-date=21 May 2025}}</ref> Rainforests support a very broad array of [[fauna]], including [[mammal]]s, [[reptile]]s, [[amphibian]]s, [[bird]]s and [[invertebrate]]s. Mammals may include [[primate]]s, [[felidae|felids]] and other families. Reptiles include [[snake]]s, [[turtle]]s, [[chameleon]]s and other families; while birds include such families as [[vanga|Vangidae]] and [[cuckoo|Cuculidae]]. Dozens of families of invertebrates are found in rainforests. [[Fungus|Fungi]] are also very common in rainforest areas as they can feed on the decomposing remains of plants and animals.

The great diversity in rainforest species is in large part the result of diverse and numerous physical [[Refuge (ecology)|refuges]],<ref name="RitchieJohnson2009">{{cite journal |last1=Ritchie |first1=Euan G. |last2=Johnson |first2=Christopher N. |title=Predator interactions, mesopredator release and biodiversity conservation |journal=[[Ecology Letters]] |date=September 2009 |volume=12 |issue=9 |pages=982–998 |doi=10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01347.x |pmid=19614756 |s2cid=11744558 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2009EcolL..12..982R |hdl=10536/DRO/DU:30039763 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> i.e. places in which plants are inaccessible to many herbivores, or in which animals can hide from predators. Having numerous refuges available also results in much higher total [[Biomass (ecology)|biomass]] than would otherwise be possible.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/0040-5809(87)90019-0 |title=Prey refuges and predator-prey stability |journal=Theoretical Population Biology |volume=31 |pages=1–12 |year=1987 |last1=Sih |first1=Andrew |issue=1 |bibcode=1987TPBio..31....1S }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/0040-5809(86)90004-3 |pmid=3961711 |title=The effects of refuges on predator-prey interactions: A reconsideration |journal=Theoretical Population Biology |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=38–63 |year=1986 |last1=McNair |first1=James N.|bibcode=1986TPBio..29...38M }}</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths="220" heights="160" mode="nolines">
File:Ursus americanus kermodei, Great Bear Rainforest 1.jpg|A [[Kermode bear]] from the [[Great Bear Rainforest]], [[Canada]]
File:Mudumalai by N A Nazeer (cropped).jpg|A [[Bengal tiger]] in [[Mudumalai National Park]], [[India]]
File:Standing jaguar.jpg|A [[South American jaguar|jaguar]] in the [[Amazon Rainforest]], [[South America]]
File:MonkeyJungle 03.JPG|[[Western lowland gorilla]] in the [[African rainforest]]
File:Pongo tapanuliensis.jpg|[[Orangutans]] in [[Tanjung Puting]], Indonesia
File:Anaconda jaune 34.JPG|[[Yellow anaconda|Yellow anacondas]] reside in the [[Amazon basin]]
File:Lion-tailed macaque by N A Naseer.jpg|[[Lion-tailed macaque]] in [[Silent Valley National Park]], India
File:Amazon macaw.jpg|A [[macaw]] in the Amazon rainforest
</gallery>Some species of fauna show a trend towards declining populations in rainforests, for example, reptiles that feed on amphibians and reptiles. This trend requires close monitoring.<ref>Barquero-González, J.P., Stice, T.L., Gómez, G., & [[Julian Monge Najera|Monge-Nájera, J.]] (2020). Are tropical reptiles really declining? A six-year survey of snakes in a tropical coastal rainforest: role of prey and environment. ''[[Revista de Biología Tropical]]'', 68(1), 336–343.</ref> The seasonality of rainforests affects the reproductive patterns of amphibians, and this in turn can directly affect the species of reptiles that feed on these groups,<ref>Oliveira, M.E., & Martins, M. (2001). When and where to find a pitviper: activity patterns and habitat use of the lancehead, ''Bothrops atrox'', in central Amazonia, Brazil. ''Herpetological Natural History, 8''(2), 101'''''-'''''110. </ref> particularly species with specialized feeding, since these are less likely to use alternative resources.<ref>Terborgh, J., & Winter, B. (1980). Some causes of extinction. ''Conservation Biology, 2'', 119'''''-'''''133.</ref>