photo M. Noonan
The lowland rainforest is what most
people picture when they think of a typical rainforest. These areas
are characterized, in general, by their equatorial location, warm
temperatures, and wet climate. These three factors allow for
year-round growth and reproduction in the lowland forest, making the
richness of species in these areas possible.
The many layers of the lowland forest
vegetation create a variety of different specialized habitats, or
niches, to be occupied by a variety of different plant and animal
species. This allows the rainforest to be among the most
biologically diverse areas on the planet.