Criteria to be a rain forest

[dstebbins]

An area is considered to be a rain forest, based primarily on the amount of annual rainfall in that area (hence the name).

 

What's the minimum amount of average annual rainfall before a given area is considered a "rain forest," by ecological standards?

 

For example, according to this link right here, Miami, Florida gets over 58 inches of rain per year? Does it, technically, qualify as a rain forest, even though there isn't a whole lot of "forest" in the area?

[skyhook]

According to wikipedia, the minimum rainfall to qualify as rainforest is 68-78 inches. So I think it isn't.

[Kikis]

An area is considered to be a rain forest, based primarily on the amount of annual rainfall in that area (hence the name).

 

What's the minimum amount of average annual rainfall before a given area is considered a "rain forest," by ecological standards?

 

For example, according to this link right here, Miami, Florida gets over 58 inches of rain per year? Does it, technically, qualify as a rain forest, even though there isn't a whole lot of "forest" in the area?

 

according with my opinion, the rainfall amount in rain forest should be in > 2500 mm/years, and basically the rainfall should be equal in rainfall rate for entire mount in one year and the water content from rainfall could support many vegetations and animals in the forest

[JorgeLobo]

"according with my opinion " - lol

Edited March 20, 2011 by JorgeLobo

[benburrows]

Does it, technically, qualify as a rain forest, even though there isn't a whole lot of "forest" in the area?

 

I think you just answered your own question there.

 

Must have forest as well as rain.... (Although if the forest has been cleared this might be a bit of a fuzzy area). But no, there isn't enough rain. Should have at least 68 inches a year

[mattolsen]

A tropical rainforest has a precipitation range of 80-180inches annually. Whereas, a temperate rainforest has 80-150in. of rain annually. 58 inches would not fall into the category of a rainforest. Keep in mind that even if an area encounters an unnatural amount of rain during a season, it still does not fall under the category of a rainforest unless it were to become a continuous average.

[Greg Boyles]

An area is considered to be a rain forest, based primarily on the amount of annual rainfall in that area (hence the name).

 

What's the minimum amount of average annual rainfall before a given area is considered a "rain forest," by ecological standards?

 

For example, according to this link right here, Miami, Florida gets over 58 inches of rain per year? Does it, technically, qualify as a rain forest, even though there isn't a whole lot of "forest" in the area?

 

Rain forest is not just defined by rainfall. It is also defined by the type of vegetation.

 

Wet Sclerophyll Forest and Rain Forest have the same or similar rainfall, but they both have very different vegetation.

 

 

Google EVC / Ecological Vegetation Class.