How many different types of tree are there in the rain forest?
The short answer is: No one really knows. Another short answer would be: Lots. Here’s a longer answer: According to the book, The Last Rainforests: a World Conservation Atlas: “The diversity of tropical tree species is immense. There are commonly 50-200 different species per hectare (2.5 acres), compared with ten species in a similar area of temperate woodland. In spite of this diversity, many tropical trees look superficially alike and for this reason are difficult even for botanists to identify.” In the Brazilian Amazon, near Manaus, in an area of about 1,900 square feet scientists identified 1,652 plants belonging to 107 species in 37 different families. The estimate of total tree species in Amazônia is 2,500. Sometimes it is difficult to define what is meant by a tree. Many species of tree seedlings remain small and might be considered as undergrowth, but when an opening in the canopy occurs, these small plants put all of their effort into growth and soon become small trees. They a
