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debate over present day characteristics of tropical biome
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem that occurs roughly within 28 degrees north or south of the equator (equatorial zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn). They are characterised by their humidity (average of 88% in the rainy season and 77% in the dry season), hot temperature (average 27.9 °C during the dry season and 25.8 °C during the rainy season) but more importantly their extremely high rainfall (torrential rainfall - between 1,500 mm and 3,000 mm annually). Tropical rainforests contain the most diverse range and highest volume of plant and animal life found anywhere on the Earth, however, they are amongst the most threatened ecosystem globally due to the large scale fragmentation due to human activity and expansion – 16% of the Earth’s surface was once covered by tropical rainforest, yet the figure has significantly dropped to approximately 6% with no optimism of it increasing again. In this essay I will focus on the Amazon Rainforest, it is 2 times the size of India harbouring 10% of the world’s known species and is home to 350 ethnic groups.

There is no doubting that human impacts have affected the natural world, but it is ambiguous whether the present day characteristics are primarily a result of human interference or as a natural response to the climate and other abiotic components. In this essay I will examine both the human and natural influences on this unique biome and assess the extent to which the effects have shaped the characteristics. Before examining the impact of human activities, this essay will first determine what is meant by human activities: the behaviour/act of an individual or group that typically potentially affects the natural environment which is generally driven by personal, national or international economic benefits e.g. deforestation.

Unfortunately 17% of the forest cover has been lost in the last 50 years due to deforestation in the form of/to make space for logging, mining, cattle ranches, tourism,
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