There are many types of forest but are normally divided into two main categories.
1. Tropical and Subtropical Forests: Under which there are 4 sub-categories a. Tropical rain forest b. Tropical and subtropical evergreen forest c. Tropical and subtropical drought-deciduous forest d. Mangrove forest
2. Temperate and Subpolar Forests : There are 5 subcategories
a. Temperate deciduous forest. b. Temperate and subarctic, evergreen conifer forest. c. Temperate and subpolar, evergreen rain forest d. Temperate, winter-rain, evergreen broad leaf forest. e. Cold-deciduous forest
Broadly speaking, there are three main kinds of forests; tropical forest, coniferous forest and deciduous forest.
Tropical forests are of two types; tropical rain forest and tropical monsoon forest. The former are most widespread in the equatorial regions, while the latter are confirmed mainly to regions with a monsoon type of climate. Tropical rainforest is the most luxuriant type of forest. It is evergreen and contains numerous species. It has a layered arrangement, with a canopy of tall trees, shrubs and a multitude of lianas, palms, climbers, creepers and ferns. I t is most widespread in Brazil, especially in the Amazon Basin; also in South East Asia and the Congo basin of Africa. Tropical monsoon forests are less Luxuriant; more open and are of the tropical deciduous type. Many trees shed their leaves to survive the long, dry season. There are a limited number of species, of which the teak is the most valuable.
Coniferous forests are mainly found in the continental and upland regions of North America, Northeast Europe and Russia. Conifers are conical and evergreen, with tall, straight and slender trunks.
Deciduous forests are more widely spaced, less dense and are around in outline. They shed their leaves in the autumn to withstand the cold winter. They yield temperature hardwood and include such species as oak, ash, willow, maples and elm.
The world's major forests include the following: 1. Tropical hardwood forest (including the tropical monsoon forest of which the Teak forest is the most valuable), such as that found in the Amazon Basin (Brazil alone accounts for 33% of the world total), the Congo Basin and South-east Asia. This is a luxurious forest with thick foliage, typified by its distinct layer arrangement. The trees are highly heterogeneous and the under growth is sparse. Tropical forest yields hardwood timber of which the best known species are mahogany, chengal, ebony, rosewood, teak and meranti.
2. Temperate hardwood forest (including the Mediterranean forest and the mixed forest deciduous and coniferous forest found together), such as that found in Europe, eastern USA and North China. The forest is less dense and more widely spaced, the trees are deciduous and shed their leaves in winter to withstand the cold. The leaves are broad, thin and delicate.
3. Coniferous softwood forest, confined mainly to the temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, especially Russia (Siberia in particular) and Canada. Conifers are evergreen even in winter. They grow tall, straight and slender; and the forest has a moderate density. The trees assume a conical shape with downward sloping branches.
