Cloud forest

A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest, is a special kind of forest found in warm and subtropical areas. These forests grow on mountain slopes and are often covered in low, thick clouds.

Because of the clouds, the air stays very moist. The ground and plants are often covered in soft, green mosses, earning them the name mossy forests.

Cloud forests form when moist air is pushed up the sides of mountains by the wind. As the air rises, it cools and turns into clouds that wrap around the trees. This keeps the forest very wet and creates a special environment where many plants and animals live.

These forests are very important for nature. They are home to many unique plants and animals. They also help provide fresh water. When the clouds touch the leaves of the trees, water drips to the ground, adding to the rivers and streams below.

However, cloud forests are in danger. People cut them down for farming, and warmer temperatures may push these forests to higher mountains, making less space for them to grow.

Climate

Cloud forests grow in special places where mountains, oceans, and weather come together. They are usually found between 25° North and 25° South, and between 500 meters and 4,000 meters above sea level. In these areas, clouds often wrap around the trees.

When moist air from the ocean hits mountains, it rises, cools, and forms clouds. This is called orographic lift. The clouds give the forest its name and keep the area very wet. Trees and plants get water not just from rain, but also from tiny water drops in the clouds that fall to the ground. This can sometimes give the forest more water than rain alone.

Cloud forests get between 500 and 10,000 mm of rain each year, and temperatures stay between 8°C and 20°C. These cool temperatures help keep the soil wet and full of plants that like moisture. Different places call these forests by different names, like yungas in Bolivia or laurisilva on the Atlantic Islands.

Characteristics

Cloud forests are special forests found in warm areas at high altitudes. They are often covered in clouds, which is how they got their name. The trees in these forests are usually shorter and thicker than trees in lower forests. They have twisty trunks and small, tough leaves.

Because there is always a lot of moisture in the air, many plants called epiphytes grow on the trees. These include mosses, lichens, ferns, and orchids. Sometimes, the weight of these plants on a tree can be more than the weight of the tree’s own leaves. Cloud forests can also have thick layers of peat on the ground.

Distribution of tropical montane cloud forests

Cloud forests are special and rare. They make up only about 1% of all the world's woodlands. There are around 736 places where these forests grow in 59 countries. Many of these areas are protected to keep them safe. You can find important cloud forests in places like Central and South America—including countries such as Costa Rica, Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, and Colombia—as well as in East and Central Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines), Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, and the Caribbean.

Conservation status

Cloud forests covered a small part of the world's land in 2001. They were home to many types of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and tree ferns. Many of these species only live in cloud forests.

Between 2001 and 2018, some cloud forests were lost, especially in areas that are easy to reach. Even with protection, many cloud forests continue to disappear.

Temperate cloud forests

Some forests in cooler areas look like tropical cloud forests. They grow in places with special weather and plants.

Distribution by country

• Argentina – Salta, Jujuy, Catamarca and Tucumán (Southern Andean Yungas)

• Australia – Lamington National Park, Springbrook National Park, Mount Bartle Frere and Mount Bellenden Ker (Queensland) and Mount Gower (Lord Howe Island)

• Brazil – Serra do Mar coastal forests

• Chile – Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park

• China – Yunnan Plateau, mountains of southern and eastern China

• Costa Rica – Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

• Ethiopia – Harenna Forest, Bale Mountains National Park and Kafa Biosphere Reserve

• Fiji Islands – Tropical montane cloud forests of Taveuni and Gau Island

• Iran – Eastern Alborz mountains, Golestan Province

• Japan – Parts of Yakushima Island

• Portugal – Azores and Madeira

• Sri Lanka – Upper slopes of the Knuckles Mountain Range, Matale

• Taiwan – Yuanyang Lake Nature Reserve, Chatianshan Nature Reserve, and Fuxing District, Taoyuan

Conservation status

Cloud forests cover a small part of the Earth. They are very important because many birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and plants live there. Some of these animals and plants can only be found in cloud forests.

Sadly, many cloud forests have disappeared over the years. Human activities such as farming, growing crops like tea and coffee, and cutting down trees have reduced cloud forests a lot. Even with protection, we still need to take care of these special places for the future.

Importance

Cloud forests are special places because they are often covered in clouds. These clouds keep the forest wet, making it a great home for many plants and animals.

The ground and trees in these forests are usually covered in soft, green moss, making them look magical and mysterious. These forests help keep the environment healthy and balanced.

Watershed function

Cloud forests are important for water, even though they cover only a small part of the world. These forests catch moisture from passing clouds, which helps create extra rain, especially in dry seasons. This extra rain helps keep rivers and underground water full, which many people need. This is very important in places like coastal Peru and northern Chile, where cloud forests are a main source of fresh water.

Vegetation

Tropical montane cloud forests may not have as many different types of trees as lowland forests, but they are home to many special plants that grow only there. For example, Cerro de la Neblina, a mountain covered in clouds in southern Venezuela, has shrubs, orchids, and special plants that live only on that mountain.

Cloud forests are rich in plants that grow on other plants, like orchids, bromeliads, and filmy ferns. They also have more mosses and similar small plants than most other forests.

Fauna

Cloud forests are very important for many animals that live only in these special places. In Peru, lots of the country’s unique birds, mammals, and frogs are found in cloud forests. These forests are especially important for birds, including special species like the resplendent quetzal of Central America, many kinds of hummingbirds, and several tanagers and antpittas.

Among mammals, the spectacled bear, the only bear native to South America, is a well-known cloud forest animal. It helps spread seeds in the forests of the Andes. These forests also have many frogs and salamanders that need cool, moist air to survive.

Impact of climate change

Cloud forests are very sensitive to changes in the world's climate because they need special conditions to survive. As the Earth gets warmer, the clouds that these forests depend on move higher up the mountains. This means there will be less space for cloud forests to grow.

Scientists predict that in places like Mexico, cloud forests will lose much of their space over the next 70 years. Even before the warmth causes big problems, some cloud forests might become drier. This drying can harm plants and animals that need moist air to live. Some animals, like frogs, may struggle to survive in these changing conditions. Climate change can also bring stronger storms that damage these forests.