Different Types of Jungles - Examples With Photos

The jungle is a bioclimatic forest landscape that presents a large amount of rainfall, abundant vegetation, and a warm climate. Its categorization can be a little difficult, often being seen as a more colloquial than scientific term. However, it is a helpful term because it is used to refer to forested areas that share certain characteristics. Such characteristics of jungles include the following:

• Its location occurs at different latitudes, being most abundant in the areas of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. These regions support a wide array of plant and animal species due to their climatic conditions.
  
  
• Jungles occupy around 6% of the entire surface of the planet Earth. Despite their small area, they are crucial for global biodiversity and carbon storage.
  
  
• There is abundant rainfall, usually measuring between 1,500 and 2,000 mm per year. This water is necessary to sustain the large amount of plant mass found in jungles. Furthermore, humidity favors the decomposition of organic matter present in the soil. If we move closer to the equator, up to 3,000 mm of rain can occur annually. Such high levels of precipitation contribute to lush vegetation growth.
  
  
• They have abundant bodies of water thanks to constant rains, which create ideal conditions for diverse aquatic ecosystems.
  
  
• The temperature of the jungle located in the tropical zone ranges between 27 ºC and 29 ºC (81-84 ºF). If we move greater than 400 meters above sea level or to subtropical latitudes, it decreases to around 22 ºC (72 ºF). Mountain jungles, also called high altitude jungles, can drop a little further to 17 ºC (63 ºF).
  
  
• Jungle vegetation and jungle animals represent two-thirds of the total biodiversity on the planet. We also need to take into account the fact there are still many species yet to be identified and discovered. Learn about the types of plants and animals living in temperate forests with our related guide.
  
  
• They are great generators of oxygen and also function as important ecological refuges. This is not to mention to human communities living in and around jungles such as the indigenous tribes of the Amazon. Jungles play a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and supporting human life.
  
  
• Jungles have a 4-layer structure made up of the ground, understory, canopy, and emergent. Each layer hosts unique species adapted to specific conditions.
  
  
• Jungles are seriously threatened by the logging industry, illegal mining, and intensive agriculture and livestock farming. These activities lead to deforestation and habitat loss, threatening numerous species.

Regarding the different types of jungles, these can be classified based on their altitude, humidity, and latitude. Before we look at each of these types of jungle classification, you may want to learn more background by reading our article on what are jungle ecosystems?

We have mentioned the categorization of jungles depends on different criteria. We begin by looking at the different types of jungles according to altitude:

• Basal or plain jungle: these are jungles located between 0 and 1000 meters above sea level. Being this close to sea level, they often flood and can become swampy territories. It is also possible for sediments to accumulate in these areas, creating alluvial forests. Learn more about how alluvial plains are formed in our related guide.
  
  
• Montane forest jungles: as the name suggests, these types of jungle are located at a much higher altitude, usually ranging between 1,000 and 2,200 meters above sea level. When they have cloud cover, they are also known as cloud forest jungles. They have very abundant biodiversity and moisture condensation. There are also mountainous forests in the subtropical region, although they are found at a lower altitude of between 500 and 1,300 meters above sea level. This altitude variation creates unique microclimates and species diversity.
  
  
• Gallery jungle: they are typical of intertropical zones, surrounding humid areas such as lagoons and rivers of the plains of the Savannah. These ecosystems are crucial for maintaining the health of surrounding environments.

The photo below shows an image of a montane forest jungle.

Altitude is not the only criteria for type of jungle categorization. The following are the different types of jungle according to their humidity levels:

• Superhumid jungle: in tropical jungles there is a rainfall range of about 2,000 mm per year and 4,000 mm. It usually has rainy climates that make the foliage verdant all year round, although there can be periods of drought in which part of the foliage is lost. This is rarely more than 25%, and it can recover quickly. You can see a superhumid jungle in the photo below which represents the dense vegetation. These jungles are vital for carbon sequestration and habitat provision.
  
  
• Humid jungle: in the dry season the foliage lost is in the range between 25% and 50%, so the loss is partial. Precipitation for the subtropical forest ranges between 1,000 and 2,000 mm per year and in the tropical forest between 2,000 and 3,000 mm per year. This variation in humidity supports different plant and animal life.
  
  
• Subhumid jungle: also called dry jungle, these jungle types have both dry and humid periods. In the dry seasons, almost all the foliage is lost. In this area, the diversity is lower, with the same tree-type species predominating. Despite this, subhumid jungles are home to unique species adapted to these conditions.

If we classify them according to their latitude, the different types of jungle are:

• Equatorial jungle: has an average temperature of 35 ºC (95 ºF), with impressive biological diversity. The Amazon or the Congo jungle are equatorial jungles. These jungles are some of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, playing a crucial role in the global ecosystem.
  
  
• Tropical jungle: with temperatures greater than 24 ºC (75 ºF) as an annual average. In addition to being warm, its climate is humid thanks to the convergence of trade winds coming from the north and south. This combination of warmth and moisture supports a wide variety of species.
  
  
• Subtropical jungle: in these jungles there are average annual temperatures between 18-24 ºC (66-75 ºF). They have relatively cold winters and warm summers. This climate variation creates unique plant and animal communities.
  
  
• Temperate forest: also known as a laurel forest when they have broadleaf tree species, it has abundant humidity and cold climates. These forests are critical for water regulation and species conservation.
  
  
• Subpolar jungle: also called subpolar rain forest or Magellanic subpolar forests, this jungle is located in glacial lakes and fjord coasts. They have great biodiversity and evergreen vegetation. Despite harsh conditions, these jungles support resilient and unique ecosystems.

Among the most lush and important forests in the world are the Congolian rainforest jungles, located in Africa with approximately 2,000,000 km2 of land across various countries. There is also the Amazon rainforest (also known as the Amazon jungle or Amazonia), located in the heart of South America. It has an approximate area of 5,500,000 km2. These jungles are vital to global biodiversity and climate regulation. Other examples of important jungles are:

• Harapan jungle in Indonesia - known for its rich biodiversity and conservation efforts.
• Hawaiian jungles in the United States - home to a unique array of endemic species.
• Yanoda jungle in China - a popular destination for ecotourism, showcasing diverse flora and fauna.
• Daintree rainforest in Australia - one of the oldest rainforests, with ancient plant species.

Since they are also descriptors of types of jungle, you may want to read our articles on what are primary forests and what are secondary forests?

If you want to read similar articles to Different Types of Jungles - Examples With Photos, we recommend you visit our Ecosystems category.