forest
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.4|The Amazon rainforest alongside the [[Solimões River, a tropical rainforest. These forests are the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems in the world.]] thumb|upright=1.4|Proportion and distribution of global forest area by climatic domain, 2020
AI overview
A forest is a large area of land covered with trees and other vegetation that forms one of Earth's most complex ecosystems. Forests are vital because they support incredible biodiversity, produce essential resources, and play a crucial role in maintaining planetary health and human well-being.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- vegetational formation
- Subclass of
- habitat
- Part of
- biome
- Has part
- temperate forest
- Image
- Hutan Tangkahan.jpg
Show 10 more facts
- P910
- Category:Forest
- P1889
- Forest
Article
27 sectionsContents
- Definitions
- Etymology
- Evolutionary history
- Ecology<span class="anchor" id="Distribution"></span>
- Components
- Layers
- Types
- Temperate needleleaf<span class="anchor" id="Coniferous forests"></span>
- Temperate broadleaf and mixed
- Tropical moist
- Tropical dry
- Sparse trees and savanna
- Plantations
- Area
- Societal significance
- Ecosystem services
- Forest-dependent people
- Indigenous peoples
- Management
- The forest transition
- Canada
- Latvia
- United States
- See also
- Sources
- References
- External links
thumb|upright=1.4|The Amazon rainforest alongside the [[Solimões River, a tropical rainforest. These forests are the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems in the world.]] thumb|upright=1.4|Proportion and distribution of global forest area by climatic domain, 2020
A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines a forest as, "Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban use." Using this definition, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 found that forests covered , or approximately 31 percent of the world's land area in 2020.