The cloud forest is a specific type of rainforest that is only found
in tropical mountain areas. The cloud forest is literally immersed
in clouds most of the time, with water being deposited directly from
the clouds onto leaves and other vegetation. This keeps the cloud
forest quite moist, and relative humidity here is almost always
100%.
photo M.
Noonan
In addition to being constantly wet, the cloud forest is also much
cooler than the tropical rainforest, due to its higher elevation. In
the cloud forest, lower areas have tree canopy 115 ft high, while
the upper elevations are more windswept and trees are stunted to
only 33ft. Because of their comparatively short stature, these areas
of trees are known as "elfin forest."
photo M.
Noonan
In addition to providing a unique habitat in which many plant and
animal species flourish, cloud forests also play an extremely
important role in hydrology -- they capture, store, and filter water
into local communities and rivers hundreds of miles away. However,
global warming poses a threat to the cloud forest because it could
lift the cloud line and thereby cause forests to become warmer and
drier -- threatening the forest and all of the species that call it
home.
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