Equatorial Forest Zone

a natural zone of the equatorial belt, in whose natural landscapes forests predominate (seeRAIN FORESTS and GILEA). The zone encompasses primarily the lowlands on both sides of the equator, including the Amazon River basin, Equatorial Africa, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, and New Guinea. Characteristic features of the equatorial forest zone are a relatively constant length of day, a lack of seasonal rhythms in the development of nature, an equatorial climate, and a thick weathering crust. Dense evergreen forests with a rich species composition grow in the equatorial forest zone, as well as many palms, lianas, and epiphytes. Deciduous species are intermixed in the forests of the outer parts of the zone.