types of jungle

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Rupert

How do you intend to differentiate between 'jungle' and 'forest/woodland'? I ask because much of New Zealand's bush is rainforest, but it's not tropical (or even warm sometimes). It could be called 'jungle' by some definitions.

I actually do a three-way distinction: tropical rainforest, temperate forest, and taiga. Tropical rainforest has intense rainfall at least part of the year (it may have a monsoon and a dry season) and never gets cold. Temperate forest has a cold season and typically has deciduous trees. Taiga has mostly evergreens. This is a crude approximation; in terms of the Köppen system they're A, C and a little of D, and the colder part of D. I think that the word "jungle" is used for A, or tropical rainforest, and not for C or D.