Explain the 4 layers of the tropical evergreen forest.
Answers
A (tropical) rainforest is typically made up of four distinct layers/strata namely: emergent, canopy, understory and forest floor layers.
Here is an extract from the Missouri Botanical Garden website briefly describing them.
Emergent Layer
These giant trees thrust above the dense canopy layer and have huge mushroom-shaped crowns. These trees enjoy the greatest amount of sunlight but also must endure high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds.
Canopy Layer
The broad, irregular crowns of these trees form a tight, continuous canopy 60 to 90 feet above the ground. The branches are often densely covered with other plants (epiphytes) and tied together with vines (lianas). The canopy is home to 90% of the organisms found in the rain forest; many seeking the brighter light in the treetops.
Understory
Receiving only 2-15% of the sunlight that falls on the canopy, the understory is a dark place. It is relatively open and contains young trees and leafy herbaceous plants that tolerate low light. Many popular house plants come from this layer. Only along rivers and roadways and in treefall and cut areas is sunlight sufficient to allow growth to become thick and impenetrable
Forest Floor
The forest floor receives less than 2% of the sunlight and consequently, little grows here except plants adapted to very low light. On the floor is a thin layer of fallen leaves, seeds, fruits, and branches that very quickly decomposes. Only a thin layer of decaying organic matter is found, unlike in temperate deciduous forests.
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Answer:
The emergent layer is where the tallest trees can be found, poking high above the dense treetops of the canopy layer just below. ... Because the sun is very hot, the trees of the emergent layer have a special adaptation: their leaves have a waxy coating that helps protect against the harsh rays of the sun.
Below the tallest emergent layer, is the canopy. ... This layer receives plenty of sunlight and rain, with a refreshing breeze. The thick branches and large leaves of the tall trees spread out to make a leafy roof, preventing sunlight from getting through to the layers below.
The understory is the underlying layer of vegetation in a forest or wooded area, especially the trees and shrubs growing between the forest canopy and the forest floor. Plants in the understory comprise an assortment of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with specialist understory shrubs and herbs.
The forest floor, also called detritus, duff and the O horizon, is one of the most distinctive features of a forest ecosystem. It mainly consists of shed vegetative parts, such as leaves, branches, bark, and stems, existing in various stages of decomposition above the soil surface.