Enchanting Layers
B. Haq
Tropical rainforests are fascinating and mysterious places, and they are home to an estimated half of the animals in the world. Together, all the world’s rainforests cover only a small part of Earth’s total surface area, but they contain more trees than any other ecosystem.
Layers of the Tropical Rainforest
Vertical Layers
A tropical rainforest is a realm of layers upon
layers, each one more intriguing than the other. Each vertical layer of vegetation features its own distinctive flora and fauna, that is, plant and animal life.
The Emergent Layer
The tallest trees of the tropical rainforest are found here. Growing as tall as 200 feet and with trunks as wide as 16 feet in circumference, they poke high above the canopy.
The Canopy
Canopy is the thick roof of the tropical rainforest. The biodiversity of animals is the highest in the canopy. Animals like monkeys, lizards, birds, tree frogs, and sloths complete their life cycles here, never once leaving the canopy. This biodiversity is due to the fact that about 80% of the sunlight is absorbed by the canopy, leaving the layers below with very little to get by.
The Understory and Floor
For this reason, the understory and forest floor are not as rich in animal life as the canopy. However, the warm temperatures and humidity in these layers are just right for insects and certain types of flora.
The plants in the understory grow huge leaves that serve a distinct purpose by providing an advantage to the plants. In competition with the canopy for sunlight, these oversized leaves help the plant absorb as much sunlight as it could from whatever little reaches it. Many understory animals also have special features in order to thrive there. The plants and animals at the understory must live on the leftover rain that trickles down from the upper layers.
The forest floor is the decomposition factory of the tropical rainforest and serves a key role in keeping the rainforest ecosystem healthy. It is swarming with insects and some larger animals. Very little vegetation can survive here since hardly any sunlight reaches its depth. It is home to huge tree trunks, ferns, fungus, rotting leaves, and dead animal matter.
Question
How do the understory and floor layers contribute to life in the rainforest?
Responses
A Life at the understory and floor have specialized adaptations and functions in the tropical rainforest ecosystem.Life at the understory and floor have specialized adaptations and functions in the tropical rainforest ecosystem.
B Plants and animals living in a rainforest are not adapted to live outside the understory and floor layers.Plants and animals living in a rainforest are not adapted to live outside the understory and floor layers.
C The understory and floor of the tropical rainforest cannot support an abundance of life due to its hot and wet climate.The understory and floor of the tropical rainforest cannot support an abundance of life due to its hot and wet climate.
D Life thriving in the understory and floor of the tropical rainforest is adapted to live in the canopy as well.