The Canopy Layer
The layer of a tropical rainforest where plants form an umbrella type of
overhang that rises high above the ground is called the Canopy Layer. What makes
up most of the Canopy Layer is a tangled mix of vegetation including branches,
vines and trees of different sizes. When light hits this layer, the tree leaves
at the top sometimes get burnt as they rise up as much as 150 feet (45
meters). It is not natural causes as much as humans who are destroying the
rainforest, a problem that adults and kids should be very aware of. Among the
interesting facts and information below is the answer to why photosynthesis
plays an important role in the Canopy Layer.
The canopy is the home of many animals which stay there for shelter, to
avoid predators on the forest floor, and to seek fruits and seeds from the
trees and epiphytes of the rainforest canopy.
The tropical rainforest is home to a wide variety
of plant and animal species, many of which exist nowhere else on earth. The
thick tree canopy prevents many plants from reaching the sunlight they need to
grow, creating a dark area with little vegetation around the tree roots. Several
types of plants have adapted to live in the canopy itself, either climbing
existing rainforest trees to reach the light or living in the treetops
entirely.
The conditions of the canopy are very different from the conditions of the
forest floor. During the day, the canopy is drier and hotter than other parts
of the forest, and the plants and animals that live there are specially adapted
for life in the trees. For example, because the amount of leaves in the canopy
can make it difficult to see more than a few feet, many canopy animals rely on
loud calls or lyrical songs for communication. Gaps between trees mean that
some canopy animals fly, glide, or jump to move about in
the treetops.
Scientists have long been interested in studying the canopy, but the
height of trees made research difficult until recently. Today there special facilities with
rope bridges, ladders, and towers to help scientists discover the secrets of the
canopy. The canopy is just one of several vertical layers in the
rainforest. Take a look at the diagram on the left to see the other layers (the
overstory, understory, shrub layer, and forest floor).
overhang that rises high above the ground is called the Canopy Layer. What makes
up most of the Canopy Layer is a tangled mix of vegetation including branches,
vines and trees of different sizes. When light hits this layer, the tree leaves
at the top sometimes get burnt as they rise up as much as 150 feet (45
meters). It is not natural causes as much as humans who are destroying the
rainforest, a problem that adults and kids should be very aware of. Among the
interesting facts and information below is the answer to why photosynthesis
plays an important role in the Canopy Layer.
The canopy is the home of many animals which stay there for shelter, to
avoid predators on the forest floor, and to seek fruits and seeds from the
trees and epiphytes of the rainforest canopy.
The tropical rainforest is home to a wide variety
of plant and animal species, many of which exist nowhere else on earth. The
thick tree canopy prevents many plants from reaching the sunlight they need to
grow, creating a dark area with little vegetation around the tree roots. Several
types of plants have adapted to live in the canopy itself, either climbing
existing rainforest trees to reach the light or living in the treetops
entirely.
The conditions of the canopy are very different from the conditions of the
forest floor. During the day, the canopy is drier and hotter than other parts
of the forest, and the plants and animals that live there are specially adapted
for life in the trees. For example, because the amount of leaves in the canopy
can make it difficult to see more than a few feet, many canopy animals rely on
loud calls or lyrical songs for communication. Gaps between trees mean that
some canopy animals fly, glide, or jump to move about in
the treetops.
Scientists have long been interested in studying the canopy, but the
height of trees made research difficult until recently. Today there special facilities with
rope bridges, ladders, and towers to help scientists discover the secrets of the
canopy. The canopy is just one of several vertical layers in the
rainforest. Take a look at the diagram on the left to see the other layers (the
overstory, understory, shrub layer, and forest floor).