The Layers of a Rain Forest
1 Studying a rain forest is like unwrapping a gift put in
layers and layers of boxes. We usually divide a rain forest
into four layers. Each layer has its own distinct features
and houses different kinds of animals and plants.
2
- Forest floor - All trees in the rain forest start their
lives here in this layer. On the damp ground, we see
lots of fallen leaves and fruits, decaying trees, and
fungi. They are food sources for many animals. They
also help enrich the soil and provide nutrition for young
plants to grow. Tapirs, termites, and scorpions are
among many of the animals that we can find here.
- Understorey - Immediately above the forest floor is
the understorey. The understorey consists of tree
trunks, saplings, small ground plants (such as dwarf
palms), and vines. Residents here include bees,
snakes, frogs, and leopards.
- Canopy - Moving up from the understorey, we are
now in the third layer, the canopy. Treetops in rain forests have leaves so densely packed that they form a "green blanket" in mid-air. We call this "green blanket" the canopy. The canopy shields sunlight from reaching the forest floor and the understorey, making both layers very shady. Most of the rain forest animals live here, including several familiar faces - toucans, parrots, sloths, and monkeys.
- Emergent - When we ride in a helicopter above a rain forest, we first notice the canopy extending for miles and miles. Then, we also notice some trees standing high above the canopy layer. These tall trees, towering more than 200 feet and scattered throughout the rain forest, are emergents. They make up the highest layer of the rain forest. Birds of paradise, eagles, and macaws all live here.
3 Rain forests are in great risk of being destroyed. Aside from being the home of countless animals and plants, rain forests are inseparable from our daily life. Cocoa, bananas, palm oils, and sugar canes are just a few food items that we take from rain forests. Scientists extract ingredients from the plants in rain forests to try to develop cures for diseases. Trees produce oxygen. The Amazon, the world's largest rain forest, is responsible for more than 20% of the oxygen produced worldwide! These are just a handful of benefits that rain forests offer us. For the future of mankind, we need to try hard to save rain forests.
