Layers of the Rainforest

Sarah Moore&

Bethany Andrews

• What makes a cake a

cake?

• What parts of a cake are important to

us?

• How is a tropical

rainforest like a cake?

• Uppermost layer of the rainforest

• Small number of very large trees

• Usually 40-55 meters, sometimes growing to 70 or 80 meters tall

• Strong, to withstand hot temperatures and strong winds

Emergent Layer

Sarah Moore

• Underneath the emergent• Continuous cover of foliage

formed by treetops• Home to about 50 percent

of rainforest plant species• Epyphytic (meaning:

growing on another plant) plants attach to trunks and branches; obtain water and minerals from rain and debris

Canopy Layer

Sarah Moore

• Between canopy and forest floor

• Leaves are much larger at this level

• Seedlings that will grow to canopy level are present here

• Recieves 5 percent of sunlight

• Also known as shrub layer

Understory

Bethany Andrews

Rainforest Floor• Bottom-most layer

• Receives only 2 percent of sunlight

• Contains decaying plant and animal matter

• Many forms of fungi can be found here

• Rain takes 20 minutes to fall to the floor

Bethany “Big Time” Andrews