Description Of The Rainforest Floor

There are different types of rainforests throughout the world and they exist on every continent except for antarctica.

Description of the rainforest floor.

Rafflesia arnoldii which bears the largest flower on earth exists among the sparse population of plants on the tropical rainforest floor. Decomposition is the process by which fungi and microorganisms break down dead plants and animals and recycle essential materials and nutrients. Rainforests are divided into layers or storeys. The floor is relatively clear of vegetation due to the deep darkness created by perhaps 100 feet 30 m of canopy vegetation above.

A rainforest is defined by merriam webster as a tropical woodland with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches 254 centimeters and marked by lofty broad leaved evergreen trees forming a continuous canopy. The forest floor of primary tropical rainforest is rarely the thick tangled jungle of movies and adventure stories. It is actually rather the opposite. There are a few saprophytic flowering plants on the floor of the rainforest.

The forest floor is the bottom layer of the rainforest and its also the darkest layer of the rainforest. The forest floor is also where decomposition takes place. They have no chlorophyll. Large leafed shrubs and saplings new trees grow in the patches of sunlight.

Saprophytic plants are inconspicuous and small few are more than 8 inches 20cm tall. The forest floor is the lowest layer where it is dark hot and damp. There are cool rainforests to be found in north america s. It is actually rather the opposite.