Forest Community

Prepared by: Reo Paolo M. Uri

A forest community has several layers of vegetation. These layers, from top to bottom, include the canopy, the understorey, the shrub layer, the herbs or ground layer, and the forest floor. Each of these layers provides a habitat for animals in the forest.

The canopy consists of the tallest trees. It is the major site of production. It exerts a major influence on the rest of the forest. It the canopy layer is open, sunlight will penetrate the lower layers, allowing shrubs and understorey layer to fully develop. If the canopy is closed, the lower layers will not fully develop.

The understorey consists of tall shrubs. Those that are not able to withstand the shade and competition will die: others will reach the canopy layer after some of the older trees die or are harvested.

The herb layer consists of plants shorter than the shrubs. The nature of the herb layer depends largely on the soil condition, slope and moisture.

The forest floor consists of leaves, branches, dead bodies of plants and animals, and other matter which have fallen to the ground. This is the site where the important processes of decomposition take place and where the nutrients are released to continue the cycle.

The structure of the forest (layers of the forest) determines the variety of life (plants and animals) in the forest. If some layers are not present, then the animals that live in those layers are missing.

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Ecological Insight

The structure of a community refers to the stratification into layers.

The forest structure includes the canopy (consisting of the tallest trees); the understorey (consisting of tall shrubs): the shrubs layer (consisting of shrubs); and the forest floor (consisting of the leaves,branches, and dead bodies of plants and animals which have fallen on the ground).