layers of the tropical rainforest
There are four layers of greenery in the tropical rainforest. The tallest layer is known as the emergent layer. The emergent layer has trees that range from 100 to 240 feet tall. The next layer down is called the canopy. The canopy has trees that are 60 to 130 feet tall. Most of the animals live in this layer of the rainforest because there is so much food available that most animals never have a reason to go down to the forest floor. There is a lot of sunlight at the top of the canopy. However, the canopy gets more and more shade as it gets lower because the trees above it are blocking its sunlight. The layer below the canopy is called the understory or lower canopy. In the understory the trees are usually around 60 feet tall and the understory is mostly shaded because the taller trees in the canopy and emergent layers are blocking most of its direct sunlight. The forest floor is the lowest layer of the tropical rainforest. The forest floor receives less than 1% of the earth's sun. Therefore, very few plants grow there other than a few scattered herbs and bushes. The forest floor is full of animal life that consists of mostly insects. The biggest animals in the tropical rainforest live on the forest floor.