Forest floor

Forest floor, the bottom-most layer, receives only 2% of the sunlight. Only plants adapted to low light can grow in this region Relatively clear of vegetation because of the low sunlight penetration This more open quality permits the easy movement of larger animals Forest floor contains rotting plant and animal matter, which disappears quickly because warm, humid conditions Many forms of fungi growing on the forest floor help decay the animal and plant waste

Understory/shrub layer
Only about 5% of sunlight breaches the canopy to arrive at the understory vegetation at this layer generally consists of shade-tolerant shrubs, herbs, small trees, and large woody vines which climb into the trees to capture sunlight

Canopy layer
It contains the majority of the largest trees The densest areas of biodiversity are found in the forest canopy Tall, broad-leaved evergreen trees are the dominant plants

Emergent layer
contains a small number of very large trees, called emergents, which grow above the general canopy few species will grow to 7080 m tall trees need to be able to withstand the hot temperatures and strong winds that occur above the canopy in some areas Emergent or canopy trees collapse, causing gaps to form Many of the trees in the tropical rainforest are dependent on these openings for germination.

Plant parts and how they have adapted to the tropical rainforest climate:
Leaves
The leaves are usually broad and dark green. This is to increase the capturing of sunlight for photosynthesis. They are also thick and leathery to withstand the excessive heat. The leaves are smooth and have drip tips that allows excess water to slide off.

Bark and banches

thick bark helps to limit moisture evaporation from the tree's trunk. Since this is not a concern in the high humidity of tropical rainforests, most trees have a thin, smooth bark. The smoothness of the bark may also make it difficult for other plants to grow on their surface.

Roots
Buttress roots:

Buttress roots provide extra stability, especially since roots of tropical rainforest trees are not typically as deep as those of trees in temperate

zones. Prop and Stilt Roots: Prop and stilt roots help give support and are characteristic of tropical palms growing in shallow, wet soils.

Undergrowth
Due to the continuous canopy, sunlight cannot penetrate and reach the forest floor, thus the undergrowth is sparse.

Young saplings
Light is an important element in the growth of a plant. . However at the forest floor, due the thick canopy above, light cannot penetrate through into the heart of the forest. Some species of trees develop large seeds that contain enough food to allow the seedlings attain a height of 1metres or more. For those with small seeds, they rely on high light to germinate and grow. Some seeds also can lay dormant for many years before they start to germinate