Floor Of A Forest

The forest floor is very dark in a rainforest and hence it is not the home to many plants.

Floor of a forest.

Definition of forest floor. The forest floor also called detritus duff and the o horizon is one of the most distinctive features of a forest ecosystem. The richly organic layer of soil and debris characteristic of forested land. Large leafed shrubs and saplings new trees grow in the patches of sunlight.

Decomposition is the process by which fungi and microorganisms break down dead plants and animals and recycle essential materials and nutrients. Only two percent of sunlight gets through the thick canopy trees and understory plants to reach the forest floor. It mainly consists of shed vegetative parts such as leaves branches bark and stems existing in various stages of decomposition above the soil surface. Also many of the largest rainforest animals are found on the forest floor.

There is too little sunlight here for plants to grow. Although principally composed of non living organic material the forest floor also teems with a wide variety of fauna and flora. The forest floor is also where decomposition takes place. A forest floor with fallen trees and purple flowers with the sunlight shining throught the canopy of the forest old trees in a forest with the floor covered with moss.