3. Aim: Study of canopy of architecture of trees
Materials Required: Pen , Pencil , Notebook
Experimental Procedure: This experiment is to be performed outdoor visit of a
forest or hill Station. Observe various trees carefully and record the following
information:
1) Number of storeys of trees i.e., stratification.
2) Shape of canopies.
3) Architecture of trees i.e., branched or unbranched.
4) Average height of trees in each storey.
5) Shape of leaves .
6) Any special features.
11. Dominant and co-dominant canopy trees form the uneven canopy layer. Canopy
trees are able to photosynthesize relatively rapidly due to abundant light, so it
supports the majority of primary productivity in forests. The canopy layer provides
protection from strong winds and storms, while also intercepting sunlight and
precipitation, leading to a relatively sparsely vegetated understory layer.
Forest canopies are home to unique flora and fauna not found in other layers of
forests. The highest terrestrial biodiversity resides in the canopy of tropical
rainforests. Many rainforest animals have evolved to live solely in the canopy, and
never touch the ground.
The canopy of a rainforest is typically about 10m thick, and intercepts around 95%
of sunlight. The canopy is below the emergent layer, a sparse layer of very tall trees,
typically one or two per hectare. With an abundance of water and a near ideal
temperature in rainforests, light and nutrients are two factors that limit tree
growth from the understory to the canopy. In the permaculture and forest
gardening community, the canopy is the highest of seven layers. The canopy can
get as high as 40meters with different animals.
Canopy Layers of Forest
12. Role of Forest Canopy Structure
Forest canopy structure determines many of the environmental factors and
functions of a forest and is, therefore, important for all the species living in a forest.
Light interception: Light distribution within the forest depends on the number of
layers. The upper layers will get more light radiation, with little light coming
through to the forest floor, if the canopy is dense. For this reason, there is little
grass and herbs in well-developed and old forests. The amount of light reaching
lower parts of a tree is also important as photosynthesis depends on it. So, there is
more photosynthesis in the upper layers of a forest canopy.
Moderate temperature: Temperatures within a forest vary with height. At the
upper canopy layers, temperatures are extreme and fluctuate more, while in the
forest interior, they are moderate and stable, making forest floors preferred homes
of large animals like ungulates.
Wind and rain protection: Forest canopies act as a windbreak and intercept
rainfall making the forest interior more hospitable.
13. Role of Forest Canopy Structure
Produces niches: The combination of environmental conditions at various
heights creates a myriad of microclimates, which provide specialized niches for
other plants, animals, birds, insects, etc. For example, epiphytes grow in branch
nooks, and most insects live in the crowns of trees.
Structural diversity: Besides the microclimates, the forest canopy with its
branches and arboreal connections creates structural diversity which is vital for
the survival of many animals. For example, many tree-dwellers escape ground
predators by staying and moving in the canopy.
Biodiversity: As a result of its influences, the forest canopy structure is
necessary to maintain the biodiversity of a forest. Differing forest canopy
structures of biomes increase the overall biodiversity of the earth.
16. Besides the importance of forest canopy structure for the forest ecosystem, it is
useful for people in many ways and is therefore monitored. Some of the most
important uses are as follows:
Ecosystem Productivity: Forest canopy structure studies at the regional and local
scales have often been used to determine carbon uptake, storage, and flux for
carbon accounting and validation. Such productivity analysis is common in
climate change mitigation studies.
Ecosystem Services: It is the canopy structure of the forest that determines many
of the ecosystem services we associate with forests. These could be:
Intercepting and helping in percolation of 60-90% of rainwater/ snow
gently into the soil and producing a watershed region important for the hydrology
of a region.
Providing people and animals with clean drinking water.
Producing litter (leaves, fallen branches, etc.) that maintain soil fertility
and soil carbon banks.
Providing a canopy or ground cover that protects soil from the force of rain
and a mat of roots that hold soil to conserve it.
Uses of Canopy Structure
17. Forest canopies hold a lot of the water that trees absorb and recirculate it
into the atmosphere through transpiration, providing input for rain, so the water
cycle is maintained. For example, one-third of the rainfall in the Amazons is due to
the forest canopy.
Agricultural productivity: Many cash crops have been traditionally cultivated as
understorey crops and require a forest canopy to thrive. Examples are cardamom,
coffee, or cacao.
Forestry: Forest canopy structure is also regulated because many commercial
forests provide timber and wood.
Non-timber products: It is essential to maintain and monitor primary forests’
canopy, as it provides non-timber products such as medicinal plants, nuts, fruits,
resins, barks, etc. The tree crown provides most of these products.
Ecology studies: Forest canopies are a reflection of available moisture and soil
types, and differences in canopy structure can establish gradients in site quality of
forests.
Uses of Canopy Structure
