2. FOREST is typically a large area covered
mainly with trees and undergrowth.
Forests cover one third of the earth's land
mass, performing vital functions and
supporting the livelihoods of 1.6 billion
people.
Forests are home to more than half of the
world’s land-based species of animals, plants
and insects. They also combat climate change
and buffer the impacts of storms and floods.
3. A forest ecosystem is a natural habitat for
plants and animals in a woodland area.
It consists of all the living (biotic) and non-
living (abiotic) components of the
environment that interact with each other.
All living (biotic) components can be divided
into Producer, Consumer and Decomposer.
4. Plants are the primary producers in a forest
ecosystem.
Producers make their own food. Plants do
this through the process of photosynthesis.
Many producers also happen to produce, or
make, things that animals eat.
5.
6. Emergent Layer- This layer is composed of tall trees
(70-80 meters max) and is reported to obtain constant
sunlight. They’re found only in tropical forests.
Forest Canopy- Trees are closely spaced and can be
anywhere from 10-25 meters high, but can also be as
high as 60 meters. Animals including monkeys, birds,
insects, and reptiles inhabit the canopy.
Understory- It refers to the plants present just
beneath the canopy, and hence, is dimply lit. The
majority of the trees are smaller ones (5-10 meters).
7. Shrub Layer- The shrub layer is 1-5 meters.
They’re rarely found in tropical forests. Some
deciduous temperate forests have a rich
shrub layer.
Non-Woody Herbaceous Ground Cover- In
tropical forests, this strata is rarely more than
10% of the forest area. Its mainly just plants
and some grasses.
Moss, Cryptogam, and Shallow Soil Layer- It
includes fallen logs of trees and decomposing
litter of fallen leaves and twigs.
8.
9. All animals, including mammals, others are
called Consumers. Consumers rely on plants and
other animals as a food source.
Primary Consumers only eat plants and are
referred to as Herbivores.
Secondary Consumers are referred to as
carnivores and feed on Herbivores.
Tertiary Consumers is an animal that obtains its
nutrition by eating primary and secondary
consumers.
Omnivores eat both plants and animals.
10.
11. Decomposers are any organisms that lives off
of ingesting other dead organisms.
Decomposers break down dead plants and
animals, returning the nutrients to the soil to
be made usable by the producers.
These include bacteria, ants, termites,
earthworms, fungi, etc.
