Posted By Phineas Upham
The canopy of the Amazon is a layer of trees that cover the jungle. They form a kind of roof over the various species roaming the jungle, but the layer is also one of the busiest parts of the rainforest. The leaves of a canopy, in addition to their other amazing properties, act as solar panels for the forest. That’s just one of many amazing facts about the Amazon canopy.
Different Layers
The canopy is actually made of several different layers that combine to form a single layer of the jungle. Beneath the actual canopy proper is the understory, which is not as densely populated as the canopy itself. The forest floor also contains a layer of shrubbery, which is shrouded almost entirely in darkness.
The Leaves
Most of the leaves in the rainforest canopy have points at their bottoms. This is a runoff for dripping water, and without that point the leaves would gather water and eventually mold. So much water might lead the amateur gardener to believe the forest is fertile, but the reality is that when forest land is cleared for farming, the soil lasts for only a few more years.
Studying the Canopy
The canopy is high above the forest floor, which makes it difficult to capture the inner-workings of life up there. In response, scientists built walkways that stretch from tree to tree so that they can walk around during extended periods of study.
Phineas Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phin on his Phineas Upham website or Twitter page.