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The canopy is the top of vegetation that forms a dense, roof-like cover in forest environments. The term canopy can refer to the top of a tree, kelp or algae forest. Tree crowns usually form a canopy in a land forest. A canopy can also be created in a community of other land plants than trees, such as a woodland, scrub land or a crop. In this case, the crowns are formed by the relevant community of plants.

" Forest canopies form an important buffer between the soil and the atmosphere, regulating the exchange of carbon, water, and energy that affects atmospheric chemistry. Forest canopies interact with the atmosphere in two important ways. First, through structural interference of airflow that creates turbulence. Second, through the interception of solar radiation and exchange of CO2 and water vapor during photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration.

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Forest canopies support extensive flora that include more than 24,000 species, or about 10% of all of the tracheophytes (Kress, 1986). Vascular epiphytes differ greatly in structure, function, and fidelity to their degree of dependence on canopy versus terrestrial habitats. Ecologists recognize their important roles in nutrient cycling and in providing arboreal and terrestrial animals with food, water, and nesting materials (Nadkarni, 1994). Ecophysiologists recognize the varied structures and mechanisms that protect vascular epiphytes from drought (Benzing, 1990).

Some of the characteristics for regular occurrence on bark and associated aerial substrates are obvious (e.g., holdfast roots and wind-dispersed propagules), but others are more subtle." ScienceDirect

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Authors Felicity
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Translations Spanish, French
Related 2 subpages, 6 pages link here
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Created February 17, 2016 by Felicity
Modified March 28, 2024 by StandardWikitext bot
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