understorey

Below the canopy

The understorey is the layer of vegetation growing beneath the main canopy in a forest—shrubs, small trees, and shade-tolerant plants that thrive in filtered light.

Ecologists study understorey composition to assess forest health: The understorey was dominated by ferns and young maples.

Also spelled understory.

plants

ferns

Spore-bearing vascular plants

mossesSmall spore-bearing plants
lichensFungal-algal composite organisms
fungiSpore-reproducing decomposers

saplings · seedlings · herbaceous · shade-tolerant · huckleberry · salal · rhododendron · azalea · dogwood · holly

structure

canopy

Overhead protective covering

groundcoverLow plants blanketing soil
humusDecayed organic soil matter
overstoryTopmost forest layer

midstory · stratification · thicket · brushwood

atmosphere

dappled

Marked with spots

dimLow in light
shadedBlocked from light
coolCalm or fashionable

humid · sheltered · secluded · hidden · quiet · stillness · tranquil · verdant · lush · dense

ecology

microclimate

Localized atmospheric zone

biodiversityRange of life forms
habitatOrganism's natural environment
decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts

detritus · pollination · invertebrates · humidity · foraging · symbiosis · mycorrhizae · succession · regeneration

Opposites

forest vertical stratification

understoreycanopy

Overhead protective covering

overstory · canopy layer · emergent layer · treetops · forest canopy

Family

understory, understories

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Timeless · Concrete · Rated G