The Rainforest Floor

The rainforest floor is often dark and humid due to constant shade from the canopy’s leaves. Despite its constant shade, the rainforest floor is an important part of the forest ecosystem.

The forest floor is where decomposition takes place. Decomposition is the process by which fungi and microorganisms break down dead plants and animals and recycle essential materials and nutrients.

Also, many of the largest rainforest animals are found on the forest floor. Some of these are elephants (in Asia), the tapir (Southeast Asia and Central and South America), tigers (Asia), and the jaguar (Central and South America).

PHOTOS FROM THE RAINFOREST FLOOR

Rainforest tree
(Malaysia)

Liana wrapped around a rainforest canopy tree
(Belize)

Roots of a strangler fig
(Indonesia)

Rainforest creek
(Suriname)

Borneo rainforest
(Malaysia)

Osa Peninsula rainforest
(Costa Rica)

Rainforest in Chambura Gorge
(Uganda)

Borneo rainforest
(Malaysia)

Looking up the trunk of a giant Ceiba tree
(Costa Rica)

Tropical rainforest in the Osa Peninsula
(Costa Rica)

Buttress roots of a canopy tree
(Malaysia)