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Entering rainforests in tropical regions or temperate deciduous forests will allow us to find well-defined understory areas under the treetops. It is there, among the vegetation of the ground, where a large number of shoots, vines and seedlings appear that make up the understory, giving adequate support to the trees with which they coexist. Characterized by humidity and the outcrop of fungi and other decomposing organisms, undergrowths are microclimates rich in the recycling of nutrients and therefore, very favorable areas for the survival of many animals and plants.
Continue reading this article by Ecologist Verde and you will discover everything that the understory: what is it, plants and animals.
What is the understory
The definition of understory refers to all that variety of vegetation that grows in the areas closest to the ground, within each and every one of the forests that exist in nature. In this way, all vegetation that grows below the tops or upper regions of the trees corresponds to an understory.
It includes both young trees, herbs and shrubs, as well as seedlings (spermatophyte plant species that are in their first stage of development, that is, from when the seed begins to germinate until the first leaves of the plant appear).
Every understory area is characterized by receiving lower sunlight intensity than that received by the upper areas of the forest, where the leafy crowns of high-rise trees easily catch the rays of the sun and create areas of shade / semi-shade under them. For this reason, all the plant species that make up the understory have various adaptations to be able to carry out photosynthesis in such low light conditions.
Let's see in more detail in the next section which plants exist in the understory and their main characteristics.
Understory plants
The great variety of plants that make up the understory are generally characterized by being small species with adaptations that allow them survive in low light conditions that occurs permanently in the understory.
In many cases, understory saplings they maintain their low stature for decades, waiting for the tops of the tallest trees to leave some space that allows "those below" to grow and reach greater height. BushesOn the other hand, they do not usually develop further and remain in the shady undergrowth throughout their life cycle, such is the case of holly (genus Ilex) and dogwood (genus Cornus).
Among the survival strategies that understory plant species have developed, the ability to expose their leaves to the sun during the period in which deciduous trees (deciduous trees) remain without leaves in their canopies, thus allowing the plants of the understory acquire higher light doses to meet their photosynthetic needs and maintain a carbon balance throughout the rest of the year.
Some understory plant names from all over the world are:
- Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
- Fern (Blechnum cordatum)
- Bitter cress (genus Cardamine)
- Mouse ear (Cerastium fontanum)
- The acetosilla (Rumex acetosella)
- Ontineta (Veronica serpyllifolia)
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Understory animals
According to the region of the planet and the environmental conditions that characterize the understory, the fauna biodiversity will be made up of various species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and also a large number of invertebrates, such as insects and worms. All of them will generally have a good predisposition to the humid environment that characterizes the understory, as well as the scarcity of direct sunlight and the shelter offered by small plants.
Between the main species of understory animals we can find:
- Insectivorous birds: talégalos or megapods of the jungle (family Megapodiidae), capulineros (family Ptilogonatidae), the giant cúa (Cuca gigas) and giant arches (Argusianus argus).
- Understory mammals: wild pigs (genus Sus), anteaters (genus Myrmecophaga), armadillos (family Dasypodidae) and mice (genus Mus).
- Reptiles: lizards (family Lacertidae) and snakes such as the emerald boa (Corallus caninus) and the green liana (Gonisone oxycephala).
- Amphibians: arrowhead frog (family Dendrobatidae), Panama golden frog (Atelopus zetecki) and green climbing tablecloth (Mantella laevigata).
- Insects: Burying beetle (genus Nicrophorus), termites (family Termitidae), leaf-cutter ants (genus Atta), ithomiinae butterflies, and tachinid flies.
- Worms: centipedes (family Chilopoda), earthworms (family Lumbricidae) and leeches (genus Hirudo).
If you want to read more articles similar to Undergrowth: what is it, plants and animals, we recommend that you enter our Ecosystems category.
Bibliography- Quintero, C. P. Large herbivores in lenga forests (Othofagus pumilio): spatio-temporal use of resources and their effects on regeneration and understory. Institutional Digital Repository of the National University of Comahue.
- Fernández, M. C. et al., (1998) Changes in understory Biodiversity throughout the lenga forest management cycle. First IUFRO Latin American Congress (Chile).
- Naranjo, L. G. & Chacón de Ulloa, P. (1997) Diversity of understory insects and insectivorous birds in disturbed habitats of tropical rainforest. Caldasia Magazine, Institute of Natural Sciences, National University of Colombia, Volume 19 (3), pp: 507-520.
- Drafting Team. Mammals of the understory. MONGABAY Magazine.
