EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The forest floor, also known as the O horizon of the soil profile or the litter layer (Fig. 1), mainly contains decomposing plant material such as leaves, bark, branches, and stems.

Detailed explanation-2: -The high temperature and moisture of tropical rainforests cause dead organic matter in the soil to decompose more quickly than in other climates, thus releasing and losing its nutrients rapidly. The high volume of rain in tropical rainforests washes nutrients out of the soil more quickly than in other climates.

Detailed explanation-3: -Leaf litter covers a forest floor, creating a thick layer of humus. In addition to the plant material in leaf litter, humus is composed of decaying animals, such as insects, and other organisms, such as mushrooms. Humus is dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant and animal matter decays.

Detailed explanation-4: -The canopy layer of the rainforest is where most of the plant and animal species are found. The canopy layer is made up of the branches and leaves of most of the rainforest’s trees. It’s between 30 and 45 metres (100 and 150 ft.) from the ground.