Structures and locations of rainforests across the world
The rainforest is composed of four predominant layers. The forest floor, the understory, the
canopy and the emergent layer.
The forest floor receives a mere 2% of the total light. Fungi, insects and parasites mainly
roam this area.
The understory is the layer between the forest floor and the canopy. It is mostly composed
of shrubs and trees that grow up to 12 feet in height. Rainfall and light are rare in this layer.
In the canopy, trees can grow up to 90 feet. Pollination in this layer relies of insects and
bugs.
The emergent layer can consist of trees of about 120 feet. These are usually the oldest
trees. These receive the most sunlight, heat and rain.
Rainforests are typically found around the tropics, typically the equator. The largest
rainforest, the Amazon is found in South America. The rainforests nearer the equator are
typically tropical while those further away are generally temperate.
