Forest canopies
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12 word format
document in English
biology
presentation
published 18/11/2008
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Summary
The word canopy is derived from the Latin conopeum, describing a mosquito net over a bed. For canopy researchers in many tropical and temperate forests, this derivation is all too fitting. Forest canopies are home to perhaps 50% of all living organisms, many of which are uniquely specialized for life in the treetops and seldom, if ever, venture to the ground below. The canopy is the photosynthetic powerhouse of forest productivity which fuels this spectacular diversity of species. Over 90% of photosynthesis occurs in just the upper 20% of tree crowns. Here, over 60% of the total organic carbon in forests is fixed and stored, forming an important buffer in the global carbon cycle.
Table of Contents
- Introduction.
- Definition.
- Discovery and exploration.
- The naturalist and explorer William Beebe.
- The scope and extent of canopy studies.
- Modern Canopy access systems.
- Methods of access.
- Climbing techniques and mechanical methods.
- Towers and cranes.
- Aerial walkways, platforms, and cable cars.
- Selecting an appropriate method.
- Life history and biology of the organism.
- Spatial extent.
- Replication and randomization.
- Long-term monitoring,
- Impact on the ecosystem.
- Logistical constraints.
- Canopies as the substrate, buffer, and catalyst for forest dynamics.
- Canopy architecture.
- Aboveground–belowground dynamics.
- The Canopy–atmosphere interface.
- The functional importance of forest canopies in global change.
- Maintenance of biodiversity.
- Sustainability of forest production.
- Conclusion.
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