What is an understory layer?

What is an understory layer?

The understory layer is a tangle of shrubs, young trees, saplings, palms and vines. It is hot and damp here and the air is very still. Understory layer. This video of the understory layer was taken in the Amazon Rainforest.

Why do plains have no trees?

Most likely the answer is that the Great Plains are/were a great place for grasses to grow, and not such a great place for trees, unless they were along a river or something. Grazing animals like bison don't eat brush like trees. The great grassland was able to support a huge number of bison.

What is the difference between a grassland and a savanna?

Grasslands and savannas are related and often intermixed biomes typically dominated by grasses. True grassland supports few if any woody plants, while savannas include varying proportions of shrubs and trees, grading into woodland where canopies begin mingling.

Is the soil in the savanna fertile?

Savanna grassland soils are not very fertile. The nutrients in the soil are found near the surface as they come from decayed organic matter (vegetation) from the previous growing season. This organic matter decays rapidly due to the high temperatures.

What is the soil like in the savanna?

The savannas are grasslands that have several months of dryness, followed by a rainy season. A majority of the soils in this area are Alfisols and Ultisols. These soils are very old and low in fertility, but since there is a dry season, more of the nutrients can stay in place.