Where is canopy soil found? · canopy soil comes from epiphytes – non-parasitic plants that grow on trees. · here we integrate satellite-based and field observations to assess the global impacts of canopy architecture on crop yield and nitrous oxide (n2o) emissions for rice, wheat, maize and soybean. Ira talks with lead author jessica murray, an ecologist and phd candidate at utah state university in logan, utah. Why are nutrients stored in canopy soil? We surveyed canopy soils across gradients of temperature and precipitation in six primary forests in costa rica. Canopy soils, also known as arboreal soils , exist in areas of the forest canopy where branches, crevices, or some other physical feature on a tree can accumulate organic matter, such as leaves or fine branches. · researchers are unraveling the mysteries of the dense, mossy humus, known as canopy soil , that provides rich habitat for insects, birds, fungi, worms and plants, as well as a generous reservoir for carbon storage. · canopy soils can be important to forest nutrient cycling, hydrology, and biodiversity, but the factors determining their distribution and properties are largely unknown. · a new study in geoderma describes the factors that contribute to how canopy soil is formed. Why is canopy soil different than other soils? This soil, in turn, provides nutrients and water for other epiphytes that grow on the tree. Why is the age of a canopy important? When these plants die, they tend to decompose where they grew, breaking down into soil in the nooks and crannies of the tree. · built up over decades or centuries, this canopy soil provides a home for insects, fungi, birds, worms, and epiphytes, which are plants that grow on other plants—and much of this life never.
