Canopy (biology)

In biology, the canopy is the aboveground portion of a plant cropping or crop, formed by the collection of individual plant crowns.[1][2][3] In forest ecology, canopy refers to the upper layer or habitat zone, formed by mature tree crowns and including other biological organisms (epiphytes, lianas, arboreal animals, etc.).[4] The communities that inhabit the canopy layer are thought to be involved in maintaining forest diversity, resilience, and functioning.[5] Shade trees normally have a dense canopy that blocks light from lower growing plants.