Forest floor

The forest floor serves as a bridge between the above ground living vegetation and the soil, and thus is a crucial component in nutrient transfer through the biogeochemical cycle.

[4] The plant litter of the forest floor (or L horizon) prevents erosion, conserves moisture, and provides nutrients to the entire ecosystem.

The sustained productivity of forests is closely linked with the decomposition of shed plant parts, particularly the nutrient-rich foliage.

Woodland plants that inhabit this zone often have bulbs or rhizomes and include ferns such as bracken, monocots such as bluebells and dog's mercury.

[12] Therefore, the leaf litter layer of tropical forests may be considerably less apparent, or virtually absent at certain times of the year.

[13] Examples of the wide range of plants adapted to this zone include: spike mosses, gingers and the parasitic Rafflesia spp.