What is the tallest layer of a rainforest called?

The tallest layer of a rainforest is called the emergent layer. It consists of the highest trees, whose crowns rise above the more continuous canopy and stand exposed to intense sunlight, heat and wind.

Emergent trees commonly reach about 45 to 55 metres, although exceptional specimens can grow to 70 or even 80 metres. Their height gives them access to abundant light, but surviving above the canopy requires strong trunks, deep or spreading root systems and branches that can withstand powerful tropical storms.

This uppermost layer is not a solid roof. It contains scattered giant trees separated by open air, unlike the canopy below, which forms a more continuous leafy cover. Birds of prey, monkeys, butterflies and large flying foxes may use the emergent zone, while many other animals move between it and the canopy.

The common mix-up is to choose “canopy,” because the canopy is the rainforest’s most prominent and biologically rich layer. However, the canopy lies beneath the emergent layer. Below them are the darker understory and forest floor, where little sunlight reaches and decomposition happens rapidly.