Planet Earth 08 Jungles Part 03

The Life Cycle of a Forest

The Struggle for Light

• Only 2% of sunlight penetrates to the forest floor, creating challenging conditions for seedlings to grow.

• The death of a Forest Giant is essential for maintaining forest health, allowing more light to reach the ground.

• A sudden influx of sunlight following a tree's death stimulates growth on the forest floor, igniting competition among plants.

Biodiversity in Rainforests

• A single hectare of rainforest can host up to 250 species of trees, significantly higher than the number found in Britain.