Leaves in the canopy makes the base layer of the tropical rainforest are generally dark and damp. However, despite its constant shade, the soil surface from rain forest is an important part of forest ecosystems.
The forest floor is where the occurrence of decay (decomposition). Decomposition is the process by which decomposers like fungi and microorganisms break down dead plants and animals and recycle essential materials and nutrients that are useful.
Soil inside the tropical rainforests is very nutrient weak. The topsoil is only one to be able to two inches (2. 5 to be able to 5 centimeters) deep. The only reason plants is so lush is because the particular plants store the nutrients in themselves as opposed to getting them from the soil. Any time plants decay, other growing plants tap the nutrients from your dead matter and reuse nutrients left from that plant. This is why farmers can simply use the rainforest soil for 1 or 2 years after they clear cut that, before all nutrients are stripped from your soil.
Many of the biggest animals of rain forests are found on the forest floor. Some of these include elephants, tapirs, and panthers. The reason soils are so infertile is because they're more than 100 million years outdated, and have taken a beating from the elements. After time, rain washes minerals out from the soil, leaving them more acidic and also nutrient poor. Soil exposed to the warmth and condensed sunlight turns soil directly into red clay. Other soils just cannot handle minerals, and turn them into ingredients useless to plants. There are some fertile patches of soil inside the tropical rainforest, but they are scattered through the entire thick vegetation.
