Forest Habitat

The word "forest" conjures up the idea in everyone's mind of a habitat dominated by trees. This is true at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center even though trees are not the most numerous species. Their large size not only dominates our view but significantly influences the character and species composition of their environment. The tall spreading canopy produces shade, reducing the light available to other, lower growing species. Their large size demands a great deal of the available water and soil nutrients. They also take up a lot of space both above and below ground. The forest at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center consists of pines and hardwoods such as oaks and hickories.

A forest has several layers, each of which has its own set of dominant plant and animal species. Four of the most readily identifiable layers are the canopy, the understory, the shrub layer, and the herb layer. One important part of the forest which many people forget about is the soil. Most forest plants have their roots in the soil. Trees often establish symbiotic relationships with fungi. The fungi live in the soil and become attached to the roots of the trees, helping the trees to absorb water and soil nutrients more easily.