Glossary

The rapidly maturing field of canopy research demands the need for definitions of commonly used terms. This database contains a glossary of technical terms used by canopy researchers with references to the published sources.

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A Terms

• aboveground adventitious roots

  • adventitious roots in the canopy that are often directly associated with and/or penetrate accumulations of epiphytes and accompanying humus suspended in host tree crowns. Allow host trees to exploit nutrients in organic matter within their crowns.
    As cited in...

• accidental epiphyte

  • a plant that normally grows terrestrially, but which occasionally grows to maturity in a tree crown, usually in terrestrial-like microsites such as crotches of branches.
    As cited in...

• aerial

  • canopy-dwelling as opposed to terrestrial (e.g. arboreal or epiphytic).
    As cited in...

• aerial plankton

  • minute airborne organisms en masse, including mites, thrips, ballooning spiders, cysts, and many plant and fungal reproductive structures small enough to remain suspended in the air for potentially long intervals.
    As cited in...

• aerial roots

  • roots that either grow from the canopy to the ground, or originate and remain in the canopy; often have adaptations for desiccation resistance such as gelatinous slime.
    As cited in...

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