Forests (plant communities)

Plant communities that are dominated by trees and other woody vegetation. A typical forest is composed of the overstory and the understory; the understory may be subdivided into the lower tree layer, shrub layer, herb layer, moss layer, and soil microbes. Today forests occupy approximately one-third of the earth's land area. For forests in the sense of cultural landscape rather than as a plant community, use "forests (cultural landscapes)."