Carbon River Rainforest Trail: Beneath It All Exhibit Panel

Temperate rainforest is characterized by its dense understory filled with plants.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Carbon River Rainforest Trail

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Title: Beneath It All: The Understory

Main Text
In the understory, smaller trees and shrubs grow in the abundant moisture and shade among the trunks of the tall trees. Nearly every bit of space is taken up by living plants. The thick understory of skunk cabbage and devil's club make passage difficult. Some plants adapt to the wet soil by developing shallow root systems. Others have air pockets that allow oxygen to travel from leaves to roots. Many different mosses, lichens and ferns also thrive here, absorbing water and nutrients from rain and fog.

Secondary Text
Since all plants depend on sunlight to some degree, shrubs and other understory plants are most abundant along river and stream banks where the sunlight shines through or in areas where trees have fallen.

Exhibit Panel Description
The main text stretches across the top third of the exhibit panel against a solid green background. The bottom two-thirds of the panel is divided between two photos. The photo on the left is of devil's club, a plant with large palmate leaves radiating around a cluster of small red berries at the top of the center stalk. A caption in a black bar at the top of the photo reads: "Devil's club can grow up to six feet tall in the low light of the understory. Its large, spiny, maple-shaped leaves collect light and moisture. Devil's club requires the boggy, saturated soils of this area to grow." The photo on the right is of skunk cabbage, a plant with a flower spike and large green leaves growing directly from a stream bed. The flower is sheltered by a modified leaf that forms a bright yellow hood around the flower spike. A caption in a black bar at the top of the photo reads: "Named for the strong odor it gives off in the spring, especially when flowering, skunk cabbage attracts many kinds of insects that help pollinate it. Skunk cabbage grows here because it needs large amounts of moisture and very wet soil." A small box in the lower right corner of the panel reads "User Fee Project. Your Fee Dollars at Work. Entrance fees were used to produce this exhibit".

Visit This Exhibit Panel
This exhibit panel is located along the Carbon River Rainforest Trail, which begins at the Carbon River Entrance. The Carbon River Entrance is open year-round. NOTE: The Carbon River Rainforest Trail has been damaged by fallen trees and sections are closed. Please travel with caution.