What is canopy structure?

Canopy or overstory is the above ground portion of a vegetation in forests consisting of the tops of trees forming a kind of ceiling. For example,The Great Banyan trees consist of multiple trunks spread across a large area. With its large number of aerial roots, The Great Banyan looks more like a forest than an individual tree.

Difference between Canopy & Understory:

• Canopy trees grow the tallest and have the potential to overtop other plants. Majority of the largest trees, typically 30-45 m tall.
• Understory trees are smaller and are under other trees leaves. It receives only 2% of sunlight. It is a home to a number of birds, lizards etc.