the canopy is the aboveground portion of a plant croping or crop, formed by the collection of individual plant crowns.

In forest ecology, canopy also refers to the upper layer or habitat zone, formed by mature tree crowns and including other biological organisms

Sometimes the term canopy is used to refer to the extent of the outer layer of leaves of an individual tree or group of trees.

Shade trees normally have a dense canopy that blocks light from lower growing plants.

Early observations of canopies were made from the ground using binoculars or by examining fallen material

Researchers would sometimes erroneously rely on extrapolation by using more reachable samples taken from the understory.

In some cases, they would use unconventional methods such as chairs suspended on vines or hot-air dirigibles, among others.

Modern technology, including adapted mountaineering gear, has made canopy observation significantly easier and more accurate

Canopy structure is the organization or spatial arrangement of a plant canopy.

The canopy is taller than the understory layer. The canopy holds 90% of the animals in the rainforest.

They cover vast distances and appear to be unbroken when observed from an airplane.

However, despite overlapping tree branches, rainforest canopy trees rarely touch each other.