noun
- Plural of overstorey; the upper layer or canopy of a forest, consisting of the tallest trees.
Usage: chiefly British spelling; American English typically uses 'overstory'; forestry and ecology term
Examples
- The overstoreys of the tropical rainforest block most sunlight from reaching the forest floor.
- Ecologists studied how the overstoreys changed after the storm damaged several tall trees.
- Different overstoreys exist in temperate and tropical forests.
- The bird species in the overstoreys differ greatly from those in the understorey.
- Removing overstoreys can dramatically alter the microclimate of a forest.