▁in ▁the ▁underlying ▁layers . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁above - ground ▁strat ification ▁there ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁“ root ▁layer ”. ▁In ▁the ▁broad est ▁sense , ▁the ▁layer ing ▁of ▁di as por es ▁in ▁the ▁soil ▁may ▁be ▁counted ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁vertical ▁structure . ▁The ▁plants ▁of ▁a ▁layer , ▁especially ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁their ▁way ▁of ▁life ▁and ▁corresponding ly ▁similar ▁root ▁distribution ▁interact ▁closely ▁and ▁comp ete ▁strongly ▁for ▁space , ▁light , ▁water ▁and ▁nut ri ents . ▁The ▁strat ification ▁of ▁a ▁plant ▁community ▁is ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁long ▁selection ▁and ▁adaptation ▁processes . ▁Through ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁different ▁layers ▁a ▁given ▁habitat ▁is ▁better ▁util ized . ▁Str ong ly ▁vert ically ▁strat ified ▁habit ats ▁are ▁very ▁stable ▁e cos ystem s . ▁The ▁opposite ▁is ▁not ▁true , ▁because ▁several ▁less ▁strat ified ▁veget ation ▁types , ▁such ▁as ▁re ed ▁b eds , ▁can ▁be ▁very ▁stable . ▁The ▁layers ▁of ▁a ▁habitat ▁are ▁closely ▁inter related ▁and ▁at ▁least ▁partly ▁inter dependent . ▁This ▁is ▁often ▁the ▁case ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁changes ▁in ▁micro cl imate ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁layers , ▁the ▁light ▁factor ▁being ▁of ▁particular ▁importance . ▁▁▁ ▁Besides ▁the ▁super position ▁of ▁different ▁plants ▁growing ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁soil , ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁later al ▁impact ▁of ▁the ▁higher ▁layers ▁on ▁adjacent ▁plant ▁communities , ▁for ▁example , ▁at ▁the ▁edges ▁of ▁for ests ▁and ▁bush es . ▁This ▁particular ▁veget ation ▁structure ▁results