EddyArtEco Feb 1, 2009:

Laaggewas is geen optie voor understory Laaggewas is lage begroeiing (van kruiden, grassen, of lage struiken) en heeft niets met bos te maken; het woord voor ook weinig gebruikt en meestal als laag gewas. Dit woord kan echt niet overwogen worden als Nederlands voor understory!

Eddy van der Maarel

EddyArtEco Jan 1, 2009:

Ondergroei, onderste boomlaag, struiklaag Understory (also understorey) has different meanings in forestry and forest ecology. In forest ecology and plant sociology understory is a layer of trees and shrubs under and in the shade of the canopy. See, e.g., E. Röhrig, 1991. Vegetation structure and forest succession. In: Ecosystems of the World, Vol. 7, pp. 35-49. Elsevier, Amsterdam. Plant sociologists in the Netherlands en Germany speak of upper and lower tree layer. The correct Dutch equivalent would then be "onderste boomlaag". If a layer of shrubs and young trees is found underneath the canopy this is also called shrublayer, which would be "struiklaag" in Dutch. The definitions quoted by Tessa suggest that all vegetation underneath the canopy is understory, sometimes with the exception of the herbs and mosses. In any wider definition of understory "ondergroei" would be the correct translation.
The appropriate translation of understory would then depend on the context of the text and the apparent view of the writer on the structure of the forest.


Eddy van der Maarel

Hilde Hoven Dec 2, 2008:

'Laaggewas' lijkt mij een optie. "De struikgewassen maken het compleet en vullen de ruimte tussen de bomen en het laaggewas." (Though I am not supposed to answer and not a forestry expert. I live in the bush, however...). 'Laaggewas' might be a starting point. It's not just the bush growing under higher vegetation, a landscape can also consist of 'laaggewas' (low scrub) only, in which case it is not understory, ofcourse... (www.rossholidays.nl/vakantie-griekenland/zomervakantie-grie... )