Forest
Joshua Lockler
The forest's weather
Because of its location, air masses from both the cold polar region and the warm tropical region contribute to the changes of climate in this biome. Precipitation ranges from 30 to 60 inches and is evenly distributed throughout the year. The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is 50° F. The average rainfall is 30 to 60 inches a year. The mid-latitude deciduous forest biome is located between the polar regions and the tropics.
The forest's life
Deciduous Forest: Animals
A wide variety of mammals, birds, insects, and reptiles can be found in a deciduous forest biome. Mammals that are commonly found in a deciduous forest include bears, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, wood mice, and, in the U.S., deer can be found in these forests. While bobcats, mountain lions, timberwolves, and coyotes are natural residents of these forests, they have nearly been eliminated by humans because of their threat to human life. Other animals that were native to this biome, such as elk and bison, have been hunted to near extinction. Trees of this biome include both broadleaf, deciduous trees, such as maple, oak, hickory, and beech, and evergreens, such as hemlock, spruce, and fir. A deciduous forest typically has three to four, and sometimes five, layers of plant growth.