Temperate Deciduous Forest
Location
Temperate Deciduous Forests are located in the eastern half of North America and central Europe. Japan, eastern China, and southwest Russia are covered in deciduous forests. Southern Chile and Paraguay are also hot spots. New Zealand and southeastern Australia have them as well.
The 5 Zones
A temperate deciduous forest has 5 different layers/zones:
1. Tree Stratum- this is the tallest layer (60-100 feet high) and has oaks, maple, beech, chestnut, hickory, walnut, etc.
2. Small tree/Sapling layer- short and young trees
3. Shrub zone- azaleas, mountain laurels, huckleberries
4. Herb zone- short and small plants
5. Ground- lichens, mosses
1. Tree Stratum- this is the tallest layer (60-100 feet high) and has oaks, maple, beech, chestnut, hickory, walnut, etc.
2. Small tree/Sapling layer- short and young trees
3. Shrub zone- azaleas, mountain laurels, huckleberries
4. Herb zone- short and small plants
5. Ground- lichens, mosses
Animals
The animals that live in this biome have adapted to frozen winters and hot summers. Since the trees are bare in the fall and winter, it is harder for them to blend in and hide from predators.
Competition: Squirrels and chipmunks both eat and store acorns. They compete against each other for food, but not for nesting. The chipmunks compete against the other chipmunks (squirrels against other squirrels) for shelter.
Cooperation: If two squirrels or two chipmunks were to work together to find acorns, they would be cooperating and helping each other.
Predator/Prey Relationships:
-Skunks eat insects and use their scent glands as protection against predators.
- Possums eat insects and small mammals. To protect itself from predators, it will "play possum" and act dead.
-Owls eat rodents and other birds.
- Brown bears stalk and eat deer, but they also eat plants.
Competition: Squirrels and chipmunks both eat and store acorns. They compete against each other for food, but not for nesting. The chipmunks compete against the other chipmunks (squirrels against other squirrels) for shelter.
Cooperation: If two squirrels or two chipmunks were to work together to find acorns, they would be cooperating and helping each other.
Predator/Prey Relationships:
-Skunks eat insects and use their scent glands as protection against predators.
- Possums eat insects and small mammals. To protect itself from predators, it will "play possum" and act dead.
-Owls eat rodents and other birds.
- Brown bears stalk and eat deer, but they also eat plants.
Black Bear
The black bear has many layers of fur and fat to keep it warm during the winter. They have long claws which helps them climb because they usually live in hollow trees. As omnivores, they eat both plants and animals. They hibernate in the winter.
Black Rat Snake
This snake can easily blend into the ground, making it easier for it to hide from predators and catch its prey.
Opossum
The opossum has opposable thumbs to climb trees and can also use their tails. If they are ever in danger, they will play dead so that they wont be killed by another animal.
Whitetail Deer
These deer have a very good sense of smell, sight, and hearing. When they are in danger, they will snort and run away with their tail up to show the white part to the other deer. Its color allows it to blend in with the trees.
Chipmunk
The chipmunk can store a lot of food in its cheek pouches. Its pouches can stretch to about the size of its head. It uses this food during the winter.
Food Web
This food web shows the feeding connections in the deciduous forest.
Vegetation
The trees change color in the fall and lose their leaves. Because winters are so cold, they have thick bark. Instead of needles, they have leaves. They flower in the spring and summer. The growing season is about 6 months long. The soil is fertile, which allows plenty of plant growth. Plants and trees have adapted to this biome by having large leaves to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight during growing season.
Lady Fern
The lady fern is very common and will often be used to decorate homes. They can be found in meadows, moist woods, and along stream beds. Grizzly bears and elk eat these.
White Birch
This tree grows to about 70 or 80 feet tall. The tree produces male and female flowers called catkins. These turn into nutkins during the growing season, and they float away in the wind and land far away from the parent tree to eliminate competition. It does not grow well in the shade. Moose and deer will eat the leaves and birds enjoy the sap.
White Oak
The White Oak can grow to 80-100 feet tall. In May, the male flowers appear. We cannot see the female, but acorns form and are eaten by squirrels and other animals. When the tree is a seedling it makes a taproot that goes into the ground during a drought to give the tree water.
Tawny Milkcap Mushroom
This is edible, and belongs to the Fungi Kingdom. They get their food from breaking down other organisms. When these mushrooms decompose, it keeps leaves from building up. Without decomposesr, the world would be covered with waste. The mushroom makes spores that find a moist area to germinate. They produce mycelia, which grow and search for water and nutrients. Then they reproduce and make more mushrooms.
Guelder Rose
This plant grows at low altitudes and is found in marshes and hedgerows. The inner flowers provide nectar for insects, which pollinate them. The berries on the leaves attract birds, which eat them and spread the seeds.
Temperature and Precipitation
The average temperature is around 50 degrees F., but can reach up to 86 degrees. In the winter, it can drop to freezing. The temperate deciduous forest has 4 seasons: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. It gets an average of 30-60 inches of rain/snow a year.
Ecological Concerns
Acid rain is a major threat to the deciduous forest. It comes from the industrialized cities and it kills the leaves and trees. Also, clear cutting is reducing the amount of forest. Trees are being cut down for lumber and this is taking away animals homes.
Temperate Deciduous Forests are very important because they provide timber, food, and oxygen.
Endangered Species:
Temperate Deciduous Forests are very important because they provide timber, food, and oxygen.
Endangered Species:
The Bald Eagle
This bird is endangered and close to extinction because of a chemical found in contaminated fish. It made the shell of their eggs very thin, causing them to crack before they were able to hatch. Also, we are cutting down trees and they are losing their homes.
European Red Squirrel
It is common in Europe, but has become extinct in England and Wales. This is because they have a hard time competing with the gray squirrel. Also, they are being trapped for their fur and their habitats are being destroyed.
Interesting Fact
Some of the insects in this biome cannot survive the harsh winters. Before they die, they lay eggs. The eggs can survive through the winter and hatch in the spring.
Refrences
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tempded.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/tempdecid/tempdecid.shtml
http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/deciduous3/deciduous3.html
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep8c.htm
http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/temperateforest.html#weather
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tempded.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/tempdecid/tempdecid.shtml
http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/deciduous3/deciduous3.html
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep8c.htm
http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/temperateforest.html#weather