Temperate Deciduous Forest

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Geographical location- The Temperate Deciduous Forest is 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south of the equator. This climate can be found in the north in North America, Europe and Asia. In the south, the climate can be found with South America, Australia, and Africa.

Climate facts- the average temperature is 50 degrees (24 degrees celsius) and its high is 86 degrees, this factor depends on the altitude of the forest. The temperate deciduous forest receives an average yearly precipitation of 2 to 5 feet, and the humidity of the forest is 60% to 80%.

Soil- The soil in this climate is very fertile due to falling leaves, twigs, logs, and dead organisms.

Fall- the leaves begin to lose their green color as the chlorophyll inside the leaves goes away. The red and orange that is always associated with fall come into play now, since they are always in the leaf, the only reason the leaf is green is because chlorophyll are inside the cells, but during the cold weather the trees loses the chlorophyll.

Layers of the Temperate Forest

1. Tree stratum- tallest layer, 60- 100 feet high, with large maple woods, oaks, beech, chestnut, hickory, elm, basswood, linden, and walnut.

2. Small tree or sapling layer- short and young trees.

3. Shrub layer- huckleberries, azaleas, and mountain laurels.

4. Herb layer- short plants

5. Ground layer- lichens, club mosses, and true mosses.

Three types of organisms

Primary producers- such as trees, shrubs, grass, mushrooms, wild flowers, berries.

Primary consumers-this group is comprised of mostly small animals and insects, such as mosquitoes, chipmunks, mice, squirrels, and seed eating birds. These organisms depend on the primary producers, for food and shelter.

Secondary consumers- these organisms eat the primary consumers, for example, the frogs eat the insects, and the weasels eat the mice. The other animals that are associated within this group are, raccoons, owls, bears, wolves, cougars, foxes, and beavers.

Example food chains

1. Sun-trees-insects

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