Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome

Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome

Deciduous forests can be found in the eastern half of North America, and the middle of Europe. There are many deciduous forests in Asia as well. Some of the major areas that they are in are southwest Russia, Japan and eastern China. South America has two large areas of deciduous forests in southern Chile and Paraguay. There are deciduous forests located in New Zealand and southeastern Australia.

The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is 50o F. The average rainfall is 30 to 60 inches a year. In deciduous forests there are five different zones. The first zone is the Tree Stratum zone. The Tree Stratum zone contains such trees as oak, beech, maple, chestnut, hickory, elm basswood, linden, walnut, and sweet gum trees. This zone's height ranges between 60 and 100 feet.

The small tree and sapling zone is the second zone. This zone has young and short trees. The third zone is called the shrub zone. Some of the shrubs in this zone are rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurel, and huckleberries. The herb zone is the fourth zone. It contains short plants such as herbal plants. The final zone is the Ground zone. It contains lichen, club mosses, and true mosses.

The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In the autumn leaves change color. During the winter months the trees lose their leaves. The animals adapt to the climate to the climate by hibernating in the winter and living off the land in the other three seasons. The trees provide shelter for the animals and most of the animals are somewhat camouflaged to look like the ground. The plants have adapted to the forests by leaning toward the sun. Soaking up the nutrients in the ground is also a way of adaptation.

Deciduous forests are located in the temperate zone above the tropical forests and below the coniferous forests. The soil is very fertile. In fact, some of the great agricultural regions are found in this biome. That is one of the reasons why there are not many original deciduous forests left in the world. Almost all of the forests in North America are second growth forests but it still has the largest variety of original plant species. In Europe there are only a few species of original trees left. Most of the forests have been cleared for agriculture. China has been clearing the natural trees for at