There are many types of forest ecosystems and each kind of forest has its own plants and animals.
The different forests include the deciduous forests, the coniferous forests, and even the tropical forests.
These forests are homes to many different types of plants and animals.
Seasons of the Temperate Forest Biome
There are four seasons that happen in the Temperate Forest Biome: spring, summer, winter, and fall. This means that there can be warm and cool temperatures.
The average temperature for the forest biome is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the summer, the temperature is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit but, in the winter, the temperatures can go below freezing.
Most of the forests get around 30-60 inches of rainfall each year.
Deciduous Forest
Deciduous forests are usually warmer than other forests and they make rain in the summer and it oftentimes snows in the wintertime.
There are many different trees that grow in a Deciduous forest such as oak trees, beech trees, maple trees, and more.
The interesting thing about trees in the Deciduous forest is that the trees lose their leaves in the fall months and then the leaves grow back when the weather gets warmer. Other plants grow in the Deciduous forest and there are also shrubs. These plants help to provide the animals with food and shelter.
The trees of the deciduous forest have roots and the trees survive because the soil is rich and has a lot of nutrients.
The rainfall for a deciduous forest is around 30-100 inches each year and there is a lot of sunlight that reaches the plants and trees.
Deciduous Forest Zones
There are five different deciduous forest zones; tree stratum, small tree and sapling zone, the shrub zone, the herb zone, and the ground zone.
The tree stratum zone is where the trees are high and sometimes up to 100 feet tall. These include trees such as Maple trees, Oak Trees, and more.
The small tree and sapling zone are where smaller trees grow.
The shrub zone is where huckleberries and other shrubs grow.
The herb zone has many small herbal plants such as ferns.
The ground zone is where plants grow right on the ground such as different mosses and lichens.
Animals and People of the Deciduous Forest
Most people that live in the forest biomes live in the Deciduous forest. The temperatures of the deciduous forests are temperate meaning that they are not too cold or not too warm. Most deciduous forests are in climates that have seasons.
Many of the deciduous forest animals include bears, chipmunks, squirrels, bald eagles, moose, deer, and other animals that feed of plants and animals.
The animals in the deciduous forest have learned to adapt, they grow thicker coats in the winter, and they hibernate when it gets too cold.
Some animals hide their food for when it will be too cold to find any.
Problems of the Deciduous Forest
Some problems that happen in the deciduous forest are lack of trees. People have cut down many deciduous trees in order to build homes. These trees are protected for many animals, and this has caused many wildlife to leave the forests in search of new homes.
More Facts About Temperate Forest Biomes:
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- Humans have been known to have cattle ranches in the tropical forest.
- The deciduous forests have the most people because the temperatures stay at a comfortable level.
- The forests help give the animals a habitat to live.
- Beavers use trees from the forest to make dams.
- Moose feed on water plants such as water lilies in the summer.
What Did You Learn?
- What type of forest is known to have the most animals? The tropical forest is the forest that has the most animals.
- What is one problem that forests have from humans? Most forests have the problem of cutting down the trees. Humans oftentimes cut down trees to build homes and to make businesses.
- What forest has trees that lose their leaves? The deciduous forests have trees that lose their leaves in the fall.
- What are some animals that live in the temperate forest biome? Some animals that live in the temperate forest biome are chipmunks, squirrels, moose, bald eagles, and more.
- How many seasons does the temperate forest biome have? The temperate forest biome has four seasons: spring, summer, winter, and fall. The plants and the animals adapt to the changing seasons.
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