Temperate Deciduous Forest:
Come visit one of the most amazing places on earth, the Temperate Deciduous Forest. Here you will be able to enjoy all four seasons!
Location:
The Temperate Deciduous Forest is located all over the world, from North & South America, to Europe, Asia and Australia. 20% of the earth is covered by this biome.
Climate:
The average temperature is 50° F, but there are four distinct seasons. The seasons are winter, spring, summer and fall. With there changes, comes beautiful changes in the environment, including the changing of color of the leaves. The remarkable seasonal differences will allow you to participate in many activities including skiing, water skiing, hiking, snowman building and much, much more. The average rainfall is 30-60 inches per year, so don’t forget to bring waterproof clothing. You’ll also want to check the weather. Depending on which time of year you plan on traveling, you will need to pack appropriately because temperatures can vary dramatically.
Summer:
Winter:
Wildlife:
Here you will be amazed by the variety of wildlife. There are five different zones in the Temperate Deciduous Forest. There is the tree stadium zone, sapling zone, shrub zone, herb zone and ground zone. These zones are very different. For example, the tree stadium zone has very large trees such as Oak, Maple and Chestnut trees. Here trees range from 60 to 100 feet. At the other end of the spectrum is the ground zone, which has mostly mosses and other ground hugging plants.
Here you will find very exciting animals, including the American black bear and the white tailed deer. Many of the animals in the Temperate Deciduous Forest survive by hibernating in the winter. They also live off of the trees by eating their leaves. The trees provide shelter and cover for the animals. And many of the animals camouflage themselves to blend in with the trees to trick predators.
Critical issues:
Much of the Temperate Deciduous Forest has been lost to farming and people building towns. This is a big issue and a lot of people are fighting to protect the land. Another issue is the poaching of animals. So many people illegally hunt the animals that live here and it’s a huge problem. Many important animals are becoming endangered.
Interesting Facts:
-The largest tree in the world is found in the Temperate Deciduous Forest. It is the giant sequoia tree. It is 275 feet tall and 95 feet around!
-The largest forest in the world has over 3.5 million square miles of land covered in trees!
--Lots of the wood cut down is used for building homes, firewood or art.
-When the trees lose their leaves, they actually give nutrients to the soil
--Decomposers help big trees get nutrients.