Don’t Resist the Tempera-tation
Eagle Vacations and Services
As professionals in our field, we thrive to make everyone discover the true beauty of temperate deciduous forests and make it a frequent vacation spot. When visiting these forests, make sure to respect all the forms of life whether it be a small plant or a giant bear. We thank you for your eagle-ness to look into these wonderful biomes and we hope you find this information useful on your travels.
Temperate Deciduous Forest Locations
Features
Deciduous means to fall off, or shed, seasonally
Five Different zones of vegetationTemperate means that temperatures are not
too extreme
Climate
50 degree average30-60 in. of rainfallFour distinct seasonsHumidity is 60 to 80%
Seasonal Information
Average Temperature:Summer: 70 ˚FWinter: 32 ˚F Since it experiences all four seasons, it
typically has cold winters and warm summers and is a unique feature that this forest has to offer
Seasons last for 3 months
Unique Features
Animals hibernate in the winterPrimary productivity is high, as is the
decomposing rate on the forest floorSoil is very fertile
Plant Species
3 levels: Lichen, moss, ferns, wildflowers and other small plants
on the forest floor Shrubs fill in the middle level Hardwood trees like maple, oak, birch, magnolia, sweet
gum and beech make up the third level. Adaptation:
Deciduous trees produce thin, broad, light-weight leaves in order to easily capture sunlight when it is cold
Plants have adapted to the forestby leaning toward the sun to absorb sunlight for photosythesis
Animal Species
Very diverse! Examples include the bald eagle, eastern chipmunk,
and white-tailed deerAdaptation:
Must be able to adapt to the changing seasons. For example, some animals in this biome migrate or hibernate in the winter.
Suggested Activities
The best forests are in the Eastern United States. Easily accessible forests include: The Great Smokey Mountains The Appalachian trail The Ozark Mountains.
Must visit! Temperate deciduous forests undergo changes during all 4 seasons— the trees change color and lose their leaves in the fall in preparation for winter then grow back during the spring and summer season
Environmental Issues
Deforestation occurs due to farms and towns and homes taking up forest land
Even with there being efforts to protect the forests, there are still poachers who try to poach animals in the forests
Acid rain poisons the soil, harms wildlife and damages reproduction in both plants and animals.
Period 5
Daniel Marinello, Megan Ingram and Sam French
References:
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/biotemperate.php
http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/d_forest/td_forest.htm