Temperate Seasonal Forest
By: Keval Patel
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Map of Biome:
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Monthly Temperatures/ Precipitation levels:
Receives (on average) over 1 meter of precipitation
Temperature ranges anywhere from 30°C to -30°C
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Staunton, Virginia, United States
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Physical characteristics:
Temperate seasonal forests are cool, rainy forests that are defined distinctly
in each of the four seasons. In fall trees lose their leaves and in spring trees
grow them again. In these regions the soil is fertile, due to the decaying
foliage on the forest floor. The average temperature is 50°F (10°C) but may
vary depending on altitude (mountains). The higher one goes, the cooler it
gets. Precipitation occurs constantly throughout the year and adds up to on
average over one meter of precipitation.
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Plant life:
Three to four species of trees can be found per square kilometer. The trees
have broad leaves that are lost each autumn. Tree species include oak,
hickory, beech, maple, and elm. Small plants, shrubs, azaleas, lichens and
mosses also grow near the forest floor.
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Animals:
Animals in the biome of temperate seasonal forest include beavers, black
bears, brown bears, cardinals, bald eagles, deer, fox, ducks, porcupines,
raccoons, opossums, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, and hawks.
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Other information:
Due to being exposed to warm and cold air masses, these regions are caused
to have the four distinct seasons.
The leaves start changing colors due to the reducing amount of daylight.
Reduced daylight causes, the trees to stop producing chlorophyll, then the
leaves change color, and eventually losing their leaves.
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Bibliography:
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/graphs.php#temper
ate
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/biotemperate.php
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/forests.html#temp
erate
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/tempdecid/tempdecid.shtml