As you walk, tall trees form a leafy canopy above your head, blocking the

sun and casting dappled shadows over ground.

Leaves from last season crunch noisily underfoot as you scrape through a thick,

woody understory.

If you dig into the ground, you pull through layer upon layer of wet, decaying leaf litter, and white threads of fungus stand out

against the dark soil. Fungus, bacteria and insects underground decompose fallen leaves and organic matter quickly, producing a thick layer of nutrient rich soil, which scientists call humus.

by Christian Sebastian

Deciduous Biome

One can call a tree deciduous when it loses its leaves during some parts or seasons of the year.

Although they no longer have leaves during the wintertime, these trees are still very much alive.

“Deciduous” is actually taken from the Latin term “decidere” which means “to fall.”

During fall, most of their leaves turn reddish, yellowish, or slightly orange.

Examples of deciduous trees are the fruit trees, oak, nut, and maples.

Where can you find Deciduous Biomes?

When you look at a map of the world, lines of latitude run east and west, forming invisible belts that circle the globe.Regions between 23° and 66° are called the Temperate latitudes.

Deciduous forests can be found in the eastern half of North America, and the middle of Europe.There are many deciduous forests in Asia. Some of the major areas that they are in are southwest Russia, Japan, and eastern China.

South America has two big areas of deciduous forests in southern Chile and Middle East coast of Paraguay. There are deciduous forests located in New Zealand, and south-eastern Australia also.

Temperature and Climate

This biome has four changing seasons including winter, spring, summer, and fall.

These seasons happen because of the tilt of the Earth’s axis. Throughout the year, rays from the sun hit different parts of the world more directly

than others, causing varying temperatures, or seasons.

Temperate deciduous forests also have quite a wet environment. Following

rainforests, temperate deciduous forests are the second-rainiest biome.

The average yearly precipitation is 30 - 60 inches (75 - 150 cm). This precipitation falls throughout

the year, but in the winter it falls as snow.

The average temperature in temperate deciduous forests is 50°F (10°C).

Summers are mild, and average about 70°F (21°C), while winter temperatures are often well below freezing point.

Plants

As the seasons change each year, so do the leaves. Each year deciduous trees lose their leaves, and grow them back.

Trees and plants in deciduous forests have special adaptations to survive in this biome. Deciduous trees are trees with leaves rather than pine needles, and they dominate temperate forests.

As temperatures cool in the fall, the chlorophyll (green pigment in leaves) breaks down, causing the beautiful red, yellow and orange leaf colors of fall.

In the summer their broad green leaves capture sunlight and help the trees make food through photosynthesis.

In the cold winter, deciduous trees and plants go into dormancy. It is too cold for them to protect their leaves from the damage of freezing in the winter, so they simply loose them and seal up the places where the leaves attach to the branch. The warmer spring days signal the trees that they can grow new leaves again, and restart the cycle.

• 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 has height ranges between 60 feet 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 the leaves change color. During the winter months the trees lose their leaves.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.

Animals

Animals in temperate deciduous forests have to adapt to changing seasons. Some animals hibernate or migrate during the winter to escape the cold.Animals who do not hibernate or migrate must have special adaptations to deal with higher exposure to predators in the winter.

When leaves fall, there is less cover for animals in this biome to hide from predators.

The animals have adapted to the land by trying the plants in the forest to see if they are good to eat for a good supply of food.

Also the trees provide shelter for them. Animal use the trees for food and a water sources.

Most of the animals are camouflaged to look like the ground.

There is great diversity of life in this biome. Insects, spiders, slugs, frogs, snakes, turtles and salamanders are common.Birds like broad-winged hawks, cardinals, snowy owls, and pileated woodpeckers are also found in this biomeMammals include white-tailed deer, raccoons, gray squirrels, porcupines, red foxes and the black bear.

Many of the animals are either nut and acorn feeders, or omnivores. Many of the animals have adapted to forest life. Some of them hibernate during the winter months.

People and the Temperate Deciduous Forest

Temperate forests are very important to people as they provide enjoyment as well as many resources including food, timber,

and oxygen for us to breathe. However, we are also the cause of some major threats to this biome, one of which is acid rain.

Acid rain caused by industrial and vehicle emissions damages the leaves of trees, and causes them to

produce smaller and fewer seeds. It also reduces the trees' resistance to disease, pests, and frost.

Clear cutting of forests is also a threat to this biome. Trees are cut for timber and land cleared for

agriculture.Another problem associated with deciduous forests is

the introduction of non-native plant and animal species because it upsets the balance of the forest ecosystem. Non-natives may compete for food and habitat space,

possibly threatening the native species.

Although these threats may be worrisome, there are many things that you can do to help protect this unique biome.•First of all, you can recycle. Trees are used to make the paper for paper bags, newspapers, printer paper, and many more products we use each day. If you recycle used paper, and make the effort to buy recycled paper, you will be reducing the need to cut down more trees. Also be sure to use both sides of the paper that you write on before you recycle it.

•Use cloth products instead of paper products, like napkins, towels, plates, and cups. These products can be washed and used again, which helps to save trees.•Drive less, and carpool when possible. Car exhaust is one of the main contributors to acid rain. Walk or ride your bike to help keep our environment clean. • Learn more about forests. By reading, searching the Internet, and visiting temperate deciduous forests, you can learn lots of cool things about this biome. You can also teach other people about what you have learned.

If we want to continue to enjoy temperate deciduous forests, the products that come from

them, and protect the unique habitats within them, we must be sure to do our best to take

care of this important.

Leaf Colors

Reddish Color

http://scistarter.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/maple-tree-leaves-in-autumn-110661300185760w40.jpg

Leaf Color

Yellowish Color

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/14/ce/5d/14ce5dd366691be13e4649c430a9b77e.jpg

Leaf Color

Orange-Like

https://d3ui957tjb5bqd.cloudfront.net/images/screenshots/products/17/173/173093/i09vruktqnfougm02tvudz6w42oxh1oaakh7ibuiktfrnj66a8iz9bvvn2w1wx5r-f.jpg?1409369193

Tree Examples

Fruit Trees(Persimmon Orange)

https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2015/08/08/04/26/natural-880071_960_720.jpg

Tree Examples

Oak Tree

http://temperatedeciduousforestsoftheworld.weebly.com/uploads/3/9/8/1/39814547/211723472.jpg

Tree Examples

Nut Trees

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/aa/c0/b4/aac0b4b9f036aa15da7728fe62031dab.jpg

Tree Examples

Maples(Orange Maple Tree)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Fall-orange-maple-tree_-_West_Virginia_-_ForestWander.jpg

Latitudes

http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/Y4351E/y4351e01.jpghttp://www.fao.org/docrep/005/Y4351E/y4351e00.jpg

Location

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GFy2_mGMd5o/maxresdefault.jpg

Four Changing Seasons

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GFy2_mGMd5o/maxresdefault.jpg

Summer

https://endangeredspeciesbiomesprojects.wikispaces.com/file/view/deciduous%20tree.jpg/410669528/457x275/deciduous%20tree.jpg

Fall

http://cdn.wallpapersafari.com/42/63/MUSClf.jpg

Winter

http://images.inmagine.com/400nwm/iris/imagebrokerrm-135/ptg01179550.jpg

Spring

http://archive.cnx.org/resources/040922c8984c50fa4fdd75a8eeb21ea6f2e3a3a5/Figure_44_03_07.jpg

Animal Adaptations

http://r.hswstatic.com/u_0/w_480/gif/bear-pictures-11-622x415.jpg

https://91b6be3bd2294a24b7b5-da4c182123f5956a3d22aa43eb816232.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/contentItem-2623769-12196921-1ee3x8qo9so7c-or.jpg

Animal Adaptations

http://media.gettyimages.com/videos/shot-of-geese-migrating-over-fog-and-forest-redwood-national-park-video-id169577637?s=640x640

Camouflaged Animals

http://www.duskyswondersite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/camouflage-owls.jpg

http://strangesounds.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/animal-camouflage-3.jpg

Common Animals

Frog

https://s3.amazonaws.com/EarthwatchMedia/GalleryImages/7-mahony-australias-vanishing-frogs-c-ross-knowles-h-6_1178_onwebsite_5058.jpg

Common Animals

Salamander

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/01/13/science/13SALAMANDER/13SALAMANDER-superJumbo.jpg

Common Animals

Snake

http://www.oopswhatdoido.com/images/Snake-Bite.jpg

Birds

Cardinal

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/cardinal.htm

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/pileatedwoodpeckerl.htm

Mammals

White-tailed Deer

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/deer-whitetailed.htm

Mammals

Raccoons

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/raccoon.htm

Mammals

Grey Squirrels

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/images/field_guide/easterngraysquirrel.jpg

Mammals

Porcupines(North American

Porcupine)

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/porcupine.htm

Mammals

Red Fox

http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/fox.htm

Mammals

Black Bear

https://aos.iacpublishinglabs.com/question/aq/700px-394px/prey-predators-black-bears_b64d790da4b7f30c.jpg?domain=cx.aos.ask.com

Pollution Caused by Humans

http://www.citi.io/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1126-00.jpeg

Effects of Acid Rain

https://thewaterwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/acid-forest.jpg

http://cdn.publishyourarticles.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/salmon-no2-sa-029.jpg

Clear Cutting/Deforestation

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Clearcutting-Oregon.jpg