Big Ideas: Temperate Forests and Living Things That Habitat There
Parts of a Temperate Forest
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A forest is made up of three layers, the forest floor, the understory, and the canopy. Each layer is made up of different parts (Biomes Group, 2004).
The Forest Floor
The forest floor is the bottom part of the forest. It is made of soil, dead plants, dead animals, and many small living plants (Biomes Group, 2004). There isn't much sunlight that reaches the forest floor, so plants that don't need a lot of sunlight to survive live here (Biomes Groups, 2004). The forest floor serves as a bridge between the above ground living vegetation and the soil, and it is a crucial component in nutrient transfer through the process of biochemical cycle (Biomes Group, 2004).
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The Understory
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The understory is the mid layer of a
forest. It refers to plant life growing
beneath the forest canopy without
entering it to any extent (Biomes Group, 2004). Plants in the
understory consist of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees (Biomes Group, 2004). Many different shrubs and herbs can
also be found in this layer of a forest (Biomes Group, 2004). Plants that grow in the understory must be shade tolerant because this
layer receives much less intense light than the top layer of the forest (Biomes Group, 2004). Greater humidity levels are also found in the
middle layer compared to the other layers (Biomes Group, 2004).
The Canopy
The forest canopy refers to the upper
layer or habitat zone, formed by mature tree crowns and
includes other biological organisms (epiphytes, lianas, arboreal animals, etc.) (Biomes Group, 2004). Canopy trees are able to photosynthesize
relatively quickly due to abundant light from the
sun, so
it supports the majority of primary productivity in forests (Biomes Group, 2004). The canopy layer
provides protection from strong winds and storms, while also protecting the other layers from harsh sunlight and
precipitation (Biomes Group, 2004). Forest
canopies are home to unique flora and fauna not found in other layers of
forests (Biomes, 2004). Flora is
characterized by 3-4 tree species per square kilometer (Biomes, 2004). Trees are distinguished
by broad leaves that are lost annually and include such species as oak,
hickory, beech, hemlock, maple, basswood, cottonwood, elm, and willow (Biomes Group, 2004). Fauna is represented by squirrel, rabbit,
skunk, bird, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, and black bear
(Biomes Group, 2004).
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A Habitat For Many Living Things
A temperate forest provides a habitat for many different mammals. Some of those mammals include rabbit, skunk, bird, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, black bear, brown bear, coyote, bison, chipmunk, mice, elk, groundhog, opossum, bat, and wolf (PawNation, 2015).
A forest also provides a habitat for many different amphibians. Amphibians found in a temperate forest include: the American bullfrog, spring peeper frog, gray tree frog, fowlers toad, wood frog, long-tailed salamander, green frog, eastern newt, and the American toad (PawNation, 2015). Some birds that take habitat in a temperate forest are yellow-breasted chat, cardinal, magnolia, warbler, yellow warbler, brown thrasher, gray cat bird, cedar waxwing, robin, accentor, woodpecker, and sparrow (PawNation, 2015). |
Many different kinds of reptile find habitat in a forest. Some of
those reptiles include, black snake, eastern box turtle, copperhead, rattle
snake, various other snakes, and several kinds of lizard (PawNation, 2015).
A forest also provides a habitat for many different kinds of insects, some of those insects include, bubble bee, hornet, yellow jacket, mosquito, fly, horse fly, butterfly, moth, gnat, and ant (PawNation, 2015). Finally, a temperate forest provides a habitat for thousands of different kinds of plants. Some of those plants include, species of oak, hickory, beech, hemlock, maple, basswood, cottonwood, elm, willow, spring-flowering herbs, many different types of flowers, poison ivy, and poison oak (Biomes Group, 2004). |
References:
Biomes Group. (2004). The forest biome. Retrieved from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/forests.html#temperate on January 29, 2015
Image_http://www.mountainvisions.com/~TakeAHike/forest/media/canopy.g Image_ http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-- IqVbDe2hdI/Tp7fXvryRII/AAAAAAAABns/mxmwVIZR9_0/s1600/mossinanniegarden-top-of-hill1.jpg
Image_http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_p7A6H8PEfZ4/S9RDBBOC4cI/AAAAAAAABXM/qUkKs6UjCCI/s1600/forest_u nderstory.bmp
Image_http://www.roughguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/VA001332-660x420.jpg
Image_http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/images/bear/bear_grass.jpg
image_http://wrcb.images.worldnow.com/images/18159854_BG1.jpg
Marietta College Biology. (2014). The temperate deciduous forest. Retrieved from http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tempded.htm on January 28, 2015
PawNation. (2015). Animals. Retrieved from http://animals.pawnation.com/amphibians-temperate-rain-forest-8800.html on January 28, 2015
Biomes Group. (2004). The forest biome. Retrieved from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/forests.html#temperate on January 29, 2015
Image_http://www.mountainvisions.com/~TakeAHike/forest/media/canopy.g Image_ http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-- IqVbDe2hdI/Tp7fXvryRII/AAAAAAAABns/mxmwVIZR9_0/s1600/mossinanniegarden-top-of-hill1.jpg
Image_http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_p7A6H8PEfZ4/S9RDBBOC4cI/AAAAAAAABXM/qUkKs6UjCCI/s1600/forest_u nderstory.bmp
Image_http://www.roughguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/VA001332-660x420.jpg
Image_http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/images/bear/bear_grass.jpg
image_http://wrcb.images.worldnow.com/images/18159854_BG1.jpg
Marietta College Biology. (2014). The temperate deciduous forest. Retrieved from http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tempded.htm on January 28, 2015
PawNation. (2015). Animals. Retrieved from http://animals.pawnation.com/amphibians-temperate-rain-forest-8800.html on January 28, 2015