Daily Biology Blog : Travel plans?

Photo from NASA "Earth Observatory"

WANT TO TRAVEL SOMEWHERE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THIS TEMPERATE FOREST? OF COURSE YOU DO!! BETTER KNOW A BIT ABOUT IT FIRST THOUGH........

Photo from Ducksters

Where to?
Temperate forests are mostly located in the eastern United States, Europe, Canada, China, and some areas of Russia as shown to the left.

Back to basics
The soil in temperate forests is typically fertile due to decaying litter. These forests get about 20-60 inches of precipitation each year. This is usually distributed evenly throughout the year and comes in the form of both rain and snow. The growing season lasts for around 200 days, providing a large time span for organisms to thrive. One of the great aspects of temperate forests is that their seasons are well defined. So you can pick a season and know exactly what you're getting yourself into! Just as a reference though, the temperature throughout the year ranges from a low of 22°F and a high of 86°F.

Another great part of these forests is that although the tree canopy is dense, it still allows sunlight to get through to help the development of plants and animals.

Photo form Drift Creek Nature Center

All types of Life!

Many types of organisms live in the temperate forest. They find shelter in the ground plants, tree branches, and in hollow trees.

First up, let's get to know the producers/autographs! Don't know what I'm talking about. Well maybe the term "plants" will sound more familiar. Here's a few of the plant life you should expect to encounter:

Beech Tree - Photo from Mid-Atlantic Gardening

Aspen Tree - Photo from Lisa Carnahan

Trillium - Photo from Morgan Arboretum

Indian Paintbrush - Photo from Marietta.edu

Next up are the heterotrophs (consumers) that rely on the producers in order to survive. Common consumers in the temperate rainforest are deer, bears, and coyotes. However, these of course are very common. Animals such as the banana slug and Blue Grouse are consumers less commonly found in other biomes.

Banana Slug - Photo from Marietta.edu

Blue Grouse - Photo from Marietta.edu

Finally, you will also see the decomposers that break down chemicals form dead producers and consumers, so that they can be reused. Fungi and mold often attach to trees that are either dead or currently in the process of dying.

Photo from Marietta.edu

In case that was all to much to digest (sorry for the pun)...

Here's what a temperate forest food chain looks like:

Chart from Elizabeth Anne Viau

Don't forget Darwin!!!

Of course, over time certain adaptations have allowed organisms to thrive. For example, the black bear has extremely useful adaptations that help it to survive. First, the huge, layered coat provided warmth in the winter. Black bears are also omnivores, so you can imagine is very easy to find food. Lastly, black bears' long claws make them well suited to climb trees, as they often seek shelter in hollow trees.

NOW YOU'RE READY FOR YOUR TEMPERATE FOREST ADVENTURE!