Deciduous Forests

The Deciduous Forest biome is located between the North Pole and the Equator. The air masses from the cold North Pole and the warm Equator contribute to the great changes of climate in the deciduous forest. Some locations where the deciduous forests are include: New Zealand, the southeastern part of Australia, the eastern part of China, Japan and the southwest part of Russia.It is also located on the eastern side of North America, most of the central European countries, and in eastern Africa.

The deciduous forest helps stop soil erosion by wind and water.
It controls river and stream flows. It is home to many plants and animals. This type of forest controls the local and global climate. It refreshes the air we breathe. When a deciduous forest is cut down, there are many changes.
1. There is soil erosion
2. Flooding occurs
3. There is widespread loss of animal and plant habitat
4. Carbon dioxide is released is great quantity
5. There is a possibility of climactic change.

The best way we can help deciduous forests is through managing them.

Forest management helps us decide how the resources of the forest will be used. We must decide how much, if any, of the wooded land should be used for commercial purposes such as logging and mining, or for recreation, like a national park or hiking trails. Another decision that must be made is how much of the forest should be kept as a natural habitat to protect plants and animals. We need to balance the forest as a way to make a living versus the needs of wildlife and health of the biome and planet.

After these decisions are made as to how the land should be used, we need to decide who is going to manage the forest depending on who owns the land – the government or private landowners.

Conservation means protecting what already lives in the forest. Conservationists make plans and put together a priority list about what is needed most.

Examples of conservation steps include preventing logging and mining, precautions to stop the spread of forest fires, conducting water and soil testing, finding ways to reduce diseases and pests.

Restoration is another way of managing a forest. It involves bringing the forest back to its natural state. Instead of setting aside areas for logging and mining, it lets the forest return to its natural state. It lets nature take its course.

The United States and many other developed countries are aware of the consequences of ruining deciduous forests.

The United States has a history of protecting forest biomes. In 1876, a Division of Forestry was formed, which later became the Bureau of Forestry, designed to conserve and manage the country’s forests. Today, the Forest Service, as well as the Agriculture and Interior departments of the US government, work to conserve, manage and protect the country’s forests. Protected areas usually take the form of either reserves or national parks.

Besides governmental ways, there are several other organizations that help deciduous forests. Groups such as the Sierra Club and Nature Conservancy have purchased land and pushed for the protection of deciduous forests.

Deciduous means to fall off at maturity or to tend to fall off.
This refers to the falling of the leaves of the trees.Trees lose their leaves seasonally. When plant parts fall, they are no longer needed for the plant’s use. Deciduous plants include trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. These plants shed leaves during the fall and winter months. Evergreens, in the minority, do not shed leaves, as they are dubbed, of course, evergreens. The proper term for falling is abscission. During the time in which the plants are leafless, they flower, therefore increasing the chances of pollination, due to the absence of the leaves that decrease the efficiency of wind transmission. It also benefits pollination because organisms can easily spot the flowers.

Plants compete for space and land in this biome. Sometimes with humans. Humans cut down the deciduous forest to make room for productive use; residential, commercial, and industrial growth. Humans also dump chemicals into streams and rivers, as well as using harmful fertilizer.
Also, because of the greenhouse gasses people emit, the temperature gets hotter and deciduous forests cannot survive. Also the hot and sticky weather from global warming attracts insects that kill the trees. Lastly, the increasingly hot weather makes forests burn down.
People also help deciduous forests. The United States has a history of protecting forest biomes. In 1876, a Division of Forestry was formed, which later became the Bureau of Forestry, designed to conserve and manage the country’s forests. Today, the Forest Service, as well as the Agriculture and Interior departments of the US government, work to conserve, manage and protect the country’s forests. Protected areas usually take the form of either reserves or national parks.
Besides governmental ways, there are several other organizations that help deciduous forests. Groups such as the Sierra Club and Nature Conservancy have purchased land and pushed for the protection of deciduous forests.
Humans also cut down trees for firewood, construction material, and paper. Because of this, many animals in the forest lose their home. Organizations such as the establishment of the Biological Resources Division in 1996 were a key element in successful biodiversity conservation in the eastern deciduous forest. The BRD was created to consolidate biological research, inventorying, and monitoring programs. This was the first national effort to streamline a dynamic inventory of plant and animals resources and their habitats under the Department of the Interior. The BRD gears research efforts to all levels of biodiversity, from endangered species to ecosystem management. Factors such as deforestation or global climatic change may result to serious consequences for the future of the deciduous forest.

In the deciduous forest, there are five zones, each positioned in a vertical order. The first and tallest zone is the Tree Stratum Zone, consisting of oak, beech, maple, chestnut hickory, elm, basswood, linden, walnut, and sweet gum trees. This zone is between 60ft. to 100ft. tall. The second zone is the small tree and sapling zone, which has young, short trees, which are of the groups of trees previously listed. The third zone is called the shrub zone, which consists of various shrubs; rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurel, and huckleberries. The herb zone is the fourth zone, which contains short plants, mostly herbs! The fifth zone is the ground zone, which consists of lichen, club mosses, and true mosses; basically mosses. Like all forests, plants grow in the direction of the sun, in order to harness the sun’s energy.

Precipitation in the temperate deciduous forest falls throughout the year. However, during the winter months it is usually frozen and less is available for animals to drink. Animals living within this biome must adjust to cold winters and hot summers by hibernating, migrating, or keeping active all winter. Leaves fall off trees here in the fall, leaving animals with less cover to hide themselves from predators. In the winter, most of these animals migrate to the south. Animals in the deciduous forest have to adapt seasonal changes in heat, moisture, and food. During winter, many of the animals hibernate. The animals that hibernate protect themselves against the cold and reduce the need for food. A hibernating animal's body temperature is lower than normal, and its heartbeat and breathing slow down greatly. An animal in this state needs little energy to stay alive and can live off fat stored in its body. Therefore, hibernating animals can more easily survive the cold winter months. Other animals grow thick coats of fur to protect them from the winter temperatures. The animals that live in the deciduous forest adapt to the climate by hibernating in the winter and living off the land in the other three seasons. Squirrels, chipmunks, and some jays often store large quantities of food in the ground, under fallen tree leaves, or in tree hallows for use during the cold winters when food is scarce.