Life in Temperate Deciduous Forests

7/29/2019 Life in Temperate Deciduous Forests

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Tropical Evergreen ForestTropical evergreen forests contain a wide array of plant and animal species. These forests lie nearthe Equator, according to the University of California Museum of Palaeontology. This biome ischaracterized by having lots of daylight and only two seasons--rainy and dry. Further division ofthe biome depends upon the length of the dry season; evergreen rainforests feature no dry season,while semi-evergreen forests have a longer dry season. The animals living within adapt to thesettings and the dense flora around.

Scarlet Macaw

Scarlet Macaws, or Ara Ma cao, live within tropical rainforest regions, such as those found in southernMexico and South America. They reside in forest canopies. These birds are bright red, with somemulticoloured feathers on their wings. Their faces are white, and their beaks are light on top and blackon the bottom. Scarlet macaws can live up to 75 years, their lifespan range from 40 to 50 years. A fullygrown scarlet macaw weighs around 3 pounds and is about 3 feet long.

Leafcutter Ant

Atta cephalotes, the leafcutter ant, lives within tropical rainforests throughout the world. These antsearn their name because of the cutting action they perform on leaves. Their diet consists of a specialfungus; the ants cut leaf parts off.

Jaguar

The jaguar, panther once, lives throughout Central and South America's tropical evergreen forests.Within the United States, they can occasionally be found in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. They arethe largest big cat in the Americas, according to Defenders of Wildlife. Jaguars feature dark yellow ortan coats with black splotches and a white underbelly.

Green Anaconda

Eunectes murinus, or green anaconda, lives within tropical forests and rainforests, namely theAmazon and Orinoco Basins. Its name comes from the fact that the snake has dark green scalescovering it, along with black spots. Despite many urban legends, green anacondas tend not to growmuch larger than about 30 feet in length. Green anacondas constrict their food, which consists of anykind of vertebrate within hunting distance, including capybara, fish and other snakes.


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Abies bracteata

The Abies bracteata, also called the Santa Lucia fir, is a common tree in the evergreen forest. Thisplant grows slowly, but eventually reaches heights up to 70 feet tall. This tree is seen in thick regionsof the forest and along mountain sides. The Santa Lucia fir produces thick, dark green leaves that fanoutward.

Western Columbine

The western columbine is a flowering shrub found in the evergreen forests. Hummingbirds areattracted to this plant because the flowers are a rich source of nectar. Delicate yellowish and redtubular flowers blossom in the spring. The western columbine has thin green foliage and can grow upto 3 feet tall. These species are found in abundance along coastal mountain landscapes and in theSierra Nevada.

American Beech Tree

The American Beech Tree can reach heights of up to 100 feet tall. The bark is smooth and pale andleaves are a deep forest green. The beech tree produces nutrient-dense nuts that are craved by forestanimals such as squirrels, rabbits and foxes. The leaves grow closely together, creating a great deal ofshade cover, only allowing minimal sunshine to reach the forest floor.

Emerald Carpet Manzanita

Emerald carpet Manzanita is a large shrub that provides evergreen ground cover across the forest

floor. This plant flourishes in Oregon forests. This forest plant also grows well in gardens with well-drained soils.

Tropical Deciduous ForestTeak

Teak (Tectonic grandees) is large tropical deciduous trees native to the dry forests of Southeast Asia,but they have become common all over the tropics. Teak is well-known around the world for the high-


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quality wood it produces. The teak tree can reach a height of 130 feet, and its trunk can have a 5-footdiameter. Teak trees have large, open, rounded crowns.

The oldest teak tree, kannimari is found here.Mesquite

Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) is a small, tropical, deciduous tree or thorn shrub native to Central

America and northern South America. It can grow to 40 feet tall as a tree but often is a sprawling

multitrunk shrub. Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) is a small, tropical, deciduous tree or thorn shrub native

to Central America and northern South America. Mesquite is very prolific and is considered a weed in

many tropical areas, such as Hawaii

Illawarra Flame Tree

The Illawarra flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolius) is native to the tropical deciduous forests ofQueensland, Australia, and the eastern coastal rainforest areas, where it grows as a semi evergreen.It is slightly frost-tolerant and survives into New South Wales, where the weather is slightly cooler.The Illawarra flame tree grows to 100 feet tall and is known for a show of bright-red leaves andflowers. Typically, the flowers form after the leaves fall in the summer, but The leaves do not always

drop every year. They are followed by leathery seed pods, which contain many seeds that resemble.

Blue-Spotted Salamander

The blue-spotted salamander, or Ambystoma laterale, is found in the maple and birch foreststhroughout the Northeast United States. These type of salamanders are often found in rotting wood.The adults of this amphibious species are approximately five inches in length. Blue-spottedsalamanders received their endangered status from the loss of habitat and degradation of water

supply. This salamander's appearance consists of black skin with blue spots all over its body.

Puerto Rican Sharp-Shinned Hawk

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Puerto Rican sharp-shinned hawk's, or Accipiter striatus,habitat is deciduous forests with trees that include elm, ash, birch and maple. This hawk isendangered in Missouri and Illinois and threatened in Tennessee. When fully mature, these birds havea length of 13 inches. Puerto Rican sharp-shinned hawks It spend their summers in the western statesand migrate to the southeast United States during the winter.


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Wood Turtle

The wood turtle is found throughout North America and, according to the University of Maine, isthreatened or endangered in most of its native states. These turtles grow up to eight inches when theymature. Wood turtles' habitats include forests -- deciduous and coniferous, wetlands and riparianareas. The primary cause of the decline in the wood turtle population is pet collecting, roaddevelopment and habitat destruction.

Temperate Evergreen ForestDeciduous forests are also called temperate forests

Common Primrose

The common primrose is a native of western Europe, northern Africa and Eurasia; it is found indeciduous forests throughout these regions. This perennial flowering plant grows up to 11 inches whenit fully matures.

American Beech

The American Beech is a deciduous tree that grows in temperate forests in a number of regions in theU.S., including the Southeast and New England. This tree reaches heights of more than 100 feet whenit fully matures.

Spanish Bluebell

This bulbous plant is native to the temperate forests of Spain, but they were introduced into the EastCoast region of the United States. Spanish bluebells grows in North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware,according to the U.S. National Park Service.


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The Fairy Pitta

The fairy pitta, or Pitta nympha, is a small, brightly coloured bird that lives in northeast Asia and callsthe countries of Japan, South Korea and China home. This 16- to 19.5-centimeter-tall bird has a greenback, blue tail, chestnut crown and a buff-coloured belly with a red stripe.

Japanese Night Heron

At 49 centimetres tall, the Japanese night heron, or Gorschius goisagi, is a small, stocky heron with ared-brown head and neck and chestnut-brown back and tail. This nocturnal bird breeds in Japan,spends the spring and summer in Russia and South Korea, and winters in the Philippines.

Odaigahara Salamander

The Odaigahara salamander is a terrestrial, freshwater salamander living in the forests, rivers andstreams of the Taiheiyo Forest. Some varieties are known to secrete toxins when scared as a defenseagainst predation.

Coniferous ForestsSanta Cruz Cypress

The Santa Cruz cypress is an endangered cypress tree in Santa Cruz Mountains in California. It is onlyfound in five various locations within a 350 mile range and has been listed as endangered since 1973.


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Wawaeiole

Wawaeiole is a member of the moss family and is located in Hawaii. Its habitat is very critical and isbeing degraded by farm animals and other plants in competition for the habitat.

Diellia Falcata

The Diellia Falcata is endangered in its home located in the lowland forests of the Hawaiian Islands. Itis a part of the fern family and grows about 3 feet in height.

Pygmy Rabbit

Pygmy rabbits, the smallest rabbits in the world, are so endangered that they only have one remainingpopulation alive. These tiny creatures have been steadily lost over the years to disease, predatoryanimals and land development. The pygmy rabbit is protected in the state of Washington, and aprogram at the Oregon Zoo is attempting to crossbreed the rabbit with another pygmy rabbitsubspecies.

Spotted Owl

Spotted owls prefer living in mature, old-growth parts of the north-western coniferous forest. InCanada, the spotted owl is considered endangered, while in the United States part of the forest, it isclassified as Threatened. Spotted owls make their nests in trees, and are greatly affected bydeforestation and logging.

Grizzly Bear

Grizzly bears were once a very common animal, with a population of over 50,000 in North America.That population has declined over the years due mostly to contact with humans. Grizzly bears are

often killed if they are seen as interfering with a human population. Poaching is another reason fortheir rapid decline. Fewer white bark


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Pines, trees that provide food for the bear, cause a problem as well.

Temperate grasslands have few trees or bushes.

Grasslands are large areas where there are almost no trees or shrubs. According to EnchantedLearning, an educational website, the main plant life in such an area is grass, with less than one treeper acre. Known by names such as pampas, steppes and plains in various parts of the world, inNorth America temperate grasslands are referred to as prairies. Animals living in grasslands haveadapted to the dry, windy conditions that exist there.

Plants & Animals of the Temperate Grasslands

Gazelles

Gazelles are grazing animals found in the grasslands of Africa and Asia. Gazelles live in herds rangingfrom ten animals up to several hundred animals. This graceful animal is very fast and can run up to 40miles per hour to evade predators.

Prairie Dogs

Prairie dogs are also at home on the Great Plains in the western United States. Prairie dogs eat grassesand other plants. They live in very social communities and burrow in underground tunnels. Prairiedog tunnels can reach 100 feet long. Prairie dogs are relatively


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American Bison

Millions of American bison once roamed the Great Plains across the United States. Today theprotected species can be found mostly in many state parks and some national parks. The bison is aherd animal that grazes on grass. Bison typically weigh between 911 and 2,022 pounds. They arebrown with long hair, and the males of the species have horns.

Little Bluestem

One of the most common native grasses of the North American temperate grassland is little

bluestem grass. This hardy, deep-rooted grass is often found in areas that are dry and often of lowfertility. It grows from 18 to 36 inches tall, depending on soil quality. This is a preferred grazinggrass for many native species such as elk and bison. It puts out large seed clusters in the fall,providing a source of nutrition for small animals such as mice and voles, as well as for manyspecies of birds.

Indian Grass

Indian grass is native to the North American temperate grasslands. The plant is characterized by blue-green leaves that turn golden yellow in the fall months. This grass can reach heights of up to 12 inches.

Big Bluestem

Big bluestem is a tall grass native to the prairies of the Midwest. The blades of this grass are colored a

blueish purple and can reach heights of up to 10 feet. The plant is known as a bunch grass because itgrows in dense stands that keep other grasses from finding enough light to grow. Big bluestem alsohas a deep root system that works to preserve the soil and fight wind erosion.

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Plants & Animals of the Tropical Grasslands


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Baobab Tree

The baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) is a common plant of the tropical grassland in Africa and is alsoreferred to as the tree of life. The tree reaches a mature height of about 60 feet and is among the tallesttrees in the African savannas. The tree provides food, water and shelter for both humans and animalsin the region and its cork-like bark is resistant to fire. The bark is also used for making cloth and ropeand the foliage it is used as traditional medicine and condiments. The baobab tree produces an ediblefruit called monkey bread. The tree can store up to hundreds of gallons of water, which can be usedduring droughts.

Candelabra Tree

Candelabra tree (Ingens) is found in the savannas of the East Indies and Africa. The tree reaches amature height of 30 to 40 feet and the branches extending from a single trunk give the impression ofcandelabra. The tree bears small yellow flowers in the middle of winter. Candelabra tree is highlypoisonous and is not preferred by animals. There are sharp spines of the branches, which burn uponcontact and make the tree particularly useful as a living fence.

Elephant grass

Elephant grass is a tall-growing native grass of the African tropical grasslands. The grass is typicallyfound growing in the rich soil along the lake beds and rivers. Its hairy stems and 2- to 3-foot long, 1-inch wide pointed leaves.

African elephants

African elephants, the largest land-based animal on earth, can grow to be between 10 and 13 feet inheight and 6,600 and 13,200 pounds in weight. The most distinguishable features on an elephant aretheir long tusks, ears and trunks. African elephants naturally exist in parts of sub-Saharan and Central

Africa, including Kenya, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Rhinoceros


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Rhinoceros, animals that are often known as "rhinos," can be distinguished by their horns. Theanimals usually grow to be between 3 and 6 feet in height and between 1,300 and 4,400 pounds in

weight, depending on what type of rhinoceros they are. Black rhinos exist in places in AfricaRhinoceros can live 40 to 45 years. Rhinoceros are herbivores, living on foods such as twigs, bark,branches, farm crops, aquatic plants, leaves or fruit.

CheetahsCheetahs are fast-moving animals known for their brown, spotted hides, long tails, small heads andskinny bodies. The animals usually grow to be between 2 and 3 feet tall and between 75 and 143

pounds in weight. In nature, cheetahs exist in places such as Niger, Somalia, South Africa and Iran.

Mediterranean forestRosemary

With a Latin name (Rosmarinus officinalis) that means "dew of the sea," rosemary's nativeMediterranean climate is clearly evident. It grows best in well-drained soil; if your soil is very clayey orheavy, use mulch to lighten its texture and encourage speedier drainage. Plant rosemary in thebrightest part of your garden; it grows best with at least six or eight hours of sunshine per day.

Lavender

The familiar aromatic flower, lavender, is native to Southern Europe and Mediterranean countriessuch as Spain and the south of France. It grows fairly tall, like an ornamental grass. It reaching around3 feet in height. The plant's stalk is a soft gray color with delicate light purple flowers at the tips.Lavender it can only endure temperatures down to around the mid-40s. It may continue to returneach year for up to 30 years. The plants may attract bees. The fragile flowers have been used forcenturies as perfumes and sachets, as well as for medicinal purposes as stimulants and diuretics.


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Olive

A highly representative plant of the Mediterranean, the importance of the olive tree (Oleo euro pea)can be seen in the fundamental position of olive oil to Mediterranean cooking. In Spain, olive seedshave been found that are over 8,000 years old. In dry locations, provide sufficient irrigation; monthlydeep watering is often sufficient.

Iberian lynx

The Iberian lynx lives in the Mediterranean forests of southern Spain, although its range at one timecovered Spain, Portugal and the south of France. They weigh about half as much as the Eurasianspecies. They mainly eat wild rabbits, but other food sources include ducks and fawns. The Iberianlynx is the most endangered big cat in the world.

Barbary Macaque

The Barbary macaque, also known as the Barbary ape, lives in the Mediterranean forest. They live, onaverage, 22 years. They eat leaves, invertebrates, fruit, sprouts and roots found in the forest. Barbarymacaques also live in the Mediterranean forests of Morocco and northern Algeria.

Barbary Leopard

The Barbary leopard is similar to the African leopard, but stockier and with a thicker coat. They live inthe Atlas Mountain region of northern Africa. The male and female Leopard both are capable ofbringing in prey that is twice their size. The Barbary leopard prefers to eat the Barbary macaque overall else, but also hunts antelope and other small prey. They're especially adept at climbing, and areknown for taking their meals into trees.

Plant & Animal Life in Temperate Deciduous Forests


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Temperate deciduous forest is a forest biome dominated by broad-leafed deciduous trees. The mostextensive tracts of intact temperate deciduous forest exist on the eastern half of North America,though there are smaller remnants in Europe, Asia, Australia and the tip of South America.

Features

Dominant tree species include oak, maple, walnut and beech, forming a canopy up to 100 feet high.Temperate deciduous forests experience large changes in temperature throughout the year, rangingfrom warm or hot summers, to cold and snowy winters. Since these forests are dominated by leafydeciduous trees, autumns are notable for the bright colures on display as these trees begin to shedtheir leaves in preparation for winter.

Bald Eagles

Bald eagles thrive in the temperate climates of deciduous forests. The many lakes and rivers that arepart of the biome provide most of the bald eagles' food. Bald eagles are carnivores that hunt duringdaylight hours. Although fish is the main food in their diet, they also hunt and eat small mammals,snakes and other birds.

Black Bears

Black bears also call temperate deciduous forests home. Unlike other species of bear, black bears aregenerally harmless to humans. Black bears most often are found in forests, but they make their homes

in swamps and desert scrub. Black bear are omnivores that live on roots, nuts, insects, small mammalsand leaves.

Beavers

Beavers are found in temperate deciduous forests. These members of the rodent family are semiaquatic; they love water and they're good swimmers. Beavers are known for the small lodges, held

together with sticky mud that they build as their homes. They eat bark, twigs, leaves and water plants.


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Foxes

Foxes are common in temperate deciduous forests. They are also found in deserts, in the plains,grasslands and the arctic. Foxes are basically carnivores that eat mice, birds, insects, and frogs, andalso grass, berries and nuts.

American Beech

The American beech (Fagus grandifolia) is found all over the eastern half of the United States.According to Virginia Tech, it is one of 30 tree species that is dominant in deciduous forests. This tree,which can reach heights of 100 feet, features gray or white bark that is smooth and thin.

White Oak

White oak can reach heights of 80 feet, though, according to the University of Connecticut, it is widerthan it is tall, making it a larger species of tree. The leaves, which can be 8 inches in length, are ashade of dull blue-green, and in the summer, they change to a purple-red.

Northern Arrowwood

Northern arrowwood shrub is an extremely cold hardy shrub that can grow as tall as 9 feet. The dark

green leaves can be as long as 4 1/2 inches and as wide as 4 inches.

Carpet Moss

Carpet moss is a rootless evergreen plant that covers the ground, similar to a carpet. During thevarious seasons of the year, it can range in color from dark green to golden green. As a whole, theplant is "almost velvety" in appearance, according to the Blue Planet Biomes organization.


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Life in Temperate Deciduous Forests

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