In the spring & summer, food is plentiful Most animals have babies at this time of year In the winter, food is scarce. Plants go dormant, insects disappear, & there is no fruit or flowers. Most animals hibernate when winter comes

Rabbits Bobcats Mountain lions Deer Bears Many species of birds

MMost have 3 levels of plants 1 st level (forest floor) : lichen, moss, ferns, wildflowers. 2 nd level (understory): shrubs 3 rd level (canopy): hardwood trees like maple, oak, birch, magnolia, sweet gum, and beech.

grow between the tropics and the polar regions in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres Very fertile soils that are rich in nutrients, & great use for farming Fallen leaves create leaf litter. Leaf litter is one of the most important parts of the temperate forest. This is where the forest recycles most of its nutrients. Inside and beneath this leaf litter, thousands of small animals live, like beetles, millipedes, centipedes, and ants. Unseen microscopic creatures such as fungi and bacteria live there, too. All these organisms help break the leaf litter into nutrients other plants and animals can use.

High levels of precipitation & humidity. 4 definite seasons: winter, spring, summer & fall. Average yearly temperature : 50 F Average yearly precipitation: inches Changes most out of all the biomes

logging for farming housing timber Climate change can also be a threat to animals In the last 30 years, scientists have discovered that air pollution from factories, coal- burning power plants, cars, and other sources mixes with rain to make acid rain. Over time, acid rain kills trees and other plants.

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