Forest Regions Chap.2 Kenneth Williams Fisheries Extension Specialist Langston University Aquaculture Extension Program Elements of Forestry

Forest classification Commercial forest – Yields at least 1.4 cubic meters of wood per hectare per year. – Non commercial yields less.

4 main forest types 1. mostly evergreen – Broad leaved evergreen forests (mainly warm climates). – Coniferous forest (cool climates) 2. mainly deciduous – Drought deciduous forests (leaves shed in dry season). – Cold deciduous forest ( leaves shed in winter).

Broad leaved evergreen forests Ex. Location: The southern part of Izu peninsula

Coniferous forest Location example: Finland

Drought deciduous forests Location example: Los Reyes, Michoacan, Mexico

Cold deciduous forest Example location: Wisconsin and Minnesota

Aspen forest

Climatic elements that determine existence and productivity of forests Precipitation Temperature wind

Geographic elements that determine existence and productivity of forests Latitude Elevation Slope Direction slope faces

Increasing latitude Increasing altitude

Forest changes Dynamic systems- forests advance and retreat with prolonged drought. Human activity (forestry and agriculture) changes species composition and can eliminate forest.

Effect of soils on forest types Forest tree species vary with soil characteristics. Ex. Loblolly, shortleaf and long leaf pines are found east and west of the lower Mississippi River but absent in river deposited soils of MS and LA due to poor aeration.

Northern coniferous forest (taiga) Circles globe – from southern Canada north to the tundra. Low elevation, many rivers, lakes and swamps. Relatively few species but large numbers of individuals represent each species.

Northern coniferous forest

Northern coniferous forest (taiga) Principle species – White spruce – Black spruce – Birch – Poplar – willow

Northern hardwood forest

Pacific coast forest

Pacific coast species

Pacific coast forest

Rocky mountain forests

Rocky Mountain forest

Rocky mt. species

Central broad-leaved forest

Broad-leaved forest

Oak – Pine southern forests

Oak-pine southern forest

Bottomland hardwood forest

Tropical forest

Tropical species

World Forests

Forest regions of the world Climate and soil determine the general appearance of the forest. Northern forests about the same world wide. Southern hemisphere forests are very different than northern forests.

Northern coniferous forest Eurasian taiga similar to North American taiga except that it extends farther north and has more species of larch spruce and fir. Scotch pine is the leading commercial species.

Pacific coniferous forest Japan, Korea, southern coast of Siberia. Species include Douglas fir, most U.S> conifers. Important mostly for watershed protection and recreation.

Central broad- leaved forest Species similar to U.S. but few in number in Europe due to last glaciation. Many species in Asia. Deforestation is extensive but returning. Forest management began in the forests of Europe.

Mediterranean forest Around the Mediterranean Sea except for Egypt and Libya. Evergreen broad leaved trees prevalent ex. Laurels and olives. Cork oaks, hazel nuts and chestnuts are economically important.

Coastal forest of California and Chile Monterey pine, live oak and hard leaved shrubs predominate.

Coastal forest of Australia Eucalyptus and Acacia predominate. Primary producers of timber and fiber in this area.

Eucalyptus Acacia

Tropical rain forest Amazon and Congo basins and Indonesia Extreme diversity of all life forms. May be as many as 4000 tree species. Most productive terrestrial ecosystem. Important for timber, medicines, chemicals, rubber, cocoa and many other products.

Tropical rain forest

Drought deciduous forest Found next to tropical forest where there is heavy rainfall in the summer and extreme drought in the winter. India Burma and Thailand contain good examples of this forest. Teak and bamboo trees are important. Teak tree

Mangrove forest Restricted to coastal saltwater areas. Mangrove tree most important. Protects coastland from storms and waves.

Temperate rain forest Found in New Zealand, Southern Chile and Australia. Not commercially valuable. Much of it is being converted to Douglas fir and Monterey pine.

Kauri trees

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