Temperate Forests

Climate Named for their occurrence at Mid- Latitudes Extreme fluctuations in daily and seasonal temperatures and precipitation

Forest Biotic Structure Upper Canopy Layer Dominant Trees Lower Canopy Layer Saplings & Understory Trees Shrub Layer Woody Shrubs Ground Layer Herbs, Ferns, and Mosses

Ground Layer Decomposition Fungi, bacteria, and Soil Invertebrates act to recycle the nutrients from leaves and trees limbs back into the soil This is the most diverse layer of the forest

Symbiosis & the Forest Mycorrhizae Fungi that have developed beneficial relations with the tree roots providing them water and nutrients for sugars Lichens Fungi and algae that live on tree bark

Forest Abiotic Factors Sunlight, Temperature, and Humidity change seasonally These factors may effect the stomatal densities of forest plants

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Secondary Growth The Vascular Cambium is responsible for creating new xylem and phloem tissues Xylem is thick and is created to the inside of the tree with identifiable annual rings Phloem thin and is created to the outside and part forms protective bark

Xylem Growth Rings During the Spring when there is sufficient water and sunlight the xylem tubes are large As precipitation decreases in Summer the xylem tubes produced are smaller in size

Old Growth & Secondary Forests Old Growth Forests show variation in tree ages, contain more woody debris, fallen logs, and a greater diversity of animal life Secondary Forests have young homogeneous aged tree stands with little diversity and developed layers

Human Impacts Lumber and Paper Cleared for Agriculture Mining Human Development Global Warming