1. Forest Biomes -Coniferous Forests -Deciduous Forests -Rain Forests

2. Forests Cover 30% of Earth land surface Contain 75% of Earth’s biomass Rain forests are most complex and diverse biome Rain forests cover only 6-7% of land, but hold 50% of land biomass and has 70% of land species

3. Coniferous Forests Coniferous means “cone-bearing” Coniferous trees, or conifers, produce seed cones The cones hold the seeds The leaf of a conifer is the needle Needles help conserve water b/c they are long, thin and covered in thick wax Most conifers are evergreen, meaning they do not lose all their leaves at one time during the year. It happens slowly through the entire year Pine, hemlock, fir, spruce, and cedar are common in coniferous forests Also aspen & birch which have broad leaves

4. Where Mostly in subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia Climate Warm summers, 2-5 months Long, cold, dry winters 40-200 cm of precipitation/yr (rain in summer, snow in winter) Limiting factors Must be able to survive harsh winters, soil is frozen so no moisture Soil is poor and acidic Ferns, lichen, sphagnum moss can grow on forest floor

5. Animal adaptations Many small herbivores are seed eaters; ex: mice, squirrels, jays, rodents, other birds Insects are common in summer when soil is moist and poorly drained Large herbivores feed on plants and bark; ex: moose, elk, beaver, and snowshoe hares Many species migrate, hibernate or live under the snow All have thick body covers to protect from cold Logging in Coniferous Forests Large stretches of coniferous forests in Soviet Union and North America haven’t been logged b/c of harsh climate But the need for wood is growing Governments of Soviet Union are selling these lands b/c they are in need of money

6. Deciduous Forests Temperate zones-climates with four, well-defined seasons Most forests in temperate zones are deciduous Deciduous trees shed their leaves during a particular season of the year Climate Temps vary greatly, 30 degrees celcius in summer to -30 degrees celcius in winter Precipitation is about 50-300 cm/yr Precip. is in snow or rain, and falls regularly through entire year. Tree adaptations Have to adapt to varying climate Growing season is about 6 months, tree grows quickly and stores large amounts of food During fall, tree sheds its leaves and becomes dormant. This helps conserve water during winter Trees feed off of their stored food until spring, when grow new leaves

7. Deciduous examples: maple, oak, beech, ash, hickory, birch 3 layers Canopy-highest layer, made up of upper branches and leaves of tall trees The canopy captures most of sunlight, but some filters through to bottom layers Understory-under canopy, made of trees that are younger and smaller than canopy, also has shrubs Floor-mosses, ferns, and other plants that grow on ground layer Animals and organisms a deep, rich layer soil, or humus, exists b/c of falling leaves decaying quickly in moist soil Can support diverse community of animals, insects, and organisms Fungi & decomposers, insects live in leaf litter and fallen trees Birds, mice, small mammals feed on them White-tailed deer are common, Reptiles, amphibians, in warm forests

8. Predators include: wolves, mountain lions, birds of prey, foxes Human Influence Deciduous forests used to stretch across Europe and Asia, and covered eastern US Very little of that remains today Replaced by farms, orchards, and urban development Why Deciduous Forests????? rich soil makes it great for farmland if trees are removed Deciduous trees have harder wood than conifers, so they are better for making furniture and flooring Trees also used as fuel Replacing Deciduous Forests In some areas, trees have been replanted to restore the ecosystem But this is very slow, b/c it must also bring back lost species

9. Rain Forest Rain forests can be found in tropical zones-located at latitudes near the equator Receive direct rays from sun most of the year Climate Avg 25 degrees celcius ALL year Growing season last all 12 months Precipitation is rain, except at high mountaintops 200-450 cm/year ***climate does not vary or change much in the rain forest through the year Structure Dense canopy of evergreen, broadleaf trees supported by at least 200 cm rain /year

10. trees include: cypress, balsa, teak, mahogany Ecologists have found 700 species of trees in just 10 hectares (25 acres) of a rain forest in Borneo Only 1% of sunlight will filter through to forest floor, plants are sparse on the floor Dead matter does not contribute much nutrients to the soil b/c they are recycled so quickly in rain forests This is b/c of the high moisture levels Nutrients are quickly drawn back into the trees Topsoil is thin and poor, usually most nutrients are in the top 5 cm So, tree trunks are wide at the base with buttresses-ridges for support Roots are shallow Vines grow up trees to reach sunlight, plants can live directly on trees These are called arboreal b/c they live in trees. Have adaptations to live in trees

11. Organisms and Diversity Rainforests are the most animal diverse biome Two reasons: 1)diversity of plants gives high # of niches 2) wide variety of habitats in the different levels of the forest Habitats vary in each level, each tree, and each part of the tree Scientists don’t know how many species live in the rainforest Wilson found 43 species of ants in one tree! Erwin estimated over 50 million insect species Scientists continue to find more species everytime they look for more in the rainforest

12. Deforestation-destruction of forest as a result of human activity In 1950, more than 10% of Earth’s land was rainforest Now, down to 6% and decreasing Destruction due to developing countries, population growth, logging, farming, mining Animals habitats are quickly destroyed, especially since the ecosystem is vertical (goes up, not spread out) One acre cleared will destroy millions of habitats This (biodiversity loss) is the most serious issue with rainforest destruction