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TEMPERATE FORESTS

TEMPERATE FORESTS. By Theresa Kish. Geography. Can be found between 30 - 55 ° latitude Most lie between 40 degrees and 50 degrees latitude Originally covered In Asia, much of Japan, eastern China, Korea, and eastern Siberia

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TEMPERATE FORESTS

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  1. TEMPERATE FORESTS By Theresa Kish

  2. Geography • Can be found between 30 - 55 ° latitude • Most lie between 40 degrees and 50 degrees latitude • Originally covered • In Asia, much of Japan, eastern China, Korea, and eastern Siberia • In western Europe, extended from southern Scandinavia to northwestern Iberia and from the British Isles through eastern Europe

  3. Geography • In North America, found from the Atlantic sea coast to the Great Plains and reappear on the West Coast as temperate coniferous forests that extend from northern California through southeastern Alaska • In the Southern Hemisphere, found in southern Chile, New Zealand, and southern Australia

  4. Climate • May either be coniferous or deciduous • Occur where temperatures are not extreme and where annual precipitation averages anywhere from about 650mm to over 3,000mm • Generally receive more winter precipitation than temperate grasslands • Deciduous trees usually dominate, where the growing season is moist and at least 4 months • Though snow fall may be heavy, winters are relatively mild

  5. Climate • Where winters are more severe or summers drier, conifers are more abundant the deciduous trees • Coniferous forests of the Pacific Coast of North America receive most of their precipitation during fall, winter, and spring • Are subject to summer drought • The few deciduous trees in these forests are largely restricted to streamside environments, where water remains abundant during the drought-prone growing season

  6. Soils • Usually fertile • Most fertile soils develop under deciduous forests, where they are generally neutral or slightly acidic and rich in both organic matter and inorganic nutrients • Rich soils may develop under coniferous forests but coniferous forests but conifers are also able to grow on poorer and more acidic soil • Nutrient movement with between soil and vegetation tends to be slower and more conservative in the coniferous forest

  7. Soils • Nutrient movement with in deciduous forest is generally more dynamic

  8. Biology • While the diversity of trees found here is lower than that of tropical rain forests, temperate forest biomass can be as great or greater • Like the tropical rain forest, they are vertically stratified • Layers of vegetation • Lowest layer/herb layer • Shrub layer • Layer of shade-tolerant understory trees • Finally the canopy formed by the largest trees

  9. Biology • Height of canopy varies from approximately 40m to over 100m • The birds, mammals, and insects make use of all layers of the forest from beneath the forest floor through the canopy • Some of the most important consumers are fungi and bacteria, which, along with a diversity of microscopic invertebrate animals, consume the large quantities of wood stored on the floor of old-growth temperate forests • Activities of these organisms recycle nutrients, a process upon which the health of the entire forest depends

  10. Biology • The 2 largest trees in the world the sequoias of western North America and the giant Eucalyptus trees of southern Australia • Temperate forest of North America, Europe, and Asia still harbor ancient trees that are no less impressive

  11. Human Influences • The 1st human settlements in temperate forests were concentrated along forest margin, usually along rivers and streams • Agriculture was practiced in these clearings • Animals and plants products were harvested from the surrounding forest • this was the circumstance: • In Europe and Asia several thousand years ago • In North America 5 centuries ago

  12. Threats • Since the most of the ancient forests have been destroyed by clear cutting • Reasons for clear cutting • Clear land for farming, building new cities, and expending the size of existing cities • For the trees lumber which was in high demand • The lumber from trees was used to make building, bridges, furniture, paper, heat building, and fuel

  13. Threats • Tokyo, Beijing, Moscow, Warsaw, Berlin, Paris, London, New York, Washington D.C., Boston, Toronto, Chicago, and Seattle are all built on lands that once supported a temperate forest • Few tracts of virgin deciduous forests which once covered the eastern ½ of North America remain • Disparate interests struggle over the remaining 1% to 2% of old growth forests left in western North America

  14. Laws and regulations • Currently there are several laws and regulations for clear cutting • Cutting Practices Laws • Chapter 132: Section 40. Declaration of policy of commonwealth. • 132: Section 41. State forestry committee; members; forest cutting practices and guidelines. • Chapter 132: Section 42. Notice of proposed cutting of forest products; final work order; report to director; appeal of decision of director.

  15. Chapter 132: Section 43. Failure to give notice. • Chapter 132: Section 44. Exempted cuttings. • Chapter 132: Section 46. License to harvest forest products. • SLASH LAW • Chapter 48: Section 16A. Handling of slash. • Chapter 48: Section 17. Disposition of slash cut near highways. • Chapter 48: Section 18. Disposition of slash cut by public utility companies.

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