TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST

1. TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST

2. What is a deciduous forest? A DECIDUOUS FOREST is used to describe a type of forest trees shed their leaves during the cold months of the year and re-grow new leaves the next Spring. The major characteristic is that it has 4 DISTINCT SEASONS!

3. LOCATION • Eastern third of the North America • western Europe • China, Korea, Japan and Australia • southern tip of South America • The only part of Texas that has this type of forest is far East Texas

4. Temperature changes drastically from season to season. • Annual rainfall ranges from around 50 cm -200 cm • Soil is nutrient rich • Trees are spread further apart which allows some sunlight to reach the forest floor General Characteristics

5. One more Characteristic • Has 5 layers • Tree stratum, the tallest layer, 60 -100 feet high, with large oak, maple, beech, chestnut, hickory, elm, basswood, linden, walnut, or sweet gum trees. • Small tree or sapling layer - short tree species and young trees. • Shrub layer - shrubs like rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurels, and huckleberries. • Herb layer - short plants. • Ground layer - lichens, club mosses, and true mosses.

6. Discuss with your neighbor: • What would make the soil in a temperate deciduous forest nutrient rich? • The leaves that fall off the trees every year decay and return the nutrients to the soil • What is a characteristic that temperate deciduous forests and rainforests have in common? • They both have layers • What are two differences between temperate deciduous forests and rainforests? • Soils – temperate is nutrient rich, rainforest is poor • Floor – temperate receives some sunlight, rainforest receives none

7. Plant Adaptations seen in the Deciduous Forest Leaves are broad to collect as much sunlight as possible. Trees have thick bark to protect against harsh winters Trees drop their leaves in the winter to prevent water loss during the colder months. Also, there is less direct sunlight in the winter, which means less photosynthesis! So deciduous trees drop their leaves to conserve energy. Look at the above features of the deciduous forest. With the person seated next to you take a few minutes to consider how the characteristics pictured help the plant to survive. When the teacher calls time be ready to share your answers with the class-remember to raise your hand!

8. Xylem – carries the water from the roots to the rest of the plant. Phloem – carries the glucose made during photosynthesis from the leaves to the rest of the plants cells – to provide energy. How are water and nutrients transported in trees? The plants vascular system (Xylem and Phloem) Remember – Up the xylem, down the phloem, that’s the way the stuff is flowin’ Xylem and phloem are adaptations found in most plants. Mosses and some water plants are exceptions.

9. Photosynthesis – How producers (plants), or autotrophs, make food • Plants get water through the roots, carbon dioxide from the air, and energy from the sun (radiant energy) to make food (energy) in the form of sugar and they also produce Oxygen.

10. Spring • bulbs use the free light before trees grow leaves and block the light from reaching the forest floor.

11. SUMMER • Leaves from the trees block out light to forest floor (flowers die) main season for photosynthesis in trees.

12. AUTUMN • Temperatures decrease, the tree cuts off the supply of water to the leaves and they fall off. • Leaf litter increases during autumn and decomposes over the year. • The leaves cannot produce chlorophyll (which makes the leaves green) without water and sunlight causing them to change into beautiful red, yellow and orange colors. The lack of chlorophyll is the reason for the color changes in the leaves!

13. WINTER • It’s too cold for the trees to protect their leaves from freezing. • Losing their leaves helps trees to prevent water loss through transpiration. • Before the leaves die, the food and energy in the leaves are pulled back into the tree so it is not lost.

14. Turn to your neighbor: • Describe what happens in the deciduous forests’ vegetation during the: • Spring • Summer • Fall • Why is it important that the leaves fall off in the winter? • Winter

15. Animal Adaptations seen in the Deciduous Forest With a partner Imagine you are an animal in the Deciduous Forest Biome. What types of Adaptations would be Helpful for your survival? *Consider both Physical and Behavioral Adaptations. Migration- Many animals from birds and geese to small mammals move to warmer climates in the winter months. Hibernation- several types of animals including bears will hibernate in the winter months to survive the harsh climate when food is scarce. Food Storage- In preparation for the winter, squirrels and other animals will store food to last them through the harsh winter months. Thick fur and layers of adipose tissue (fat)- also help animals to survive dropping temperatures. Camouflage

16. Deciduous Forest Food Web Study the food web above and answer the questions that come up with your partner. • What Two organisms provide food for the Grizzly Bear? 2.What would happen to the fox and owl if all of the birds and rodents were removed from the food web? 3. What is the only food source of the insects? Answer: Producers (plants) and Deer Answer: They would not be able to survive. Answer: producers

17. Human Impact on the Deciduous Forest Biome • Human settlements are often found near these forests because of their rich soils • Turn to your partner and discuss how this would hurt the forest? • Biggest threat is agriculture (farming, ranching, logging)- • cutting down the forest in any way called DEFORESTATION • This is a problem because it decreases the populations of native species, and trees take a long time to grow back, habitats are destroyed. • The rate of weathering and erosion will increase with less vegetation. • When people move into the area, so does pollution. • Burning coal can cause acid rain and global warming (may change rainfall patterns.)

18. Watch the succession Clip by clicking on the link How the forest recovers…. Forests can recover loss of ecosystems by a process called:SUCCESSION Succession is the natural, and gradual changes in the types of plant species that live in an area; 2 types can be primary or secondary.

19. Primary Succession • Begins in a place without any soil • Sides of volcanoes • Landslides (when new rock is exposed) • Glaciers in other biomes (because nothing lived under the glacier) • Starts with the arrival of living things such as lichens that do not need soil to survive (lives on rock and helps break them down- first species to arrive is called the PIONEER SPECIES

20. Secondary Succession • Begins in a place that already has soil and was once the home of living organisms • Occurs faster and has different pioneer species than primary succession (because soil is already there) • Example: after forest fires The plants and animals have to come back gradually

22. Climax Community A Stable, end stage of ecological succession in which plants and animals of a community use resources efficiently and equilibrium (a balance) is maintained. Does not always mean big trees –Grasses in prairies –Cacti in deserts

23. Summary of Characteristics • Drastic seasonal changes • Rich soils good for agriculture • Animals have to adapt to the changing seasons • Less dense than rainforests • Leaf litter increased during autumn and decomposes over the year.

24. Summary questions • List and explain at least 2 adaptations that increase the survival of organisms in a deciduous forest. • What kind of events can occur to slow or restart ecological succession? • What impact does succession have on an ecosystem? • A construction crew has cleared a local forest of all its trees. What type of succession would occur? If this clearing is left untouched for 100 years describe the steps of succession that would occur