Forest Ecology

1. Biomes All organisms living in a certain climate Forest Ecology

2. Biomes • We already learned about biotic and abiotic • Abiotic would be the air, soil, rainfall • How many of you saw the movie Biodome?

3. Forests and Biomes • As we look at each Biome in Oregon, we will notice that there are different types of leaves for each forest

4. Leaf Type • Larger leaf; the more tropical climate • Smaller leaf; the more arid climate • Why do trees have needles? • Summer • The air in the crowns of the trees gets very hot in the summer • The needles have low transpiration (remember what that means)

5. Biomes in Oregon • We divide Oregon into four biomes • Coast Range • Willamette Valley Grasslands • Cascade Mountain Forests • Eastern Oregon High Desert

6. Coast Range • Dominated by conifer forests • Moist climate • Average rainfall is greater than Willamette Valley • Timber grows taller • Variety of animals and vegetation • Average rainfall is 80 inches per year

7. Willamette Valley Grasslands • Mild climate • Due to our close proximity to the Pacific Ocean • Enough rain to keep the fields green most of the year • Average four month growing season • Most things can grow because of the mild climate • Type of forest would be an Oak Savannah

8. Willamette Valley Grasslands • Wildlife • Many populations of wildlife because of the mild climate • Plants • Wet and moist fields • Plants need to be able to adapt to wet climates • Grass seed does well in the moist climate • Average rainfall is 40 inches per year

9. Cascade Mountain Forests • Grows some of the finest timber in the world • Dominated by Conifer forests • Primarily on the west side of the cascades • 3 times the rainfall on the west side compared to the east side • As the air blows the clouds up the elevation, the rain is deposited and we end up with a very dry climate on the east side

10. Cascade Mountain Forests • This is called the Rain Shadow Effect • Douglas fir, western hemlock and western redcedar all thrive in the moist climate • Woody stems help the trees withstand the heavy snows in the winter • Trees help protect the more delicate plants that grow beneath them • Leaf size is a fair indicator of climate

11. Cascade Mountain Forests • Animals have to adapt to cold winters and snow • Some animals hibernate • Bears • Squirrels • Some move to lower elevations • Elk • Deer • Average rainfall is 66 inches per year

12. Cascade Mountain Forests • As we crest the summit of the cascades we find something very interesting • The change of vegetation • Alpine fir • Grand fir • Ponderosa pine • Juniper • Which leads us to our next biome…

13. Eastern Oregon Desert • Very harsh biome compared to the Cascade or Willamette Valley • Little rainfall • Extreme temperature ranges • Growing season can be as little as a few weeks • Plants that do grow have extensive root systems • Plants have small needles or leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration

14. Eastern Oregon Desert • Many animals are cold blooded to adjust to the outside temperature • Hibernation during the winter is common • Some animals Aestevate (go dormant) during the hot summer • Reptiles • Insects • Average rainfall is 10 inches per year • Dominated by Juniper forests

15. Average Rainfall • Coast Range • Tidewater: 91.4 • Falls City: 68 • Hoskins: 68.8 • Valsetz: 119 • Dallas: 49.2

16. Average Rainfall • Willamette Valley • Philomath: 40.6 • Corvallis: 39.6 • Albany: 42 • Eugene: 36.8 • Jefferson: 41.4 • Salem: 39.2

17. Average Rainfall • Cascade Forests • Mehama: 65.8 • Cascadia: 62.6 • Detroit Dam: 86.6 • Foster: 52.9 • Stayton: 51.6 • Santiam Pass: 77.3

18. Average Rainfall • Eastern Oregon • Sisters: 14.4 • Redmond: 8.6 • Madras: 11.9 • Bend: 9.5 • Vale: 9.1 • Baker City: 10.9

19. Average Rainfall • Coast Range: 79.28 • Willamette Valley: 39.9 • Cascade Forest: 66.1 • Eastern Oregon: 10.7