1. Deciduous Forest Biome
The Temperate
Deciduous Forest Biome
Robinson Forest, Eastern Kentucky

2. Ecological importance of forests
Forests are WATERSHEDS:
A watershed is the land base surrounding and draining downhill into a particular river or stream
Maroon Bells watershed above Aspen, Colorado

3. Daniel Boone National Forest, KY
Forested Watersheds
They absorb, hold, and gradually release H2O to agricultural and urban areas downstream
Forested watersheds control erosion to reduce sediment in streams and lakes, and reduce flooding
Daniel Boone National Forest, KY

4. Forests Regulate Climate
Up to 80% (tropical forests) of moisture in air is from evaporation and transpiration of moisture from trees
local - wet and cool around trees where otherwise hot and dry
without trees, rain causes soil erosion and fertility drops
global - forests absorb solar radiation near equator
cut trees --> radiation + heat reflected -->
changes wind, precipitation, and temperature worldwide
general - trees absorb CO2, add O2, cleansing air
cutting and burning tree releases CO2 into air, and CO2 is lost from exposed soil - no tree to absorb that CO2

5. Forests regulate both humidity and temperature

6. Forests as filters Trees absorb noise
Trees filter out pollution (as gasses are exchanged)
Forests help us clear our minds:
provide solitude, beauty, and nourish human spirit

7. Forests provide biodiversity
Forests contain a greater diversity of wildlife than any other terrestrial biome
How diverse are the forests of eastern Kentucky compared to the rest of the U.S. and other parts of the world?

8. What is the $$ value of a tree?
Economists (e.g., timber company) - engage in cost-benefit analysis to determine if money can be made on lumber and paper
An average tree in the eastern US might be worth about $750 for its wood products value
The costs to produce the products involve
Purchasing the standing timber
Harvest costs
Transportation costs
Processing costs
Marketing and delivery costs

9. What’s a tree worth ALIVE?
If you could take all the goods and services produced by ONE average tree over 50 years:
$ 31, 250 of O2
$ 62, 500 in pollution reduction
$ 31, 250 in soil fertility
$ 37, 500 in water recycling and humidity control
$ 31, 250 in wildlife habitat
$ 2,500 in protein
Total = $196,250

10. Real costs tree harvest?
We justify forest practices on a SHORT TERM basis without considering value of ecological benefits that support other economic activities and help sustain the biosphere
We allow timber companies to cut our trees without collecting for nearly $200,000 in benefits that tree might otherwise provide so that they can make $750.
Need to consider the external costs (lost benefits)

11. The timber industry Hardwoods Softwoods
mostly deciduous; oaks, hickories, cherry
furniture, flooring, cabinets
The native, “climax” species in eastern Kentucky
Softwoods
mostly evergreen, conifers; pines, firs, spruce
paper, construction timber, plywood
High volume needed
Fast growing
High economic gain

12. What constitutes a forest?
CLOSED FOREST - closed canopy
62 % of forests
OPEN FOREST – “WOODLANDS”
abundant trees but canopy not closed
Remaining 38%
Broadleaf forest = ~ 2/3 of world’s forests
Coniferous forest = ~ 1/3

13. Secondary vs. Old Growth
SECONDARY FORESTS - resulting from secondary ecological succession after:
logging
clearing for agriculture and abandoned
Mining
OLD GROWTH - uncut, virgin forest, resulting in:
massive trees
hundreds to thousands of years old
e.g., Douglas fir live to about 250 years old
Hemlock, Giant Sequoia, Coastal Redwoods live to 1,000’s of years old
Pine in Southeastern US – live to only 80 years old
Thousands of years old

14. Coastal redwood in California
Yellow Birch in Michigan
Tree trunk in Blanton Forest in southeastern Kentucky
Giant Sequoias in California

15. Old Growth Forests provide
- greater diversity of plants
- greater diversity of animals
tree cavities!!
Wood ducks, squirrels, raccoons,
food production
Acorn production is much higher in older trees.
Food production for wildlife is generally greater in old growth

16. Forest Edge – good or bad?
EDGE habitat in treefall gap vs. man-made
forest management of commercially important trees
- most are shade-intolerant (need clear open area to grow)
shade tolerant - typically the “climax” species
- KY = CHESTNUT, OAK, POPULAR
- Lilly Cornett Woods - Letcher Co. near Whitesburg

17. Only you can appreciate forest fires
Smokey the Bear!!
once thought harmful
rapid regeneration after fire
can remove competitors and return nutrients to soil, leaving large, fire - resistant species
can remove litter fungi
Giant Sequoia needs geminate only after fire ( or after intense heat!!)
Surface fire - litter and undergrowth only
Crown fires - hot, usually where fires have bow prevented (i.e. lots of dead wood in tree tops)

18. Prescribed fire
Prescribed burning - to do natures work on man’s schedule
Get different results depending on
Time of year
Time of day
Moisture content of air
Geographic location
Species composition

19. Diseases of forests
DISEASES - in healthy, diverse forests, disease rarely get out of hand
resistant species / genotypes
CHESTNUT BLIGHT: CHINA - almost all
DUTCH ELM DISEASE: ASIA and EUROPE - 2/3 killed
WHITE - PINE BLISTER RUST: EUROPE
constant problem; esp. in monocultures

20. Impacts of insects on forests
birds, etc. usually control insects
bark beetle in S. and W. U.S. pine / spruce
Spruce budworm - defoliate
Gypsy moth
Aphids - suck sap (wooly aphid) and scale insect

21. Hemlock Wooly Adelgid