Chapter 9 Forest Biomes By Faith Lawless & Ryan Smith

Coniferous Forests 9.1

Coniferous Forests Located far from the equator Generally limited to Northern Hemisphere Summers: Warm Last 2-5 months Period of daylight increases Winters Very cold Last 7-10 months Period of daylight decreases

Precipitation In Coniferous Forests Receive 40 - 200 cm of precipitation per year Precipitation falls as rain in summer Precipitation falls as snow in winter

Conifers = Trees That Produce Seed Cones Have unusual type of leaf called a needle Needles Long and thin Covered in thick, waxy substance Help trees conserve water Are evergreen - don’t lose their leaves during certain periods of the year Lose and replace their leaves slowly throughout the year Examples Pine Tree Fir Tree

Not Many Plants On Forest Floor Why? Trees often grow in dense stands, prevent sunlight from reaching forest floor Soil is poor and acidic because conifer needles prevent plants from growing on forest floor Lack of sunlight and poor soil prevent plants from growing on forest floor

Snow In Coniferous Forests Snow acts like an insulating blanket which Traps heat Prevents ground from freezing solid Protects roots of forest trees Small animals would freeze to death above snow, can survive underneath ground

Animals In The Winter In Coniferous Forests Mammals Have Adapted For Winter Migrate Hibernate Live underneath snow Most have thick body fat Mouse Lives under snow in winter Moose Has thick body fat for winter

Deciduous Forests 9.2

Weather In Deciduous Forests Summers can be as high as 30 degrees celsius Winters can be as low as -30 degrees celsius Receive about 50-300cm of precipitation a year

Deciduous Trees Deciduous Tree - tree that sheds its leaves during a particular season of the year Growing season lasts about 6 months Grows quickly Produces & stores large amount of food Lose leaves Triggered by shortening daylight & cooling temperatures Enables tree to conserve water in winter Are dormant in winter Photosynthesis stops Survive on food stored in trunk Beech Tree Maple Tree

Canopy Of Deciduous Forest Highest layer of deciduous forest Made up of upper branches and leaves of tall trees Captures most of sun’s direct light, filters some down to lower levels

Understory Of Deciduous Forests Made up of trees that are younger and smaller than those of the canopy Trees receive less sunlight than trees in the canopy Beneath is a layer of shrubs

Human Consumption Of Deciduous Forests Why? Soil Rich and fertile Good farming land 2. Trees Have harder wood than coniferous trees Good building material Used for paper products Used for fuel Fertile soil used for farming Wood used to make furniture

9.3 Rain Forests Objectives Describe the characteristics of the tropical zone and of the rain forest. Illustrate the complexity and diversity of the rain forest ecosystem.

9.3 Rain Forests Tropical zone is located at latitudes near the equator. Receives direct rays from the sun most of the year. 25° C all year.

9.3 Rain Forests Precipitation falls as rain except on tops of high mountains. 100-450 cm of rain a year.

Constant warmth and abundant rain. Covers 6% of Earth’s land surface. 40% of Earth’s land biomass. Rainforest Structure

Rainforest Structure Trees are basis of rain forest. Cyprus, balsa, teak, mahogany species grow here. Topsoil is thin and poor. Fallen trees, other organic matter decomposes in days or weeks. Rainforest Structure

Constant moisture ideal for fungi, insects, bacteria. Each species occupies a niche in the trees. Many organisms lie without ever touching the ground. Rainforest Structure

Organisms and Diversity Animal diversity in the rain forest is caused by two factors: 1) Diversity of rainforest plants. . Organisms and Diversity

Organisms and Diversity 2) Wide variety of habitats exist in different forest levels. Habitats in the rainforest vary from tree to tree from one part of a tree to another. Organisms and Diversity

In 1950: 10% of Earth’s land surface covered by rainforests In 1950: 10% of Earth’s land surface covered by rainforests. Now: 6% and decreasing. Destruction of rainforests is due to human’s need for space and wood. Deforestation

Rainforest trees are exported and burned to make farmland, grazing land, and living space for people. Habitats in the canopy and lower levels of vegetation are also destroyed. Deforestation

Deforestation Animals that have evolved to live there become extinct. If a rainforest is burned, it may be able to regenerate after hundreds of years if there’s more rainforest around. If bulldozed, it cannot regenerate, it will only grow weeds. Deforestation

Key Terms Conifers- Trees that produce seed cones. Deciduous Trees- Tree that sheds its leaves during a particular season of the year. Rain Forest- Biome with a dense canopy of evergreen, broadleaf trees supported by about 200cm of rain a year. Deforestation- Destruction of forest as a result of human activity.

Coniferous Forest Deciduous Forest Rainforest