FOREST BIOMES TROPICAL, TEMPERATE AND BOREAL

WHAT IS A FOREST? UNDISTURBED AREAS WITH MODERATE TO HIGH AVERAGE ANNUAL PRECIPITATION WITH VARIOUS SPECIES OF TREES AND SMALLER FORMS OF VEGETATION UNDISTURBED AREAS WITH MODERATE TO HIGH AVERAGE ANNUAL PRECIPITATION WITH VARIOUS SPECIES OF TREES AND SMALLER FORMS OF VEGETATION

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS A TYPE OF BROADLEAF EVERGREEN FOREST NEAR THE EQUATOR WHERE HOT, MOISTURE-LADEN AIR RISES AND DUMPS ITS MOISTURE A TYPE OF BROADLEAF EVERGREEN FOREST NEAR THE EQUATOR WHERE HOT, MOISTURE-LADEN AIR RISES AND DUMPS ITS MOISTURE WORLD’S LARGEST TROPICAL RAINFOREST IS IN THE AMAZON RIVER BASIN IN SOUTH AMERICA WORLD’S LARGEST TROPICAL RAINFOREST IS IN THE AMAZON RIVER BASIN IN SOUTH AMERICA HIGH HUMIDITY, DAILY HEAVY RAINFALL AND WARM ANNUAL TEMPERATURES HIGH HUMIDITY, DAILY HEAVY RAINFALL AND WARM ANNUAL TEMPERATURES

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY HIGHEST DIVERSITY ON EARTH HIGHEST DIVERSITY ON EARTH DIVERSE LIFE FORMS OCCUPY A VARIETY OF SPECIALIZED NICHES IN DISTINCT LAYERS, BASED MOSTLY ON THEIR NEED FOR SUNLIGHT DIVERSE LIFE FORMS OCCUPY A VARIETY OF SPECIALIZED NICHES IN DISTINCT LAYERS, BASED MOSTLY ON THEIR NEED FOR SUNLIGHT R.F. COVER 2% OF EARTH’S SURFACE BUT ARE HABITATS FOR 50-80% OF EARTH’S TERRESTRIAL SPECIES R.F. COVER 2% OF EARTH’S SURFACE BUT ARE HABITATS FOR 50-80% OF EARTH’S TERRESTRIAL SPECIES

LAYERS OF THE RAINFOREST EMERGENT LAYER – TOP LAYER, OCCUPIED BY THE TALLEST TREES EMERGENT LAYER – TOP LAYER, OCCUPIED BY THE TALLEST TREES CANOPY – NEXT TO TOP LAYER, ABUNDANT SHELTER AND SUPPLIES OF LEAVES, FLOWERS AND FRUITS; MUCH OF THE ANIMAL LIFE IS HERE CANOPY – NEXT TO TOP LAYER, ABUNDANT SHELTER AND SUPPLIES OF LEAVES, FLOWERS AND FRUITS; MUCH OF THE ANIMAL LIFE IS HERE UNDERSTORY – SMALL TREES ADAPTED TO LOW LIGHT UNDERSTORY – SMALL TREES ADAPTED TO LOW LIGHT SHRUB LAYER – SHRUBS AND SHORT PLANTS ADAPTED TO EVEN LESS LIGHT SHRUB LAYER – SHRUBS AND SHORT PLANTS ADAPTED TO EVEN LESS LIGHT GROUND LAYER-OPEN AND FREE OF VEGETATION GROUND LAYER-OPEN AND FREE OF VEGETATION

PLANT ADAPTATIONS LIANAS – CLIMBING VINES, ROOTED IN THE SOIL, WIND UPWARD AROUND THE TRUNKS OF LARGER TREES INTO THE CANOPY LIANAS – CLIMBING VINES, ROOTED IN THE SOIL, WIND UPWARD AROUND THE TRUNKS OF LARGER TREES INTO THE CANOPY EPIPHYTES – ORCHIDS, BROMELIADS ATTACH THEMSELVES TO THE TRUNKS AND BRANCHES OF CANOPY TREES EPIPHYTES – ORCHIDS, BROMELIADS ATTACH THEMSELVES TO THE TRUNKS AND BRANCHES OF CANOPY TREES

PLANT ADAPTATIONS UNDERSTORY & SHRUB LAYER PLANTS – PHILODENDRONS – USE HUGE, DARK GREEN LEAVES TO CAPTURE ENOUGH SUNLIGHT UNDERSTORY & SHRUB LAYER PLANTS – PHILODENDRONS – USE HUGE, DARK GREEN LEAVES TO CAPTURE ENOUGH SUNLIGHT ROOTS OF EVEN LARGE TREES TEND TO BE SHALLOW AND SPREAD OUT ROOTS OF EVEN LARGE TREES TEND TO BE SHALLOW AND SPREAD OUT BUTTRESSES – LARGE BULGES AT BASE OF TREE FOR SUPPORT BUTTRESSES – LARGE BULGES AT BASE OF TREE FOR SUPPORT

COEXISTENCE STRATIFICATION OF SPECIALIZED PLANT AND ANIMAL NICHES ENCOURAGES BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY STRATIFICATION OF SPECIALIZED PLANT AND ANIMAL NICHES ENCOURAGES BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY PRESENCE OF THESE SPECIALIZED NICHES ENABLES SPECIES TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES AND INCREASES THE COEXISTENCE OF A GREAT VARIETY OF SPECIES (BIODIVERSITY) PRESENCE OF THESE SPECIALIZED NICHES ENABLES SPECIES TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES AND INCREASES THE COEXISTENCE OF A GREAT VARIETY OF SPECIES (BIODIVERSITY)

RAINFOREST NUTRIENTS NUTRIENTS ARE NOT STORED IN THE SOIL NUTRIENTS ARE NOT STORED IN THE SOIL NUTRIENTS ARE STORED IN THE BIOMASS OF ITS LIVING ORGANISMS NUTRIENTS ARE STORED IN THE BIOMASS OF ITS LIVING ORGANISMS LIVING PLANTS RAPIDLY TAKE UP THE NUTRIENTS FROM THE DECOMPOSING ORGANIC MATTER LIVING PLANTS RAPIDLY TAKE UP THE NUTRIENTS FROM THE DECOMPOSING ORGANIC MATTER

TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS TROPICAL MONSOON FORESTS OR TROPICAL MONSOON FORESTS OR TROPICAL SEASONAL FORESTS TROPICAL SEASONAL FORESTS WARM YEAR-ROUND WARM YEAR-ROUND MOST RAIN COMES DURING A MONSOON SEASON FOLLOWED BY A LONG DRY SEASON MOST RAIN COMES DURING A MONSOON SEASON FOLLOWED BY A LONG DRY SEASON CANOPY IS LOWER CANOPY IS LOWER

TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS CONTAIN A MIXTURE OF DECIDUOUS TREES AND DROUGHT-TOLERANT EVERGREEN TREES CONTAIN A MIXTURE OF DECIDUOUS TREES AND DROUGHT-TOLERANT EVERGREEN TREES

TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS GROW IN AREAS WITH MODERATE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THAT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE SEASON GROW IN AREAS WITH MODERATE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THAT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE SEASON LONG WARM SUMMERS LONG WARM SUMMERS COLD BUT NOT TOO SEVERE WINTERS COLD BUT NOT TOO SEVERE WINTERS ABUNDANT PRECIPITATION ABUNDANT PRECIPITATION

TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS DOMINATED BY A FEW SPECIES OF BROADLEAF DECIDUOUS TREES SUCH AS OAK, HICKORY, MAPLE, POPLAR AND SYCAMORE DOMINATED BY A FEW SPECIES OF BROADLEAF DECIDUOUS TREES SUCH AS OAK, HICKORY, MAPLE, POPLAR AND SYCAMORE SURVIVE COLD WINTERS BY DROPPING THEIR LEAVES IN THE FALL AND BECOMING DORMANT SURVIVE COLD WINTERS BY DROPPING THEIR LEAVES IN THE FALL AND BECOMING DORMANT

TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS LOW RATE OF DECOMPOSITION SO FOREST ACCUMULATES A THICK LAYER OF SLOWLY DECAYING LEAF LITTER THAT IS A STOREHOUSE OF NUTRIENTS LOW RATE OF DECOMPOSITION SO FOREST ACCUMULATES A THICK LAYER OF SLOWLY DECAYING LEAF LITTER THAT IS A STOREHOUSE OF NUTRIENTS RICHER DIVERSITY OF PLANT LIFE AT GROUND LEVEL DUE TO SUNLIGHT REACHING THE GROUND RICHER DIVERSITY OF PLANT LIFE AT GROUND LEVEL DUE TO SUNLIGHT REACHING THE GROUND

TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS DOMINANT MAMMAL SPECIES IS THE WHITE-TAILED DEER, SQUIRRELS, RABBITS, POSSUMS, RACCOONS AND MICE DOMINANT MAMMAL SPECIES IS THE WHITE-TAILED DEER, SQUIRRELS, RABBITS, POSSUMS, RACCOONS AND MICE

EVERGREEN CONIFEROUS FORESTS ALSO CALLED BOREAL FORESTS & TAIGAS ALSO CALLED BOREAL FORESTS & TAIGAS FOUND JUST SOUTH OF THE ARCTIC TUNDRA IN NORTHERN REGIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, ASIA & EUROPE FOUND JUST SOUTH OF THE ARCTIC TUNDRA IN NORTHERN REGIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, ASIA & EUROPE

CHARACTERISTICS WINTERS ARE LONG, DRY AND EXTREMELY COLD WINTERS ARE LONG, DRY AND EXTREMELY COLD IN THE NORTHERNMOST TAIGA, SUNLIGHT AVAILABLE 6-8 HOURS EACH DAY IN THE NORTHERNMOST TAIGA, SUNLIGHT AVAILABLE 6-8 HOURS EACH DAY SUMMERS ARE SHORT, MILD TO WARM TEMPERATURES SUMMERS ARE SHORT, MILD TO WARM TEMPERATURES SUN SHINES 19 HOURS A DAY SUN SHINES 19 HOURS A DAY

BOREAL FORESTS DOMINATED BY A FEW SPECIES OF EVERGREEN CONIFER TREES SUCH AS SPRUCE, FIR, CEDAR, HEMLOCK AND PINE DOMINATED BY A FEW SPECIES OF EVERGREEN CONIFER TREES SUCH AS SPRUCE, FIR, CEDAR, HEMLOCK AND PINE LOW PLANT DIVERSITY BECAUSE FEW SPECIES CAN SURVIVE THE WINTERS WHEN SOIL MOISTURE IS FROZEN LOW PLANT DIVERSITY BECAUSE FEW SPECIES CAN SURVIVE THE WINTERS WHEN SOIL MOISTURE IS FROZEN

BOREAL FORESTS DECOMPOSITION IS SLOW DUE TO LOW TEMPERATURES, WAXY COATING ON THE NEEDLES AND HIGH ACIDITY DECOMPOSITION IS SLOW DUE TO LOW TEMPERATURES, WAXY COATING ON THE NEEDLES AND HIGH ACIDITY VARIETY OF WILDLIFE VARIETY OF WILDLIFE MOSTLY SEED-EATERS – SQUIRRELS MOSTLY SEED-EATERS – SQUIRRELS INSECT HERBIVORES INSECT HERBIVORES LARGER BROWSERS – ELK AND MOOSE LARGER BROWSERS – ELK AND MOOSE

BOREAL FORESTS PREDATORS INCLUDE WOLVES, WOLVERINES, GRIZZLY BEARS AND BLACK BEARS PREDATORS INCLUDE WOLVES, WOLVERINES, GRIZZLY BEARS AND BLACK BEARS

TEMPERATE RAIN FORESTS COASTAL CONIFEROUS RAINFORESTS COASTAL CONIFEROUS RAINFORESTS FOUND IN SCATTERED COASTAL TEMPERATE AREAS WITH AMPLE RAINFALL OR MOISTURE FROM DENSE OCEAN FOGS FOUND IN SCATTERED COASTAL TEMPERATE AREAS WITH AMPLE RAINFALL OR MOISTURE FROM DENSE OCEAN FOGS

TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST CHARACTERISTICS COAST OF NORTH AMERICA FROM CANADA TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST OF NORTH AMERICA FROM CANADA TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DOMINATED BY STANDS OF LARGE CONIFERS SUCH AS SITKA SPRUCE, DOUGLAS FIR AND REDWOODS DOMINATED BY STANDS OF LARGE CONIFERS SUCH AS SITKA SPRUCE, DOUGLAS FIR AND REDWOODS WINTERS ARE MILD WINTERS ARE MILD SUMMERS ARE COOL SUMMERS ARE COOL

WHAT IMPACTS DO HUMAN ACTIVITIES HAVE ON FOREST ECOSYSTEMS? CLEARING AND DEGRADATION OF TROPICAL RAINFORESTS FOR TIMBER, GRAZING LAND AND AGRICULTURE CLEARING AND DEGRADATION OF TROPICAL RAINFORESTS FOR TIMBER, GRAZING LAND AND AGRICULTURE LEADS TO SEVERE EROSION LEADS TO SEVERE EROSION CLEARING OF TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS IN EUROPE, ASIA AND NORTH AMERICA FOR TIMBER CROPLAND AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT CLEARING OF TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS IN EUROPE, ASIA AND NORTH AMERICA FOR TIMBER CROPLAND AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

HUMAN IMPACT IN NORTH AMERICA, ABOUT 99.9% OF THE ORIGINAL STANDS HAVE BEEN CLEARED IN NORTH AMERICA, ABOUT 99.9% OF THE ORIGINAL STANDS HAVE BEEN CLEARED CLEARING OF LARGE AREAS OF EVERGREEN CONIFEROUS FORESTS BY LOGGERS IN NORTH AMERICA, FINLAND, SWEDEN AND CANADA CLEARING OF LARGE AREAS OF EVERGREEN CONIFEROUS FORESTS BY LOGGERS IN NORTH AMERICA, FINLAND, SWEDEN AND CANADA BECAUSE OF THE COLD, CONIFEROUS TREES TAKE A LONG TIME TO RECOVER BECAUSE OF THE COLD, CONIFEROUS TREES TAKE A LONG TIME TO RECOVER

MOUNTAIN BIOMES COVER 20% OF EARTH’S SURFACE COVER 20% OF EARTH’S SURFACE PLACES WHERE DRAMATIC CHANGES IN ALTITUDE, CLIMATE, SOIL AND VEGETATION TAKE PLACE OVER A VERY SHORT DISTANCE PLACES WHERE DRAMATIC CHANGES IN ALTITUDE, CLIMATE, SOIL AND VEGETATION TAKE PLACE OVER A VERY SHORT DISTANCE EACH 300 FOOT CHANGE IN ELEVATION IS EQUIVALENT TO A 62 MILE CHANGE IN LATITUDE EACH 300 FOOT CHANGE IN ELEVATION IS EQUIVALENT TO A 62 MILE CHANGE IN LATITUDE

MOUNTAIN BIOMES ISLANDS OF BIODIVERSITY – MANY FREE-STANDING MOUNTAINS CONTAIN ENDEMIC SPECIES FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH ISLANDS OF BIODIVERSITY – MANY FREE-STANDING MOUNTAINS CONTAIN ENDEMIC SPECIES FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH ALSO SANCTUARIES FOR ANIMAL SPECIES DRIVE FROM LOWLAND AREAS DUE TO DEVELOPMENT ALSO SANCTUARIES FOR ANIMAL SPECIES DRIVE FROM LOWLAND AREAS DUE TO DEVELOPMENT ANTARCTICA IS THE MOST MOUNTAINOUS OF ALL CONTINENTS ANTARCTICA IS THE MOST MOUNTAINOUS OF ALL CONTINENTS

MOUNTAIN BIOMES ALSO CONTAIN THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS WHICH CONTAIN MOST OF THE WORLD’S BIODIVERSITY ALSO CONTAIN THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS WHICH CONTAIN MOST OF THE WORLD’S BIODIVERSITY MOUNTAINS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE BY GRADUALLY RELEASING MELTING ICE, SNOW AND WATER STORED IN THE SOILS AND VEGETATION OF MOUNTAINSIDES TO SMALL STREAMS MOUNTAINS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE BY GRADUALLY RELEASING MELTING ICE, SNOW AND WATER STORED IN THE SOILS AND VEGETATION OF MOUNTAINSIDES TO SMALL STREAMS

IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES ON MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEMS RAPIDLY INCREASING POPULATIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FORCES LANDLESS PEOPLE TO TRY TO SURVIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS RAPIDLY INCREASING POPULATIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FORCES LANDLESS PEOPLE TO TRY TO SURVIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS INCREASED HARVESTING OF TIMBER AND MINERAL RESOURCES INCREASED HARVESTING OF TIMBER AND MINERAL RESOURCES DAMMING OF RIVERS IN MOUNTAINS FOR HYDROELECTRIC POWER DAMMING OF RIVERS IN MOUNTAINS FOR HYDROELECTRIC POWER

IMPACT ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION FROM RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION FROM RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES INCREASED AIR POLLUTION INCREASED AIR POLLUTION CHANGES IN CLIMATE AND LEVELS OF UV RADIATION CHANGES IN CLIMATE AND LEVELS OF UV RADIATION