Temperate deciduous forest
[1] Temperate deciduous forests provide several unique ecosystem services,[4] including habitats for diverse wildlife, and they face a set of natural and human-induced disturbances that regularly alter their structure.
[7] Canada, the United States, China, and several European countries have the largest land area covered by temperate deciduous forests,[7] with smaller portions present throughout South America, specifically Chile and Argentina.
In these regions where temperate deciduous forest are found, warm and cold air circulation accounts for the biome's characteristic seasonal variation.
[10] A factor of temperate deciduous forests is their leaf loss during the transition from fall to winter, an adaptation that arose as a solution for the low sunlight conditions and bitter cold temperatures.
[1] In these forests, winter is a time of dormancy for plants,[8] when broadleaf deciduous trees conserve energy and prevent water loss, and many animal species hibernate or migrate.
[1] Preceding winter is fruit-bearing autumn, a time when leaves change color to various shades of red, yellow, and orange as chlorophyll breakdown gives rise to anthocyanin, carotene, and xanthophyl pigments.
[1] Besides the characteristic colorful autumns and leafless winters, temperate deciduous forests have a lengthy growing season during the spring and summer months that tends to last anywhere from 120 to 250 days.
[1] The fallen leaves from deciduous trees introduce detritus to the forest floor, increasing levels of nutrients and organic matter in the soil.
[1] In addition to characteristic flora, temperate deciduous forests are home to several animal species that rely on the trees and other plant life for shelter and resources, such as squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, mountain lions, bobcats, timber wolves, foxes, and black bears.
[12][5] Provisioning services provided by temperate deciduous forests include access to sources of drinking water,[13] oxygen,[14] food, timber, and biomass.
[4] Natural disturbances cause regular renewal of temperate deciduous forests and create a healthy, heterogeneous environment with constantly changing structures and populations.
[5] Weather events like snow, storms, and wind can cause varying degrees of change to the structure of forest canopies, creating log habitats for small animals and spaces for less shade-tolerant species to grow where fallen trees once stood.
[18] Logging practices emit high levels of carbon while also causing erosion because fewer tree roots are present to provide soil support.
[6] Seminatural temperate deciduous forests with developed trail systems serve as sites for tourism and recreational activities, such as hiking and hunting.
As an alternative, prescribed burning has been put into practice, in which regular, managed fires are administered to forest ecosystems to imitate the natural disturbances that play a significant role in preserving biodiversity.
