The Temperate Deciduous Forest
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The temperate deciduous forest is a biome found all around the world. A temperate deciduous forest consists of trees that lose their leaves every year. Some of these trees include oak, maple, beech, and elm. The temperate deciduous biome can be found on almost every continent.
[1] Click to see a map of biome distribution.
The temperate deciduous forest climate is fairly mild. It usually consists of a cold winter, warm spring, hot summer, and a cool autumn, with a temperature range of -30° C to 30° C. The "official" climate classification is humid subtropical. The temperate deciduous forest gets about 20-60 inches of rain every year.
Many commonly heard of animals live here. Some examples are bears, beavers, foxes, deer, and large birds of prey like red tailed hawks. However, it is not that easy to live here. Many animals have had to adapt. For example, animals like bears store up fat, and then during the cold winters of the temperate deciduous forest, and then sleep through the winter. This is called hibernation. Others, like the red winged blackbird, migrate to the south to escape temperatures that are sometimes below zero.
The plants of this biome must be very well adapted to survive in these conditions. For example, trees like the beech and the elm have leaves that absorb water and sunlight. This way, the soaring branches do more than just provide shade for other creatures of this biome, they also provide nutrients necessary for the tree to live. The other adaptation that these trees have is that they shed their leaves in the winter. This way, they only need to support themselves.
Humans have often colonized places in the temperate deciduous forest. Because of this, a substantial percentage of the human race lives in the temperate deciduous forest.
A list of major cities in this biome:
•Boston
•New York
•Detroit
•Philidelphia
•London
•Tokyo
Natural Resources:
•Timber
•Water
•Animals