Donna Latham - Deciduous Forests

Scientists dont agree on how many biomes there are. Some divide the earth into five biomes. Others argue for 12.

biome: a large natural area with a distinctive climate, geology, and set of water resources. A biomes plants and animals are adapted for life there.

deciduous: describes trees and bushes that shed their leaves each year.

climate: average weather patterns in an area over a period of many years.

geology: the rocks, minerals, and physical structure of an area.

adapt: changes a plant or animal makes to survive in new or different conditions.

ecosystem: a community of living and nonliving things and their environment. Living things are plants, animals, and insects. Nonliving things are soil, rocks, and water.

environment: everything in nature, living and nonliving.

Each biome has its own biodiversity, which is the range of living things adapted for life there. It also contains many ecosystems. In an ecosystem, living and nonliving things interact with their environment.

Teamwork keeps the system balanced and working. Earths biomes are connected together, creating a vast web of life.

Trees, trees, and more trees define the temperate deciduous forest. Deciduous forests are one of the earths most pleasant places, where humans have thrived for thousands of years.

A temperate climate experiences a wide range of temperatures. They may dip to -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 degrees Celsius) in the winter and peak at close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in the summer. But the average is 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). Yearly rainfall ranges from 29 to 59 inches (74 to 150 centimeters).

Youll find temperate deciduous forests in the eastern United States, Canada, China, Japan, Russia, and central and eastern Europe. These areas are all in the Northern Hemisphere. There are a few, much smaller areas of deciduous forest in the Southern Hemisphere.

temperate: climate or weather that is not extreme.

Northern Hemisphere: the half of the planet north of the equator.

Southern Hemisphere: the half of the planet south of the equator.

Seasons characterize this biome. A cold winter follows a long, warm growing season of around six months. Temperate deciduous forests enjoy four seasons, each with its own weather. Snowy winters and hot summers are about the same length. Even with this dependable pattern, the length of each season can vary from year to year or from location to location.

fertile: good for growing 1 plants. 1

nutrients: substances I that organisms need to live and grow.

topsoil: top layer of soil.

organic matter: decaying plants and animals.

The soil in the deciduous forest biome is dark brown, fertile, and rich in nutrients. Plants and animals inhabit the ground level, or topsoil. Seeds sprout and plants take root in the blend of silt, sand, clay, and organic matter.