The deciduous forests are extended by much of the northern hemisphere, in addition to some parts of the Argentine Patagonia. It is a very common type of forest, belonging to the bioma of the tempered forest of lush. It is a well -known type of forest in which they live a great variety of species, both animals and plant, as well as other kingdoms of nature.
If you want to know What is a deciduous forest, its characteristics, flora and faunaaccompany us in this interesting article of Ecology Verde.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DECONGIFOLIOS forests
We will begin by clarifying what a deciduous forest is. The most distinctive feature of a deciduous forest is that these are forests where a good part of plant species They lose their leaves every yearin the cold and dry era. When we talk about deciduous forests, the common thing is that we refer to a temperate deciduous forest, although there are also tropical ones, which can be called jungles or deciduous forests. Apart from what is commented, these are the main characteristics of deciduous forests:
The 4 stations of the year in forests
In this environment, the bioma passes through the four stations of the year, so its trees suffer the adaptations and cycles linked to seasonal changes. That is, they lose their leaves in the winter months and make them sprout again with the arrival of spring. Learn more about this in this other article about why there are the stations of the year.
Deciduous forest climate
The climate of deciduous forests tends not to be extreme, although in the continental climate it offers quite marked thermal variations between night and day, as usual. Here, it is common that in the cold months the temperature falls below zero, and that in summer the average temperature is maintained above 10 ºC. In the oceanic climate, as is common, thermal variations are lower thanks to the influence of marine winds.
Characteristics of the deciduous forest trees
Being composed of deciduous trees, these enter a season of vegetative rest in the cold months, which drastically reduces their nutrient consumption and contributes to their renewal. Thanks to this, they tend to be very fertile forests in general terms, with a large amount of nutrients of all kinds.
It is also important to note that a good part of the trees of these forests have sap, which they use as a means of avoiding freezing during the coldest season. Many plant species can extend their growth season up to six months, thanks to the soft and beneficial conditions it offers. As trees grow every season for a few months and then retire to rest, the calls can be seen in the sections of their trunks Growth rings: concentric circumferences in which each line represents a life cycle of the plant. In tropical deciduous forests, these rings do not correspond to an exact year, since growth is not the same in each season, so they cannot be used to calculate their age.
Unfortunately, this is one of the types of forest that has suffered a greater deforestation At the hands of man worldwide, especially because of urbanization and agriculture, which seeks to take advantage of their fertile and rich soils. Tala without control has left without habitat and displaced to a large number of fauna species and its disappearance is allowed to be noticed especially in the territories of Europe and North America, where human progress has wreaked havoc.
Expediting Forest Flora
The deciduous forest plants They depend largely, as is logical, on the region in which it is located, since these forests are widely distributed by the planet. These are some of the deciduous forest trees:
In North America and Europe we find trees such as:
- Hague (Fagus Sylvatica)
- The common oak (Quercus Robur)
- The chestnut (Castanea sativa)
- Carpe (Carpinus Betulus)
- The birch (Betula spp.)
In Asia, species such as:
- Liquidambar Formosana
- Chinensis pistacia
- Quercus variabilis
- Quercus Dentata
- Quercus acutissima
In South America we also find species of the genus Quercus, as well as some nothofagus. Examples of the latter are:
- The raulí (NOTHOFAGUS ALPINA)
- The Maulino oak (Nothofagus glauca)
- The Ñarare (NOTHOFAGUS ANTARCTICA)
In deciduous conifolias forests they dominate the Gymnosperms plantsespecially those of the genus Larix. Know more about what are gymnosperms, their characteristics and examples with this other article in this area is common to find:
- Larix Sibirica
- Larix Gmelinii
- Larix decidua
- Larix Cajanderi
Finally, we have tropical deciduous forests. In them it is very common to find:
- Malvaceae
- Legumes
- Bignoniáceas
- Burseráceas
The latter are typical of American tropical areas. In addition, in the tropical deciduous forests of the Asian continent the teak is given (TECTONA GRADIS) and much appreciated for both its wood and the oil that is extracted from it, used in the polishing of other woods.
Decipar Forest Fauna
Finally, we will talk about the fauna of the deciduous forests. Regarding this aspect, we must bear in mind that Deciduous Animals They have great diversity, although there are very characteristic species that are worth mentioning.
In Europe we find animals of the deciduous forest as:
- The European brown bear
- The Wolf
- The fox
- The wild boar
- The common deer
- The bison
In North America these other animals stand out. In addition, it should be noted that these can be seen from the most tempered areas to cold regions in which there are coniferous forests.
- The black bear
- THE PUMA
- The alce
Finally, in tropical deciduous forests we find:
- E Pecarí de Collar
- The howler monkey
- The ocelot
- The Guacharaca
- The Mapanare snake
If you want to discover more animals that live in the temperate forest, such as these deciduous forests, you can read this other ecology article.
If you want to read more articles similar to Decucafolios forests: characteristics, flora and faunawe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.
