www.soran.edu.iq ecology m. saadatian temperate deciduous forest 1
TRANSCRIPT
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What is a deciduous forest?
A DECIDUOUS FOREST is used to describe a type of forest trees shed their leaves during the cold months of the year and re-grow new leaves the next Spring.
The major characteristic is that it has 4 DISTINCT SEASONS!
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LOCATION• Eastern third of the
North America• western Europe• China, Korea, Japan and
Australia • southern tip of South
America
• The only part of Texas that has this type of forest is far East Texas
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• Temperature changes drastically from season to season.
• Annual rainfall ranges from around 50 cm -200 cm• Soil is nutrient rich• Trees are spread further apart which allows some
sunlight to reach the forest floor
General Characteristics
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One more Characteristic
• Has 5 layers Tree stratum, the tallest layer, 60 -100 feet high, with large
oak, maple, beech, chestnut, hickory, elm, basswood, linden, walnut, or sweet gum trees.
Small tree or sapling layer - short tree species and young trees.
Shrub layer - shrubs like rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurels, and huckleberries.
Herb layer - short plants. Ground layer - lichens, club mosses, and true mosses.
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Plant Adaptations seen in the Deciduous Forest
Trees drop their leaves in the winter to prevent water loss during the colder months. Also, there is less direct sunlight in the winter, which means less photosynthesis! So deciduous trees drop their leaves to conserve energy.
Trees have thick bark to protect against harsh winters
Leaves are broad tocollect as much sunlight as possible.
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Spring• bulbs use the free light before trees grow leaves
and block the light from reaching the forest floor.
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SUMMER• Leaves from the trees block out light to forest floor
(flowers die) main season for photosynthesis in trees.
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AUTUMN• Temperatures decrease, the tree cuts off the supply
of water to the leaves and they fall off.• Leaf litter increases during autumn and decomposes
over the year.• The leaves cannot produce chlorophyll (which
makes the leaves green) without water and sunlight causing them to change into beautiful red, yellow and orange colors.
The lack of chlorophyll is the reason for the color changes in the leaves!
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WINTER• It’s too cold for the trees to protect their leaves from
freezing.• Losing their leaves helps trees to prevent water loss
through transpiration. • Before the leaves die, the food and energy in the leaves are
pulled back into the tree so it is not lost.
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Animal Adaptations seen in the Deciduous Forest
Migration- Many animals from birds and geese to small mammals move to warmer climates in the winter months.
Hibernation- several types of animals including bears will hibernate in the winter months to survive the harsh climate when food is scarce.
Food Storage- In preparation for the winter, squirrels and other animals will store food to last them through the harsh winter months.
Thick fur and layers of adipose tissue (fat)- also help animals to survive dropping temperatures.
Camouflage
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There are three deserts in Africa including the Sahara, the Kalahari, and the Namib.There are many deserts in Asia. Three of the most prominent deserts include the Gobi, the Taklamakan, and the Karakum. Gobi: Located in Northern parts of China and into Southern Mongolia.Taklamakan: Located in Southeastern China.Karakum: Located in TurkmenistanGreat Basin The largest desert in North America Atacama desert in south American
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Basic Desert Characteristics• Dry – 10 inches or 25.4 cm of
rain or less PER YEAR!!• Wide range of temperatures (because of low humidity)– warmer during the day – colder at night
• Sandy or rocky soil and very little vegetation
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Adaptations are characteristics of an organism that help it survive in its environment or reproduce.
Examples of Physical Adaptations in Plants:• Chloroplast for Photosynthesis (C4 and CAM plant)• Xylem and phloem ---- Turgor Pressure • Desert plant adaptations to live with less water
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Examples of Physical Adaptations in Animals:
• Leg speed, sharp claws and/or teeth (tusks), spikes or quills, or armor for protection
• Cold blooded – to avoid having to heat or cool themselves
• Coloring for camouflage or warning• Some organisms don’t sweat – to avoid water loss• Some animals have specialized kidneys to
conserve water used for urine • Long ears on a jack rabbit, so that excess heat can
escape (what about rabbits that live in a cold area?)
Javelina
Armadillo
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Behavioral Adaptations are things an organism does to help it survive and reproduce in its
environment
• hunting at night to avoid extreme heat
• storing food for later use (dry season, cold season etc)
• Hibernation or estivation (sleeping for long periods of time to conserve energy)
• Staying in groups to help deter prey
• Hunting in packs to help take down larger prey
• Migration to access food, avoid extreme temperatures, or to reproduce.
