What do you know about forests? What kinds of forest do we have in our country?

Something about forests

Today, forests occupy approximately one-third of Earth’s land area, account for over two-thirds of the leaf area of land plants. They have been held in reverence in folklore and worshipped in ancient religions. However, forests are becoming major casualties of civilization as human populations have increased over the past several thousand years, bringing deforestation, pollution, and industrial usage problems to this important part of nature.

Present-day forests, biological communities that are dominated by trees and other woody vegetation, can be classified according to numerous characteristics, with seasonality being the most widely used. There are three major types of forests, classed according to latitude:

ü tropical;

ü temperate;

ü boreal (taiga).

Tropical forests

Tropical forests are characterized by the greatest diversity of species. They occur near the equator, within the area bounded by latitudes 23.5 degrees N and 23.5 degrees S. One of the major characteristics of tropical forests is their distinct seasonality: winter is absent, and only two seasons are presented (rainy and dry). The length of daylight is 12 hours and varies little.

Temperature is on average 20-25° C and varies little throughout the year: the average temperatures of the three warmest and three coldest months do not differ by more than 5 degrees.

Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with annual rainfall exceeding 2000 mm.

Soil is nutrient-poor and acidic.

Canopy in tropical forests is multilayered and continuous, allowing little light penetration.

Flora is highly diverse: one square kilometer may contain as many as 100 different tree species. Trees are 25-35 m tall, with buttressed trunks and shallow roots, mostly evergreen, with large dark green leaves. Plants such as orchids, bromeliads, vines (lianas), ferns, mosses, and palms are present in tropical forests.

Fauna include numerous birds, bats, small mammals, and insects. More than ½ of tropical forests have already been destroyed.

Temperate forests

Temperate forests occur in eastern North America, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe. Well-defined seasons with a distinct winter characterize this forest biome. Moderate climate and a growing season of 140-200 days during 4-6 frost-free months distinguish temperate forests.

Temperature varies from -30° C to +30° C.

Precipitation (75-150 cm) is distributed evenly throughout the year.

Soil is fertile, enriched with decaying litter.

Canopy is moderately dense and allows light to penetrate, resulting in well-developed and richly diversified understory vegetation and stratification of animals.

Flora is characterized by 3-4 tree species per square kilometer. Trees are distinguished by broad leaves that are lost annually and include such species as oak, hickory, beech, birch, maple, poplar, linden, elm, willow, and spring-flowering herbs.

Fauna is represented by squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lions, bobcats, wolves, foxes, and black bear.

Boreal forests

Boreal forests, or taiga, represent the largest terrestrial part of forests. Occurring between 50 and 60 degrees north latitudes, boreal forests can be found in the broad belt of Eurasia and North America: two-thirds in Siberia with the rest in Scandinavia, Alaska, and Canada. Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters. The length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days.

Temperatures are very low.

Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm annually.

Soil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidic.

Canopy permits low light penetration, and as a result, understory is limited.

Flora consists mostly of cold-tolerant evergreen conifers with needle-like leaves, such as pine, fir, and spruce.

Fauna include woodpeckers, hawks, moose, bear, weasel, lynx, fox, wolf, deer, hares, chipmunks, shrews, and bats.

Current extensive logging in boreal forests may soon cause their disappearance. It’s very dangerous as the boreal forests produce more oxygen than tropical forests. 

 

Answer the questions.

1. What are three major types of forests?

2. Why have the forests been held in reverence in folklore and worshipped in ancient religions? Isn’t it done nowadays?

3. In what kind of forest is there the greatest diversity of species? Why?

4. Why isn’t there grass in tropical and boreal forests comparing with temperate forests?

5. Why is the soil fertile in temperate forests?

6. What animals live in every type of forest?

7. Why aren’t there many large animals?

8. Why are the forests in danger nowadays?