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The eastern deciduous forest forms part of one of the major biomes on earth, the temperate deciduous forest, which can be found in eastern North America, Europe, China and Japan. Within the United States, the eastern deciduous forest stretches from northern New England to central Florida, and west to the Mississippi river.

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The climate rapidly changes from cold to warm and from dry to wet. Within a year, the climate in the eastern deciduous forest can range from cold with precipitation in the form of snow, or hot with precipitation in the form of rain.

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Some native species in this biome are...

White-Tailed Deer:

Bobcat:

Wood Mice:

Elk:

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Non-native species that compete for space and food include the Multiflora Rose and the citrus long horned beetle. The horned beetle is harmful to many hardwood trees. Chestnut blight was also introduced into the eastern deciduous forest system and wiped out the population of chestnut trees.

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Some generalist species in this biome are...

The American Black Bear:

American Bald Eagle:

Raccoons:

Coyote:

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Some specialist species in this forest are...

Red Squirrel:

Beaver:

Spruce Grouse:

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The top predators in this biome have mostly been eliminated by man but they are...

Black Bear:

Timberwolves:

Mountain Lions:

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Deciduous forests are often characterized by their leaves changing colors. A deciduous forest typically has three to four layers of plant growth and the plants that make up these layers are...

Moss:

Shrub:

Maple Tree:

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Indicator Species of the Eastern Deciduous Forest

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Indicator Species of the Eastern Deciduous Forest

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Oak trees are one of the dominant tree indicator species in the eastern deciduous forest. Many of these dominant tree species produce large seeds with contain enough food for the seedling through the leaf litter into the forest floor. An indicator animal species that exist in the eastern deciduous forest includes the American Toad. The toad feeds on the invertebrates that feed on on the decaying leaves around there. Amphibians, such as the toad, have a thin layer of skin and depend on the high humidity of the forest floor to survive. Other indicator species that exist in the eastern deciduous forest include the box turtle, chipmunk, and the gray squirrel.

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The typical harvesting is done by bears and not humans looking for berries and nuts. The hunting done in these forests has been traditionally for big game and deer. White-Tailed deer are abundant in these forests and so they are commonly hunted to keep their population low because humans have almost wiped out their natural predators. The natural predators we have wiped out are species such as bobcats, mountain lions and timberwolves. Some over hunting we have done to native species in these forests are to elk and bison which are on the verge of extinction.

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Recreational activities in the eastern deciduous forest include mountain biking, hiking, fishing, picnicking, watching wildlife, and camping.

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Fires do not have a huge role in Deciduous forests. When they do exist they usually burn only in the understory of the forest and are not powerful enough to reach the canopy. It also helps to clear out excess leaf litter on the ground floor so species are able to be more mobile. The reason why they do not have a huge role is that these forests are often very fire resistant.

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Air pollutants from burning fuels destroy forests, kills wildlife, and poisons soil. Millions of acres of forests have suffered severe effects from acid rain. Acid rain contaminates the leaves of trees which, in turn, leads to less production of seeds which are vital to reproduction. A fungal disease called "Chestnut Blight" was first detected in 1904 and was estimated to have eliminated four billion chestnut trees leading up to now.

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Global warming plays a significant role in changing the rainfall patterns on Earth. Precipitation in the summer decreases and the temperatures increase. Because of the increase in temperature and lack of rain, the amount of forest fires increase. Carbon dioxide levels also escalate due to the climate change.

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http://www.arkive.org/eco-regions/eastern-deciduous-forest/

http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tempded.htm
http://animals.about.com/od/forest/p/deciduousforest.htm