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Dry leaves crunch under your feet as you walk through the woods. The air is crisp and cool. The sun shines through the orange, red, and gold leaves. It's autumn and the forest is popping with color.

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Dry leaves crunch under your feet as you walk through the woods. The air is crisp and cool. The sun shines through the orange, red, and gold leaves. It's autumn and the forest is popping with color.

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A place that has regular seasons of warm and cold weather is called a temperate climate. Forests that grow here are known as temperate forests. In areas with cold winters, such as New England, Canada and Europe, most of the forests have deciduous trees. These trees have thin, flat leaves that die in the winter. Warmer areas, such as the coast of Oregon, are covered with evergreen trees, such as spruce and pine trees. These trees stay green and keep their leaves all year long.
Fun Facts

Trees in temperate forests can usually take cold weather, but they don't grow well without water.

In the spring, deciduous trees are bare and sunlight streams down to the forest floor. Wild flowers, such as bluebells, columbines or Indian paintbrushes, spring up.

Fallen leaves litter the forest floor. As they decay, they create a rich, moist soil. Mushrooms and other fungi thrive in this environment.

Most insects either die or hibernate during the winter. Birds often migrate to warmer climates so they can find food.

Many animals, such as squirrels and bears, go on a feeding spree in the fall. Their fat reserves help them survive the winter.

Vocabulary

1. Temperate: a climate that includes the four seasons

2. Deciduous: a tree that loses its leaves

3. Decay: rot, decompose

4. Spree: frenzy of activity

Learn More
Head over to the University of California Santa Barbara to learn more about temperate forests.
Extra Credit
Question: Are temperate forests important to people?

Answer: Just like rainforests, temperate forests help clean the air. They also provide wood for paper, floors, furniture and homes. Most of all, though, temperate forests offer a home to wildlife and plants, and give us enjoyment. There's nothing better than a walk through a forest on a crisp, fall day.

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A place that has regular seasons of warm and cold weather is called a temperate climate. Forests that grow here are known as temperate forests. In areas with cold winters, such as New England, Canada and Europe, most of the forests have deciduous trees. These trees have thin, flat leaves that die in the winter.

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The temperate forest biome (also called the deciduous forest biome) is characterized by trees that shed their leaves in the winter months. These forests cover much of the Eastern United States and Canada, most of Europe and parts of China and Japan. They receive around 30 to 60 inches of rainfall every year.

Seasons

The temperate forest biome has four distinct seasons. It has very long and warm summers. Its winters are still cold, but not as cold or long as in the coniferous forest biome. On average, the temperature is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. However, temperatures vary significantly throughout the year. In winter, the temperature can be as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit. Whereas, in summer, the temperature can be as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

The trees of a deciduous forest biome shed their leaves in the fall. As a result, a layer of old and decaying leaves cover the ground. This, along with rain and warmer weather causes the soil to be very rich and fertile. Since the trees are leafless, sunlight reaches the forest floor, sprouting a variety of wildflowers, ferns and brush.

Plants

There are a wide variety of plants in the deciduous forest biome. It has five distinct zones. The first zone is the tree stratum. It contains trees such as oak, beech, maple and walnut. These trees are usually around 60 to 100 feet tall. The second zone is the small tree and sapling zone, which contains smaller and younger trees that are not as tall as those in the tree stratum.

The third zone is the shrub zone, which contains plants like huckleberries, azaleas and rhododendrons. The fourth zone is the herb zone, which contains smaller, shade-tolerant herbs and wildflowers. The fifth and final zone is the ground zone, which is home to the mosses lichens and grasses that exist on the forest floor.

Animals

The temperate forest biome is home to a number of different animals. There are large predators such as bears and wolves. Smaller herbivores include chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, possums and skunks. The trees also provide ideal homes for many different bird species. Jays, woodpeckers, hawks, owls, cardinals and even more birds all call the deciduous forests home.

The harsh winters present an obstacle to all of the animals in this region. Many of the ground-bound animals like bears, squirrels and snakes hibernate for the cold, winter months. The birds of the region often migrate south to warmer weather.

Human Impact

Many areas of the temperate forest biome have been converted into farms and towns. This has greatly reduced the region worldwide. If you live in the eastern United States, you may inhabit a deciduous forest yourself! The fertile soil and moderate climate of this biome are both suitable for human civilization. However, human settlement has come at the expense of the forests' animal habitats. There are many endangered species in deciduous forests, such as the red wolf in the United States and the panda in central China.

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Temperate Forest Biome (Deciduous Forest Biome) - Earth's Biomes - Kids Biology

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The temperate forest biome (also called the deciduous forest biome) is characterized by trees that shed their leaves in the winter months. These forests cover much of the Eastern United States and Canada, most of Europe and parts of China and Japan.