DECIDUOUS FOREST: CHARACTERISTICS, FLORA, FAUNA, LOCATION - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

The deciduous forest is a plant formation with a predominance of the tree biotype, where most of the species totally lose their leaves annually. Depending on the authors, there are temperate and tropical deciduous forests.

However, the term deciduous forest is more commonly used to refer to temperate deciduous forest. On the other hand, tropical deciduous forests are called by many deciduous forests or deciduous forests.

Temperate deciduous forest. Source: Lichinga

The terms deciduous and deciduous can be considered synonymous since they refer to the fall of the foliage. Deciduous forests, whether temperate or tropical, are characterized by the loss of foliage during the most limiting period of the year.

In temperate deciduous forests the limitation is energy balance and occurs in the period from autumn to winter. For deciduous deciduous forests the limitation is the water balance, due to a marked dry period.

In general, the soils in deciduous forests are deep and very fertile due to the periodic contribution of litter.

Temperate deciduous forests span North America and southern Argentina and Chile, Europe, Asia, and eastern Australia. While tropical deciduous forests occur in tropical America, Africa, and Indomalasia. These plant formations occur in different types of relief, from plains to valleys and mountains.

In the temperate deciduous forests of the north, Quercus, Fagus, Betula, Castanea and Carpinus species predominate. On the other hand, in the deciduous coniferous forests the Larix species dominate.

In the southern hemisphere species of Quercus and Nothofagus predominate and in tropical deciduous forests there are abundant species of legumes, bignoniaceae and malvaceae.

Characteristic fauna of the temperate deciduous forest includes the wolf, bear, deer, elk, reindeer, and European bison. While in the tropics there are various species of felines, monkeys and snakes.

Temperate deciduous forests occur in continental and oceanic climates with four marked seasons and those of deciduous conifers in cold continental climates. On the other hand, tropical deciduous forests occur in a bi-seasonal warm tropical climate (dry season and rainy season).

General characteristics

- Leaf expiration

In no perennial plant (with a life cycle of several years) a leaf lasts for life. The leaves are renewed, but in some species they are all lost in the same period (deciduous or deciduous plants).

There are also the marcescent species, which are those whose leaves dry up and remain on the stems until new leaves appear.

Cause

This process is associated with certain environmental limitations such as a water deficit or a low energy balance, which force a reduction in metabolism. One of the strategies that plants present to achieve this is to totally or partially shed the foliage.

Response Mechanism

The leaves are the metabolic centers of the plant, where photosynthesis, perspiration and most of the respiration take place. In addition, the stomata releases excess water in the form of water vapor.

Therefore, by losing all of the foliage or being canceled (marcescentes), the metabolism is reduced to a minimum of survival. This loss of foliage occurs in autumn in deciduous forests and in the dry season in tropical deciduous forests.

- Growth rings

During the limiting period, the formation of new tissues is completely stopped to reduce metabolism. This is the case of the formation of conduction tissues (xylem and phloem) in the trunk of temperate zone plants during winter.

As spring begins, tissue activity begins again and new conductive cells are formed. This causes the so-called growth rings that can be seen when making a cross section of the trunk.

Growth rings. Source: MPF

Because this process occurs regularly in temperate zones, each growth ring corresponds to a period of annual dormancy and activation. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the age of a tree in a temperate zone by counting its growth rings.

Growth rings can also be seen in trees in tropical deciduous forests, but these do not correspond to annual changes. This is why it is not possible to estimate the age of tropical trees from their growth rings.

This is due to the common occurrence of extemporaneous rains that alter the latency patterns of metabolism.

- Floor

Typical deciduous forest soils are deep and fertile, due to periodic inputs of litter, and are rich in organic matter.

Deciduous coniferous forest soils

In these zones podzol-type soils predominate, which are poor in nutrients, with permafrost formation in some areas and poor drainage. These soils are formed due to low temperatures and low humidity available almost all year round.

Deciduous forest types

Deciduous forests can be classified into three main types. One of them in temperate zones, another in cold zones and the third in tropical zones.

The first is the temperate broadleaf deciduous forest (broadleaf angiosperms) and is commonly referred to when speaking of deciduous forest.

Another is the deciduous coniferous forest, which is dominated by species of the genus Larix, conifers that lose their leaves. While the third is the tropical deciduous forest, also called deciduous forest or deciduous forest.

- Deciduous forest

Temperate deciduous forest in North America. Source: Sodpzzz

This forest occupies large areas in the temperate zones of both hemispheres, and is made up of angiosperm trees. It has an upper layer of trees (25 and 45 m high) and a second lower tree layer can be formed.

The upper canopy is not closed and allows the passage of solar radiation, which is why an understory develops. The latter is made up of shrubs and grasses, reaching a certain development in more open areas of the forest.

The limiting factor is the energy balance, since in the winter period solar radiation decreases considerably. The low temperatures that are generated freeze the water in the soil, making it little available to plants.

Therefore, all the species that compose it lose their foliage in autumn and regain it in spring.

- Deciduous coniferous forest

It is part of the Taiga, found in large areas of Siberia and presents a simple structure with one or two layers of trees. The lower stratum is made up of juveniles of the species that make up the canopy.

The undergrowth is very sparse, formed by some shrubs or in some cases restricted to mosses.

The limiting factor is the energy balance, due to the scarce solar radiation in the winter period. This generates a physiological shortage of water by freezing it due to the very low temperatures.

As a consequence of these extreme environmental conditions, the species lose their leaves in autumn and renew them in the spring.

- Tropical deciduous forest or deciduous forest

Tropical deciduous forest in Trinidad and Tobago. Source: FB Lucas

Its structure is more complex than that of temperate and cold forests, mainly due to the presence of a certain climber and epiphytism. It is a forest with trees 7 to 15 m high, one or two arboreal strata and an undergrowth of herbs and shrubs.

In this forest, the energy balance is favorable all year round, because the incidence of solar radiation is more or less uniform. The limiting factor is the availability of water, due to the existence of a marked dry season.

The dry period is determined by the geographical position of the forests in tropical areas that are subject to the movement of the rain belt. In addition, the rain belt is moved by the wind regime between the tropics and the Earth's equator.

In the dry season, most forest species lose their leaves to reduce the loss of water through transpiration. During the rainy season the water balance becomes favorable again and the trees produce new leaves.

Location

The largest tracts of temperate deciduous forest are found in Europe and North America, and the deciduous coniferous forests are mainly located in Siberia. While most of the tropical deciduous forests are in tropical America.

Europe

Deciduous forests extend along the Atlantic coast, Central Europe and Eastern Europe from northern Portugal to the Ural Mountains. However, today the deciduous forests that covered the vast plain of Central Europe have almost completely disappeared.

America

They are located in the eastern half of the United States, southeastern Canada, and a lesser proportion on the west coast of North America. Temperate deciduous forests are also found in southern Argentina and Chile.

Tropical deciduous forests occur in Central America, Northern South America and the tropical Pacific coast. Likewise, they can be found in eastern Brazil and in the Gran Chaco (Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina).

Africa

There are tropical deciduous forests from southeastern Africa and Madagascar.

Asia

Patches of temperate deciduous forest are found on this continent from Turkey to Japan, reaching their greatest extent in East Asia.

Tropical deciduous forests are distributed in Southeast Asia, extending from India to Thailand and through the Malay Archipelago.

Oceania

Temperate deciduous forests are found in eastern Australia.

Relief

Deciduous forests develop both on open plains and closed valleys and mountains. In the case of tropical deciduous forests, when they occur in mountains it is at altitudes below 600 meters above sea level.

Flora

- Deciduous forest

Common oak (Quercus robur). Source: 2micha

Europe and North America

Among the species found in the deciduous forests are the common oak (Quercus robur) and the beech (Fagus sylvatica). Birch (Betula spp.), Chestnut (Castanea sativa) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) are also common.

South America

Ñire (Nothofagus antarctica). Source: Franz Xaver

Species of the genus Nothofagus are found in association with Quercus in the deciduous forests of this part of the world. Among the Nothofagus we find the raulí (Nothofagus alpina) of highly appreciated wood, and the ñire (Nothofagus antarctica). There is also the hualo or maulino oak (Nothofagus glauca) whose wood is used for the construction of boats.

Asia

Quercus acutissima. Source: Daderot

Phagaceae are also characteristic in this region in deciduous forests, with species such as Quercus acutissima, Q. variabilis and Q. dentata. These coexist with endemic species of the region such as Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae) and Pistacia chinensis (Anacardiaceae).

- Deciduous coniferous forest

European larch (Larix decidua). Source: Montréalais

The dominant species in this type of deciduous forest are gymnosperms of the genus Larix. Among them are Larix cajanderi, L. sibirica and L. gmelinii and the European larch (Larix decidua).

- Tropical deciduous forest or deciduous forest

Palo mulatto or Indian naked (Bursera simaruba). Source: Louise Wolff (darina)

In tropical deciduous forests there are abundant species of legumes, bignoniaceae, malvaceae and composites. In the American tropics, burseráceas are also common, especially of the genus Bursera.

In Asia we find trees such as teak (Tectona grandis) that are very valuable wood and also a source of oil for polishing wood.

Fauna

- Deciduous forest

Two species common to the extent of these forests in the northern hemisphere are the wolf and the red deer.

Europe

European bison (Bison bonasus). Source: No machine-readable author provided. Magicgoatman assumed (based on copyright claims).

Among the mammalian species, the wolf (Canis lupus), the European brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) and the wild boar (S us scrofa) stand out.

It is also the habitat of the fox (V ulpes vulpes), the European bison (Bison bonasus) and various species of deer, such as the common deer (Cervus elaphus).

North America

Puma (Puma concolor) Source: Greg Hume

In addition to the wolf, the cougar (Puma concolor), the black bear (Ursus americanus) and the elk (Alces alces) can be found.

- Deciduous coniferous forest

Moose (Alces alces) Source: Donna Dewhurst

It inhabits the elk (Alces alces), the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus, Eurasian subspecies) and the brown bear (Ursus arctos). Also, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) and the ermine (Mustela erminea).

- Tropical deciduous forest or deciduous forest

Guacharaca (Ortalis ruficauda) Source: Fernando Flores

Mammals such as the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and birds such as the guacharaca (Ortalis ruficauda) are found in tropical America. In addition, there are species of small felines, such as the ocelot or cunaguaro (Leopardus pardalis), poisonous snakes such as the mapanare (Bothrops spp.) And species of monkeys such as the howler (Alouatta spp.).

Weather

- Deciduous forest

These forests occur mainly in continental or cold climates with large temperature differences between summer and winter. Deciduous forests can also occur in oceanic or maritime climates, especially in Western Europe.

Continental weather

In this type of climate, there are four distinct seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter). It is characterized by hot or cool summers and cold winters, with freezing temperatures and snowfall.

The thermal oscillations between day and night are marked and the average temperatures in summer exceed 10 ºC, and in winter they remain below zero. Rainfall is medium to low, ranging between 480 and 800 mm per year.

Oceanic or maritime climate

The areas that receive the influence of the marine winds do not present very marked thermal oscillations. In this case, the winds and the humidity they carry moderate the differences in temperature both daily and annually.

- Deciduous coniferous forest

They are subjected to long, cold, and wet winters, while summers are short, hot, and dry. Average annual temperatures are -3 ºC to -8 ºC and rainfall is 150-400 mm (in some cases they are close to 1,000 mm).

- Tropical deciduous forest or deciduous forest

It occurs in tropical climates, either of the monsoon subtype (with a maximum rainfall peak in the year) or in the humid-dry tropical climate. In the latter there are two well-marked seasons, one dry and the other rainy.

In general, rainfall is medium to abundant, between 900 and 2,000 mm per year and warm temperatures (25 to 30 ºC).

References

1. Calow, P. (Ed.) (1998). The encyclopedia of ecology and environmental management.
2. Hernández-Ramírez, AM and García-Méndez, S. (2014). Diversity, structure and regeneration of the seasonally dry tropical forest of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Tropical biology.
3. Izco, J., Barreno, E., Brugués, M., Costa, M., Devesa, JA, Fernández, F., Gallardo, T., Llimona, X., Prada, C., Talavera, S. And Valdéz, B. (2004). Botany.
4. Purves, WK, Sadava, D., Orians, GH and Heller, HC (2001). Life. The science of biology.
5. Raven, P., Evert, RF and Eichhorn, SE (1999). Biology of plants.
6. World Wild Life (Viewed on Sep 26, 2019). Taken from: worldwildlife.org/biomes/