Abiotic Factors
This sub-biome has four distinct seasons including; spring, summer, fall, and winter. The yearly average temperature is 10°C. Most deciduous forests have hot summers around 30°C, the summer begins in June, and ends in August. The winters are very cold, usually below freezing, and the winter doesn't start until December. Since most of the world's deciduous forests are located by an ocean, the wind and the ocean are large contributors to this biomes changing weather, or seasons. Deciduous forests have around 14 inches of rain in winter months, and around 18 inches of rain in the summer months.
Biotic Factors
Animals
- Red fox: consumer;carnivore
-American black bear: consumer; ominivore
-coyote: consumer;carnivore
-Duckbill Platypus: consumer;omnivore
-Eastern Chipmunk: consumer; herbivore
-European Red Squirrel: consumer; herbivore
-eastern Cottontail: consumer; herbivore
-red tailed hawk: consumer; carnivore
-White-tailed Deer: consumer; herbivore
-aspic viper: consumer; carnivore
-earthworms: primary consumer; herbivore
-American black bear: consumer; ominivore
-coyote: consumer;carnivore
-Duckbill Platypus: consumer;omnivore
-Eastern Chipmunk: consumer; herbivore
-European Red Squirrel: consumer; herbivore
-eastern Cottontail: consumer; herbivore
-red tailed hawk: consumer; carnivore
-White-tailed Deer: consumer; herbivore
-aspic viper: consumer; carnivore
-earthworms: primary consumer; herbivore
Plants
-American Beech: producer
-Carpet Moss: producer
-Common Lime: producer
-Guelder Rose: producer
-Lady Fern: producer
Northern Arrowwood: producer
-Pecan: producer
-Shagbark Hickory: producer
-Tawny Milksap Mushroom: producer
-White Birch: producer
-White Oak: producer
-Carpet Moss: producer
-Common Lime: producer
-Guelder Rose: producer
-Lady Fern: producer
Northern Arrowwood: producer
-Pecan: producer
-Shagbark Hickory: producer
-Tawny Milksap Mushroom: producer
-White Birch: producer
-White Oak: producer
Simbiotic Relationships
- Ticks feeding on a deer would be considered as parasitalism because the ticks are benefiting while the deer are negatively affected.
- When the seeds and flowers are pollinated by the bugs and birds, this would be considered mutualism because both organisms benefit.
- The relationship of a tree and the European red squirrel, is commensalism because the tree provides shelter for the squirrel, while not affecting the tree.
Adaptations
Migration and hibernation are two adaptations that animals made while living in this biome. Many birds migrate to warmer areas during the winter, and many mammals hibernate during this time too, because their food supply is low. Another adaptation that animals have developed is food storage. Squirrels do this during the fall in order to have food during the winter.
Landmarks
Some of the best places to see the deciduous forest are located in the eastern part of the U.S.
- The Great Smokey Mountains (Tennessee)
- The Appalachian trail (From Maine to Georgia)
- The Ozark Mountains (Arkansas)
Allison Wijntjes