Life in the forest Layers

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Life in the forest Layers

Posted by Study Adda Fri, April 27th 2012

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Certain species grow indiscriminately in all the temperate forests of the world. Others are restricted to certain specific regions. Thus, though temperate forests are generally composed of trees with deciduous leaves, you may also find other types of trees growing there like conifers and evergreens (trees that do not lose their leaves in winter). Deciduous and mixed forests are often richer than coniferous forests. The leaves that fall in autumn form humus, which is great manure for plants and flowers. They also provide food and shelter or a number of animals. In spring, they allow enough light for the undergrowth.

No matter what species of trees a temperate forest harbors, they always serve as a source of food and refuge for animals. The oak tree, for example, shelters more than 300 species of insects. Its fruits, like those of other deciduous and coniferous trees, are a feast for birds and mammals and its leaves and roots are relished by insects. The trunk and spread out branches of the oak are like virtual dormitories for birds and squirrels and hunting territories tor martins and weasels. An indispensable shelter, a hollow tree is also the privileged habitat of owls, hoopoes and dormice.

The temperate forests that are the most widespread are composed of trees with deciduous leaves and different species of conifers. These big forests of oak, beech and hornbeam trees also shelter species of the big deer family (deer and roe deer), wild boars, owls, grass snakes, squirrels, small rodents and a large number of sparrows. In North America, the fox squirrel populates the oak and hickory trees (a tree close to the hazelnut tree) whose fruits it relishes. A lot less passive, the Asian black bear builds its nest in these trees and also enjoys its fruit and honey.

Made up of trees, plants and animals that are adapted to the winter humidity as well as the heat and dryness of summer, these forests are called evergreen because the trees do not shed their leaves in winter. The olive and cork oak trees are the main local species of the Mediterranean zones and are often victims of forest fires. In their place springs up an inextricable thicket, a tangle of thorny bushes. In Australia, bushy forests, always green with eucalyptus trees, are the kingdom of the koala bear. White's tree frog, the small tree frog and an impressive number of marsupials.

Temperate forest zones are located between the northern and tropical regions. They are thus divided into deciduous and mixed forests in Europe, North America and Asia; evergreen and mixed forests in southern France, Spain, Italy, California, Chile, Argentina Australia, New Zealand and Asia and coniferous forests in Europe, North America and Asia. The forest species vary in respect to their geographical location. Similarly, the animal species found in these forests depend on the food sources that are available in each forest.

The forest in the north is an immense thicket of conifers, the only trees that are capable of resisting the extremely rigorous winters of the region. However, these trees are also found in temperate zones, especially in Europe and North America. This special environment harbours a restricted number of animal species, as there is not much variety in terms of food. The grouse (wood grouse) thrives in this milieu, as its basic diet consists of the needles of resinous trees. The cross beak, a bird species that inhabits the fir trees, as well as mountain forests, peels the cones of these trees before eating them. Everywhere, there are a large number of squirrels feeding on pinecones. Here you will also find their predators - martins, minks and ermines.

Thus, in India, forests are the second largest in terms of land occupation after agriculture. The forest cover of India is assessed at 67.83 million hectares, which constitute 20.64% of the country's geographical area. The forests in India range from the Himalayan Temperate to Dry Zone forests. The Himalayan Temperate forests grow at elevations of 600 to 3,800m along the western slopes of the Himalayas. Trees that grow in this area include conifers like the blue pine, spruce, yew and fir, birch and rhododendron are other trees that are found here. Shrubs like lactuca undulata and berberis lambertji which are endangered species are also found here.

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