Temperate deciduous forest

Temperate deciduous forests or temperate broad-leaf forests are dominated by trees that lose their leaves each year. They are found in areas with warm, moist summers and mild winters. The three major areas of this forest type occur in the Northern Hemisphere: eastern North America, East Asia, and Europe. Smaller areas occur in Australasia and southern South America. Examples of typical trees in the Northern Hemisphere's deciduous forests include oak, maple, beech, and elm, while in the Southern Hemisphere, trees of the genus Nothofagus dominates this type of forest. The diversity of tree species is higher in regions where the winter is milder, and also in mountainous regions that provide an array of soil types and microclimates. One of the world's great protected examples of this forest type is found in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The principal factor operating in these forests is the seasonal appearance and disappearance of the canopy. Shade from the canopy limits the growth of many kinds of plants. Many species that are typical of these forests time their growth and flowering to the short period just before the canopy opens; hence they are known as spring ephemerals. Examples include trilliums and bloodroot. Most spring ephemerals are insect-pollinated, and the seeds themselves are often transported by ants, a mode of dispersal known as myrmecochory. There are a smaller number of species able to grow under the canopy, and even a few that grow during the period when leaves are being lost. The average yearly precipitation is 30 - 60 inches (75 – 150 cm). Temperate deciduous forests have a great variety of plant species. Most have three levels of plants. Lichen, moss, ferns, wildflowers and other small plants can be found on the forest floor. Shrubs fill in the middle level and hardwood trees like maple, oak, birch, magnolia, sweet gum and beech make up the third level. Birds like broad-winged hawks, cardinals, snowy owls, and pileated woodpeckers are also found in this biome. Mammals include white-tailed deer, raccoons, opossums, porcupines and red foxes. Animals that live in the temperate deciduous forest must be able to adapt to the changing seasons.

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