The deciduous forest it 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.
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, species of Quercus, Fagus, Betula, Castanea Y Carpinus. On the other hand, in the deciduous coniferous forests dominate the species of Larix.
In the southern hemisphere, species of Quercus Y Nothofagus 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 cats, monkeys and snakes.
Temperate deciduous forests occur in continental and oceanic climates with four distinct 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).
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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 and remain on the stems until the appearance of new leaves..
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 detach themselves from the foliage.
The leaves are the metabolic centers of the plant, where photosynthesis, perspiration and most of the respiration take place. In addition, excess water is released through the stomata in the form of water vapor..
Therefore, by losing all the foliage or being annulled (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..
During the limiting period, the formation of new tissues is totally 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.
Because this process occurs regularly in temperate zones, each growth ring corresponds to an annual dormancy and activation period. 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 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 because the occurrence of extemporaneous rains that alter the latency patterns of metabolism is common..
Typical deciduous forest soils are deep and fertile, due to periodic inputs of litter, and are rich in organic matter.
In these areas 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 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 deciduous forest of broadleaf (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.
This forest occupies large areas of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, and is made up of angiosperm trees. Presents an upper layer of trees (25 and 45 m high) and a second lower tree layer can form.
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 the 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..
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 form 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 spring..
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 layers 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 moves due to the wind regime between the tropics and the terrestrial equator..
In the dry season, most of the 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..
The largest areas 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.
Deciduous forests stretch 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..
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 located in southern Argentina and Chile.
The tropical deciduous forests occur in Central America, North of South America and the tropical Pacific coast. Likewise, they can be found in eastern Brazil and in the Gran Chaco (Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina).
There are tropical deciduous forests from Southeast Africa and Madagascar.
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..
Temperate deciduous forests are found in eastern Australia.
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..
Among the species found in deciduous forests are the common oak (Quercus robur) and beech (Fagus sylvatica). Birch (Betula spp.), chestnut (Castanea sativa) and hornbeam (Carpinus betulus).
In the deciduous forests of this part of the world are species of the genus Nothofagus in association with Quercus. Between the Nothofagus we found the raulíNothofagus alpina) made of highly prized wood, and ñire (Nothofagus antarctica). There is also the hualo or maulino oak (Nothofagus glauca) whose wood is used for the construction of boats.
Fagaceae in deciduous forests are also characteristic in this region, with species such as Quercus acutissima, Q. variabilis Y Q. dentata. These coexist with endemic species of the region such as Liquidambar formosana (Altingiaceae) and Pistacia chinensis (Anacardiaceae).
The dominant species in this type of deciduous forest are gymnosperms of the genus Larix. They are between them Larix cajanderi, L. sibirica Y L. gmelinii and European larchLarix decidua).
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) of very valuable wood and also a source of oil for polishing wood.
Two species common to the extent of these forests in the northern hemisphere are the wolf and the common deer.
Among the mammalian species, the wolf (Canis lupus), the European brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) and the wild boar (Sus scrofa).
It is likewise the habitat of the fox (Vulpes vulpes), the European bison (Bison bonasus) and various species of deer, such as the common deer (Cervus elaphus).
Besides the wolf, you can find the cougar (Puma concolor), the black bear (Ursus americanus) and the moose (Moose moose).
Inhabits the mooseMoose moose), Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus, Eurasian subspecies) and the brown bear (Ursus arctos). Likewise, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) and ermine (Mustela erminea).
In tropical America there are mammals such as the collared peccary or mountain pig (Peccary tajacu), and birds such as the guacharaca (Ortalis ruficauda). In addition, species of small felines inhabit, such as the ocelot or cunaguaro (Leopardus pardalis), Poisonous snakes such as mapanare (Bothrops spp.) and monkey species such as the howler (Alouatta spp.).
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..
In this type of climate there are four well differentiated 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.
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..
They are subjected to long, cold, and wet winters, while summers are short, hot, and dry. Average annual temperatures are -3 ° C to -8 ° C and rainfall of 150-400 mm (in some cases they are close to 1,000 mm).
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).
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