T2.2 - Deciduous temperate forests

Deciduous forest during autumn leaf fall, Inkoo, Finland

© Anne Raunio

Description

At cool temperate latitudes in the Northern hemisphere, fertile soils and high precipitation support forests dominated by broadleaf deciduous trees, although evergreen needleleaf trees may account for up to one-third of the canopy. Cold snow-prone winters punctuate a limited but highly productive growing season. Fungi and bacteria play vital roles in decomposition of the seasonal leaf fall on the forest floor, with insects and browsing herbivores important in carbon and nutrient cycling. Herbivores such as deer and hares are prey to feline, canine and avian predators. Winter dormancy, hibernation and migration are key strategies enabling survival of plants and animals.

SourceLicenceCoverage
U.S. National Vegetation Classification MacrogroupsCC BY 4.077.88%
Conjunto de datos vectoriales de uso del suelo y vegetación. Escala 1:250 000. Serie VII. Conjunto NacionalOk to use for POC - check again for main Atlas7.97%
A dataset of land cover samples over the Tibetan PlateauCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International5.2%
Ecosystem Atlas GermanyDL-DE->BY-2.04.26%
Carta Degli Ecosistemi d’ItaliaCC BY 4.03.99%