The Temperate Rain Forests

The temperate rain forest has lots of trees and rivers. Sometimes the temperate rain forest even has a few mountains. The

temperate rain forest is mostly green due to all the trees and plants.

Description Of The Land Forms Of The Area

Rainfall is heavy in all months. The total annual rainfall is often more than 250 cm. There are seasonal differences in monthly rainfall but temperatures of 27°C mostly stay the

same. Humidity is between 77 and 88%.

High surface heat and humidity cause cumulus clouds to form early in the afternoons almost every day

Plants receive lots of water and are able to grow tall. Many plants are able to survive in this climate leading to many

species of plants. Many species of plants lead to many ecological niches allowing for many species of animals to live there without necessarily competing for the same resources

Climate / Weather Conditions & How It Affects Plants & Animals

Four Plants That Live In The Rain Forest Coastal Giant Redwood: The trees grow naturally only along a norrow

belt on the Northern California coastline. They live in moist, humid climates. The fog proiveds them with the kind of conditions they need to

grow in.

Douglas Fir: The leaves are flat, soft, linear and completely encircle the branches. These generally resemble those of the firs.

Sitka Spruce: The needles are light green to bluish-green, stiff, and sharp. They are four-sided but slightly flattened with two white bands running

along the upper surface and two narrower bands along the lower surface.

Western Red Cedar: The Western Red Ceder has drooping branches that turn up at the tip. The trunk spreads out at the base. Western Red Cedar

has large number of cones bent backward along the branches.

Coastal Giant Redwood Douglas Fir Sitka Spruce Western Red Cedar

Four Animals That Live In The Rain Forest

Songbirds: These birds are often altogether more mechanical-sounding. This group contains over 4000 specieces found all over the

world.

Flying Squirrels: Flying squirrels are not capable of powered flight like birds or bats. However, they glide between trees. They are capable of

obtaining lift within the course of these flights, with flights recorded to 90 meters.

Black Bears: It is the continent's smallest and most common bear

species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location.

Raccoons: It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length

of 40 to 70 cm and a body weight of 8 to 20 pounds. The raccoon is usually nocturnal and is omnivorous. It also has a greyish coat.

Songbird

Flying Squirrels

Black Bears Raccoons

10 Interesting Facts About the Ecosystem

1. The temperate rain forest exists right in the US along the coastline of the Pacific Northwest and in Canada, and Alaska.

2. Temperate rain forests are formed in the Pacific Northwest because the coastal mountain ranges trap the air masses full of moisture that rise from the Pacific

Ocean.3. As this moisture condenses into rain it creates lush rain forests with trees like the

Coastal Redwood in California that grow to enormous sizes.4. Two-thirds of all temperate rain forests are in the Pacific Northwest.

5. The trees grow to enormous sizes since the winters are mild and the rain is abundant.

6. Many epiphytes are found in the temperate rainforests. Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants.

7. Like the tropical rain forest, the temperate rain forest is divided into three layers.8. Some of the trees may be up to 500 to 1000 years old and the trunk can be more

than 100 feet around.9. Most of the animals in the temperate rain forest live on or near the forest floor.

10. Standing in the rain forest, it's usually warm, but most of the time wet.

Some of the environmental threats against the ecosystem is that they cut down trees for timber and other places in the forest are used to drill for

oils and metals, animals also die because they're habitats get destroyed or they are poisoned by pollution.

Human Impacts / Pollution

Only 0.1% of the earth’s entire land surface is covered by temperate rainforest. Although small, they play many critical

roles.

They are a source of potential medicinal cures for everything from cancer to the common cold.

They provide critical habitat for thousands of species of plants

and animals, including endangered species such as the Northern goshawk and the grizzly bear.

They perform an important role as lungs of the earth, helping to

absorb carbon dioxide and slowing global warming.

The Importance Of The Ecosystem & How It Can Be Preserved

Biblography

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperate_rainforest

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biomes.tempforest.animals.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biomes.tempforest.plants.html

http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/temprain.htm

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/temprain/temprain.html

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/jason/xv/docs/TempRain.pdf