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Deciduous Forest
Global Locations
Deciduous forests are found almost everywhere in the world, and once coverd a much greater span than they do now, after human deforestation. Deciduous forests are found in the eastern U.S., Europe, eastern China, Chile and Paraguay in South America, and in southeastern Australia.
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Climate
The deciduous forest goes through four destinct seasons over the course of the year: spring, summer, fall, winter. The temperature shifts from high heat in the summer to below zero in winter. The deciduous forest recieves a lot of precipitation over the year, usually about 30'' to 60" in the form of rain or snow.
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Prominent Flora
The deciduous forest is home to a wide variety of plants, divided into four main layers. At the highest level are the large trees, such as the oak, beech, maple, hickory, elm and walnut trees, which form a canopy. Below them are young trees and large bushes. Near the ground are many varieties of herbal plants, and on the forest floor you can find moss, fungus and lichen.
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Prominent Fauna
The trees in a deciduous forests are rich with life, from multitudes of bird that nest in the trees, to squirrels and chipmunks that eat the nuts that fall from the trees, to owls,eagles, bears and coyotes that feed on the previously mentioned animals. The environmant is perfect for small mammels, which can climb into the trees to escape predators, and is also ideal for predators, who can use the cover provided by the trees to their advantage while hunting.
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Threats to the Deciduous Forest
One major threat tot deciduous forests is acid rain. Acid rain can destroy trees and kill saplings before they grow up. This is causing forests not to regrow as quickly, so forests are losing land.