![]() This explains why certain plants are found in one area, but not in another. These adaptations might make it very difficult for the plant to survive in a different place. Plants have adaptations to help them survive (live and grow) in different areas. For example:Ī pine tree might use a lot of nitrogen but not very much phosphorous, butĪ cactus might use a lot of phosphorous and not much nitrogen. There are five main types of nutrients that plants use, but not all plants use them equally. Nutrients are substances that provide energy and materials for plants to grow. There are five main types of nutrients that plants use are: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium. Each type of plant thrives in a different type of environment.Ĭharacteristics of the environment that influence a plant success to Desert plants look very different from plants that live near the ocean or in the mountains. There are however, several factors that can limit these adaptations: availability of water, light, predation and temperature (fig 1) (UNM Department of Biology). They allow an organism to reduce competition for space and nutrients, reduce predation and increase reproduction. Major causes of this loss include logging and agriculture.By: Shivani Srivastava* and Nandita Singh*Īdaptations build up in due course and production as a comeback to the ever changing environment. As would make sense, habitat loss is one of the major threats to both the tiger and the leopard. While this seems minuscule, the good news is that this is twice the number counted 8 years before. In the case of the Leopard, there are approximately 60 or so wild individuals remaining. Both of these large cats can be found in the temperate forests of the Russian far East, close to Korea and China. Both are endangered, with the Leopard considered to be critically endangered. Two examples of these animals are the Amur Tiger and Amur Leopard. Deforestation obviously kills plant life, but also destroys the habitats of many animal species. As was previously mentioned, these forests on high in biodiversity, with plants, fungi, animals, and other organisms making up the rich biota. So why should temperate deciduous forests be preserved as much as possible? There are multiple reasons, but for now I want to focus on the issue of endangered species. Humans have converted deciduous forests into farmlands galore. So why have these forests been damaged so much over time? Perhaps partly because of the agreeable climate, but perhaps more importantly because of the fertile soil. Now to be fair, there are some heavily urbanized regions in other biomes such as the tropical and temperate rainforest (not to mention the complete destruction of natural grasslands across the globe) I'm just focusing on the deciduous for now. The following places are all located in the temperate deciduous: New York City, London, Paris, Tokyo, the rest of New England and the Eastern USA, the majority of Europe, and Scranton Pennsylvania. This biome has been subject to extensive urbanization and agriculture throughout history. The reality is that most of the world's old growth deciduous woods have been decimated. Some of the planets most biodiverse regions are in the temperate deciduous biome.Īs you have probably realized at this point, I haven't really brought up any issues. Importantly, deciduous woods contain a large variety of plant, animal, fungal, and other species. This biome is seasonal, and we all know that variety is the spice of life, so that's nice. These forests can be found throughout Eastern North America, Europe, New Zealand, Northeastern China, Japan, Russia, and some more spots as well. If I picked up a map right now, who would be able to point to the temperate deciduous biome regions? Maybe everyone who has completed Science 10, but other than that probably not many. However, there are other important biomes that deserve some attention, including the deciduous forests. They're tremendous, extraordinary places with extremely high levels of biodiversity. Listen, believe me, I love the rainforests. You see, I notice that people often talk about saving the rainforest. Anyway, the reasons don't particularly matter. The oaks, the elms, Chestnuts, Maples, Beeches, Hickory, Azalea bushes, dogwood bushes, George W bushes. I would be telling the truth if I told you that I have a soft spot for this wondrous biome. ![]() Where are you? Well I couldn't give you a specific geographical location, but what I could say is that you are in something called a temperate deciduous forest. And Spring! Oh spring, with new buds and flowers it shines its face. A soft blanket of white snow arrives as Winter reveals itself. In October, the landscape transforms into a mix of red, yellow, and orange. You notice a small salamander crawling by your shoes. It's July, and the canopy is a vibrant green.
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