Journey into a biome that goes to extremes! How many different types of forests are there? Why is this biome so vital to us? What types of plants and animals live in this biome? Do they require special adaptations and if so what are they? Why would anyone want to live there? You will learn the answers to these questions and more as you explore this diverse biome. Remember to complete the scavenger hunt questions and complete your data collection sheet as you move through this area of the world.

Did you know?

Life on Earth continued to evolve, and in the late Paleozoic, gymnosperms appeared. By the Triassic Period (245-208 mya), gymnosperms dominated the Earth’s forests. In the Cretaceous Period (144-65m mya), the first flowering plants (angiosperms) appeared. They evolved together with insects, birds, and mammals and radiated rapidly, dominating the landscape by the end of the Period. The landscape changed again during the Pleistocene Ice Ages—the surface of the planet that had been dominated by tropical forests for millions of years changed, and temperate forests spread in the Northern Hemisphere.

Today, forests occupy approximately one-third of Earth’s land area, account for over two-thirds of the leaf area of land plants, and contain about 70% of carbon present in living things. They have been held in reverence in folklore and worshipped in ancient religions. However, forests are becoming major casualties of civilization as human populations have increased over the past several thousand years, bringing deforestation, pollution, and industrial usage problems to this important biome.
Present-day forest biomes, biological communities that are dominated by trees and other woody vegetation (Spurr and Barnes), can be classified according to numerous characteristics, with seasonality being the most widely used. Distinct forest types also occur within each of these broad groups.

There are three major types of forest, classified according to their latitudes:

• Tropical

• Temperate Deciduous

• Taiga (Boreal Forests)
  

Use the navigational bar to above to move through each specific ecosystem, resources and adaptations.

To listen to the sounds of the forest ecosystem click on the image below.

Audio: Rainforest Ambience

To take glimpse into the life of a Bee click on the image below.

You will need Real Player to view the video clip.