Boreal And Coniferous Forest Essay

Boreal, Coniferous, and Deciduous Forests Boreal, deciduous, and coniferous forests each possess distinctive traits and soil characteristics. Forests soils give important contributions in nitrogen and phosphorus transformations. These transformations are dependable on the weather conditions of the forest and the type of vegetation it contains. Soil mineralogy and organic matter also play an important role in the nitrogen and phosphorus transformations on the forest floor. Boreal forests are the second largest biome and make up 33% of the world forest cover. These forests are unique due to their intense cold temperatures and long winters. Boreal forests contain spodosols and inceptisols and they are primarily inhabited by an evergreen vegetation containing spruce, fir, and pine. Vegetation is low due to the cold climate and has little shrubs or plants. The long and harsh winters cause the soil to be permanently frozen. Undergrowth is nonexistent and the trees and shrubs collect their nutrients from the shallow layer of soil above the permafrost. The vegetation found in the boreal forests have naturally adapted to climate and limited nutrients. These soils have less clay content and are generally high in soil acidity (H⁺ and Al³⁺). Most of the soils are strongly leached and provide poor amounts of parent material. Spodosols have low natural fertility due to leaching and mainly sand. Precipitation continuously exceeds evaporation. …show more content…
Deciduous forests can be found in the eastern half of North America and middle Europe. The temperature averages 50°F and these forests typically have four seasons every year. The appearance of these forests changes with each season by their ability to adapt to each climate by changing their leaves. In these forests you have five zones:
1. Tree stratum zone: this zone contains trees such as oaks, maples, elms, and sweet gums
2. Small tree and sapling zone: young short