What abiotic factors define a temperate rain forest?
Alaback's definition of North American rain forests takes into account annual precipitation, which should average around 140 cm a year, and temperature, which should average in between 4* and 12* C.
Australian definition of rain forests focus more on the ecological structure such as a mahority of tree species which do not need fire to regenate, produce seedlings, and include a canopy species that blocks at least 70% of the sky from the forest floor.
How do temperate rain forests form?
Most temperate rain forest are either coastal or high altitude. The conditions of a temperate rain forest include the need for wind patterns to carry low pressure pockets or storms into cooler areas where the water in the air can condense into rain and nourish the forest. Coasts and mountain ranges are perfect, cool areas to catch warm, moist wind patterns, thus giving birth to temperate rain forests and their signature precipitation levels.
Why are these rain forests so lush?
Well, it certainly is due to the soil. Soil composition in rainforests is extremely poor as far as soil goes as a result of rain washing away nutrients. The reason the plantlife is as common and healthy as it is, is due to most of the plant species holding nutrients within themselves.
Enough about rain! What about the sun?
Well since sunlight and rain are the limiting factors of most autotroph species in temperate rain forests, sunlight is another defining factor of rain forests. Since sunlight is dependent on a places distance from the equator, sunlight can last anywhere from 13.5 hours, at 23* latitude, to 18.5 hours, at 60* latitude, in the many temperate rain forest around the world.
Alaback's definition of North American rain forests takes into account annual precipitation, which should average around 140 cm a year, and temperature, which should average in between 4* and 12* C.
Australian definition of rain forests focus more on the ecological structure such as a mahority of tree species which do not need fire to regenate, produce seedlings, and include a canopy species that blocks at least 70% of the sky from the forest floor.
How do temperate rain forests form?
Most temperate rain forest are either coastal or high altitude. The conditions of a temperate rain forest include the need for wind patterns to carry low pressure pockets or storms into cooler areas where the water in the air can condense into rain and nourish the forest. Coasts and mountain ranges are perfect, cool areas to catch warm, moist wind patterns, thus giving birth to temperate rain forests and their signature precipitation levels.
Why are these rain forests so lush?
Well, it certainly is due to the soil. Soil composition in rainforests is extremely poor as far as soil goes as a result of rain washing away nutrients. The reason the plantlife is as common and healthy as it is, is due to most of the plant species holding nutrients within themselves.
Enough about rain! What about the sun?
Well since sunlight and rain are the limiting factors of most autotroph species in temperate rain forests, sunlight is another defining factor of rain forests. Since sunlight is dependent on a places distance from the equator, sunlight can last anywhere from 13.5 hours, at 23* latitude, to 18.5 hours, at 60* latitude, in the many temperate rain forest around the world.