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45-468: The range is traditionally separated into three parts: In the wetter Western Caucasus, the mountains are heavily forested ( deciduous forest up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), coniferous forest up to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) and alpine meadows above the tree line ). In the drier Eastern Caucasus, the mountains are mostly treeless. The watershed of the Caucasus is also considered by some to be

90-1025: A TED (conference) address, widely re-broadcast. In Australia , areas around the Tropic have some of the world's most variable rainfall . In the east advanced plants such as flowering shrubs and eucalyptus and in most bioregions grasses have adapted to cope with means such as deep roots and little transpiration . Wetter areas, seasonally watered, are widely pasture farmed. As to animals, birds and marsupials are well-adapted. Naturally difficult arable agriculture specialises in dry fruits, nuts and modest water consumption produce. Other types are possible given reliable irrigation sources and, ideally, water-retentive enriched or alluvial soils, especially wheat; shallow irrigation sources very widely dry up in and after drought years. The multi-ridge Great Dividing Range brings relief precipitation enough to make hundreds of kilometres either side cultivable, and its rivers are widely dammed to store necessary water; this benefits

135-566: A healthy, heterogeneous environment with constantly changing structures and populations. Weather events like snow, storms, and wind can cause varying degrees of change to the structure of forest canopies, creating log habitats for small animals and spaces for less shade-tolerant species to grow where fallen trees once stood. Other abiotic sources of disturbances to temperate deciduous forests include droughts , waterlogging, and fires. Natural surface fire patterns are especially important in pine reproduction. Biotic factors affecting forests take

180-440: A higher soil productivity than those more north or south, soil in this biome is overall highly fertile. The fallen leaves from deciduous trees introduce detritus to the forest floor, increasing levels of nutrients and organic matter in the soil. The high soil productivity of temperate deciduous forests puts them at a high risk of conversion to agricultural land for human use. Temperate deciduous forests are characterized by

225-691: A large portion of Europe , though smaller regions of temperate deciduous forests are also located in South America. Examples of trees typically growing in the Northern Hemisphere's deciduous forests include oak , maple , basswood , beech and elm , while in the Southern Hemisphere , trees of the genus Nothofagus dominate this type of forest. Temperate deciduous forests provide several unique ecosystem services , including habitats for diverse wildlife, and they face

270-549: A set of natural and human-induced disturbances that regularly alter their structure. Located below the northern boreal forests , temperate deciduous forests make up a significant portion of the land between the Tropic of Cancer (23 1 2 {\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{2}}} °N) and latitudes of 50° North, in addition to areas south of the Tropic of Capricorn (23 1 2 {\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{2}}} °S). Canada,

315-444: A threat to forest trees and, hence, the forest. A method for preserving temperate deciduous forests that has been used in the past is fire suppression . The process of preventing fires is associated with the build-up of biomass that, ultimately, increases the intensity of incidental fires. As an alternative, prescribed burning has been put into practice, in which regular, managed fires are administered to forest ecosystems to imitate

360-550: A variety of temperate forest 'dominated' by deciduous trees that lose their leaves each winter. They represent one of Earth's major biomes , making up 9.69% of global land area. These forests are found in areas with distinct seasonal variation that cycle through warm, moist summers, cold winters, and moderate fall and spring seasons. They are most commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere , with particularly large regions in eastern North America , East Asia , and

405-549: A variety of temperate deciduous tree species that vary based on region. Most tree species present in temperate deciduous forests are broadleaf trees that lose their leaves in the fall, though some coniferous trees such as pines ( Pinus ) are present in northern temperate deciduous forests. Europe's temperate deciduous forests are rich with oaks of the genus Quercus , European beech trees ( Fagus sylvatica ), and hornbeams (Fagus grandifolia ), while those in Asia tend to have maples of

450-410: Is available. Once a suitable temperature is reached in mid- to late spring, budding and flowering of tall deciduous trees also begins. In the summer, when fully-developed leaves occupy all trees, a moderately-dense canopy creates shade, increasing the humidity of forested areas. Though there is latitudinal variation in soil quality of temperate deciduous forests, with those at central latitudes having

495-487: Is credited with developing "holistic management" in the 1960s and has led anti-desertification efforts in Africa for decades using a counterintuitive approach to most developed economies of increasing the number of livestock on grasslands rather than fencing them off for conservation. Such practices in this area have seen success and won generous awards; he gave the keynote speech at UNCCD's Land Day in 2018, and later that year

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540-406: Is no distinct rainy season, precipitation is spread relatively evenly throughout the year. Snow makes up a portion of the precipitation present in temperate deciduous forests in the winter . Tree branches can intercept up to 80% of snowfall, affecting the amount of snow that ultimately reaches and melts on the forest floor. A defining factor of temperate deciduous forests is their leaf loss during

585-502: Is present. These other plant species found in the canopy layers below the 35- to 40-meter mature trees are either adapted to low-light conditions or follow a seasonal schedule of growth that allows them to thrive before the formation of the canopy from mid-spring through mid-fall. Mosses and lichens make up significant ground cover, though they are also found growing on trees. In addition to characteristic flora, temperate deciduous forests are home to several animal species that rely on

630-607: Is widespread, where intensive, brief and rotational it helps to fertilise and stabilise the soil, preventing run-off and desertification . This approach is traditional to many tribes and promoted by government advisors such as Allan Savory , a Zimbabwean-born biologist, farmer, game rancher, politician and international consultant and co-founder of the Savory Institute . According to the United Nations University Our World dissemination he

675-663: The Atacama Desert , one of the driest in the world, so that no glaciers exist between Volcán Sajama at 18˚30'S and Cerro Tres Cruces at 27˚S . Vegetation here is almost non-existent, though on the eastern slopes of the Andes rainfall is adequate for rainfed agriculture . Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the Tropic of Capricorn passes through 10 countries: Download coordinates as: The following cities and landmarks are either located near

720-601: The Diamantina River . In most years, their waters are absorbed into the earth or evaporate, but when there is sufficient rainfall in their catchment area, these rivers flow into Lake Eyre , South Australia. One of the most significant rainfall events occurred in 2010 when a monsoonal low from ex- Cyclone Olga created a period of exceptional rainfall. El Niño adverse phases cause a shift in atmospheric circulation; rainfall becomes reduced over Indonesia and Australia, rainfall and tropical cyclone formation increases over

765-558: The European colonization of North America , potash made from tree ashes was exported back to Europe as fertilizer. At this time in history, clearcutting of the original temperate deciduous forests was also performed to make space for agricultural land use, so many forests now present are second-growth . Over 50% of temperate deciduous forests are affected by fragmentation , resulting in small fragments dissected by fields and roads; these islands of green often differ substantially from

810-661: The Mississippi basin , even against like-to-like soil fertilisers . Rivers have been successfully dammed particularly flowing from relief precipitation areas (high eminences) and those from the edge of the Great Rift Valley , such as the Zambezi , well within the Tropics. This, with alluvial or enriched soil, enables substantial yield grain farming in areas with good soil. Across this large region pasture farming

855-726: The Southern Temperate Zone to the south and the Tropics to the north. The Northern Hemisphere equivalent of the Tropic of Capricorn is the Tropic of Cancer . The Tropic of Capricorn's position is not fixed, but constantly changes because of a slight wobble in the Earth's longitudinal alignment relative to its orbit around the Sun. Earth's axial tilt varies over a 41,000 year period from about 22.1 to 24.5 degrees and currently resides at about 23.4 degrees. This wobble means that

900-704: The boundary between Eastern Europe and Western Asia . The European part to the north of the watershed is known as Ciscaucasia ; the Asiatic part to the south as Transcaucasia , which is dominated by the Lesser Caucasus mountain range and whose western portion converges with Eastern Anatolia . Most of the border of Russia with Georgia and Azerbaijan runs along most of the Caucasus' length. The Georgian Military Road ( Darial Gorge ) and Trans-Caucasus Highway traverse this mountain range at altitudes of up to 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). The watershed of

945-847: The Caucasus was the border between the Caucasia province of the Russian Empire in the north and the Ottoman Empire and Persia in the south (1801) until the Russian victory in 1813 and the Treaty of Gulistan which moved the border of the Russian Empire well within Transcaucasia. The border between Georgia and Russia still follows the watershed almost exactly (except for Georgia's western border, which extends south of

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990-512: The June solstice (Southern Hemisphere winter). During the December solstice (Southern Hemisphere summer), there are 13 hours, 35 minutes of daylight. The length of the Tropic of Capricorn at 23°26′11.7″S is 36,788 km (22,859 mi). In most of this belt of southern Africa , a minimum of seasonal rainfall is reliable and farming is possible, though yields struggle to compete with for example

1035-442: The Tropic of Capricorn is currently drifting northward at a rate of almost half an arcsecond (0.468″) of latitude, or 15 metres, per year (it was at exactly 23° 27′S in 1917 and will be at 23° 26'S in 2045). Therefore, the distance between Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Capricorn is essentially constant moving in tandem. See under circles of latitude for information. There are approximately 10 hours, 41 minutes of daylight during

1080-518: The United States, China, and several European countries have the largest land area covered by temperate deciduous forests, with smaller portions present throughout South America, specifically Chile and Argentina. Temperate conditions refer to the cycle through four distinct seasons that occurs in areas between the polar regions and tropics. In these regions where temperate deciduous forest are found, warm and cold air circulation accounts for

1125-563: The biome's characteristic seasonal variation. The average annual temperature tends to be around 10 °Celsius, though this is dependent on the region. Due to shading from the canopy, the microclimate of temperate deciduous forests tends to be about 2.1 °Celsius cooler than the surroundings, whereas winter temperatures are from 0.4 to 0.9 °Celsius warmer within forests as a result of insulation from vegetation strata . Annually, temperate deciduous forests experience approximately 750 to 1,500 millimeters of precipitation . As there

1170-408: The characteristic colorful autumns and leafless winters, temperate deciduous forests have a lengthy growing season during the spring and summer months that tends to last anywhere from 120 to 250 days. Spring in temperate deciduous forests is a period of ground vegetation and seasonal herb growth, a process that starts early in the season before trees have regrown their leaves and when ample sunlight

1215-596: The face of increasing mega-fires, longer droughts, and severe storms. Damaged wood from increased storm disturbance events provides nesting habitats for beetles, concurrently increasing bark beetle damage. Forest cover decreases with continuous severe disturbances, causing habitat loss and lower biodiversity. Humans rely on wood from temperate deciduous forests for use in the timber industry as well as paper and charcoal production. Logging practices emit high levels of carbon while also causing erosion because fewer tree roots are present to provide soil support. During

1260-513: The form of fungal outbreaks in addition to mountain pine beetle and bark beetle infestations. These beetles are particularly prevalent in North America and kill trees by clogging their vascular tissue . Temperate deciduous forests tend to be resilient after minor weather-related disturbances, though major insect infestations, widespread anthropogenic disturbances, and catastrophic weather events can cause century-long succession or even

1305-443: The genus Acer , a variety of ash trees ( Fraxinus ), and basswoods ( Tilia ). Similarly to Asia, North American forests have maples, especially Acer saccharum, and basswoods, in addition to hickories (Carya ) and American chestnuts ( Castanea dentata ). Southern beech (Nothofagus) trees are prevalent in the temperate deciduous forests of South America. Elm trees ( Ulmus ) and willows ( Salix ) can also be found dispersed throughout

1350-546: The horizon at solar midnight on the June Solstice . Its northern equivalent is the Tropic of Cancer . The Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five major circles of latitude marked on maps of Earth . Its latitude is currently 23°26′09.8″ (or 23.43605°) south of the Equator , but it is very gradually moving northward, currently at the rate of 0.47 arcseconds , or 15 metres, per year. When this line of latitude

1395-531: The natural disturbances that play a significant role in preserving biodiversity. To combat the effects of deforestation , reforestation has been employed. Tropic of Capricorn The Tropic of Capricorn (or the Southern Tropic ) is the circle of latitude that contains the subsolar point at the December (or southern) solstice . It is thus the southernmost latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead. It also reaches 90 degrees below

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1440-420: The number and kind of herbaceous flowering plants. The continuous increase of deer populations and killing of top carnivores suggests that overgrazing by deer will continue. Temperate deciduous forests provide several provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural ecosystem services. With a higher biodiversity than boreal forests, temperate deciduous forests maintain their genetic diversity by providing

1485-615: The original forests and cause challenges for species migration. Seminatural temperate deciduous forests with developed trail systems serve as sites for tourism and recreational activities, such as hiking and hunting. In addition to fragmentation, human use of land adjacent to temperate deciduous forests is associated with pollution that can stunt the growth rate of trees. Invasive species that outcompete native species and alter forest nutrient cycles , such as common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) , are also introduced by humans. The introduction of exotic diseases, especially, continues to be

1530-424: The permanent conversion of the forest into a grassland . Rising temperatures and increased dryness in temperate deciduous forests have been noted in recent years as the climate changes . As a result, temperate deciduous forests have been experiencing an earlier onset to spring, as well as a global increase in the frequency and intensity of disturbances. They have been experiencing lower ecological resilience in

1575-599: The settled areas of New South Wales and Queensland . Behind the end of the green hills, away from the Pacific , which is subject to warm, negative phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (colloquially this is an "El Niño year/season") is a white, red and yellow landscape of 2,800 to 3,300 kilometres of rain shadow heading west in turn feature normally arid cattle lands of the Channel Country ,

1620-587: The subtropical anticyclones and thus receives warm and humid air from the Atlantic Ocean . As a result, areas in Brazil adjacent to the Tropic are impressively productive agricultural regions, producing large quantities of crops such as sugarcane , and the natural rainforest vegetation has been almost entirely cleared, except for a few remaining patches of Atlantic Forest . Further south in Argentina ,

1665-636: The supporting service of habitat availability for a variety of plants and animal species dependent on shade. These forests play a role in the regulation of air and soil quality by preventing soil erosion and flooding , while also storing carbon in their soil. Provisioning services provided by temperate deciduous forests include access to sources of drinking water, oxygen, food, timber , and biomass . Humans depend on temperate deciduous forests for cultural services, using them as spaces for recreation and spiritual practices. Natural disturbances cause regular renewal of temperate deciduous forests and create

1710-460: The temperate deciduous forests of the world. While a wide variety of tree species can be found throughout the temperate deciduous forest biome, tree species richness is typically moderate in each individual ecosystem, with only 3 to 4 tree species per square kilometer. Besides the old-growth trees that, with their domed tree crowns, form a canopy that lets little light filter through, a sub-canopy of shrubs such as mountain laurel and azaleas

1755-565: The temperate grasslands of the Pampas region is equally influential in wheat , soybeans , maize , and beef , making the country one of the largest worldwide agricultural exporters, similar to the role played by the Prairies region in Canada . West of the Andes, which creates a rain shadow , the air is further cooled and dried by the cold Humboldt Current which makes it very arid, creating

1800-536: The transition from fall to winter, an adaptation that arose as a solution for the low sunlight conditions and bitter cold temperatures. In these forests, winter is a time of dormancy for plants, when broadleaf deciduous trees conserve energy and prevent water loss, and many animal species hibernate or migrate. Preceding winter is fruit-bearing autumn, a time when leaves change color to various shades of red, yellow, and orange as chlorophyll breakdown gives rise to anthocyanin, carotene, and xanthophyl pigments. Besides

1845-418: The trees and other plant life for shelter and resources, such as squirrels , rabbits , skunks , birds , mountain lions , bobcats , timber wolves , foxes , and black bears . Deer are also present in large populations, though they are clearing rather than true forest animals. Large deer populations have deleterious effects on tree regeneration overall, and grazing also has significant negative effects on

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1890-459: The tropical Pacific. The low-level surface trade winds , which normally blow from east to west along the equator, either weaken or start blowing from the other direction. In South America , whilst in the continental cratons soils are almost as old as in Australia and Southern Africa, the presence of the geologically young and evolving Andes means that this region is on the western side of

1935-459: The watershed, and a narrow strip of territory in northwestern Kakheti and northern Mtskheta-Mtianeti where Georgia extends north of the watershed), while Azerbaijan is south of the watershed except that its northeastern corner has five districts north of the watershed ( Khachmaz , Quba , Qusar , Shabran , and Siazan ). Download coordinates as: Temperate deciduous forest Temperate deciduous or temperate broad-leaf forests are

1980-477: The white Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park , the mainly red Mamungari Conservation Park , then the Gibson Desert , after others the dry landscape settlement of Kalbarri on the west coast and its rest, northward. The Channel Country features an arid landscape with a series of ancient flood plains from rivers which only flow intermittently. The principal rivers are Georgina River , Cooper Creek and

2025-517: Was named in the last centuries BC , the Sun was in the constellation Capricornus at the December solstice . This is the date each year when the Sun reaches zenith at this latitude, the southernmost declination it reaches for the year. (Due to the precession of the equinoxes the Sun currently appears in Sagittarius at this solstice.) The Tropic of Capricorn is the dividing line between

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