Dry coniferous forests are typically quite open, with large spaces between the trees where sunlight is not blocked from reaching the ground and grasses and shrubs grow. Photo by Maya Walters. |
| Most temperate forests consist of broad-leaved trees. However, these trees require a lot of water because they lose large amounts of moisture through their leaves. In some areas the soil is just too dry and sandy for broad-leaved trees to grow. In these places, conifers take over. Like the conifers in the northern boreal forests, very little water evaporates away through their needles, so they require far less moisture than broadleaf trees. | The conifers in these temperate forests are mostly pines. They have different shapes than the conifers of the boreal forests, because it is unnecessary to grow tall and pyramidal to shed snow in an area that stays warm all winter. Pines do also grow in areas that are moist enough for oaks and other broadleaf trees. What keeps the broad-leaved trees from dominating these areas? Fire. |
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related topics
[water] [soil] [broadleaf forests] [boreal forests] [seasons]
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