Shades of Green: Earth's Forests -- Seasons

Different seasons bring huge changes to the forest. Not only are there changes in temperature, but also the amount of sunlight and precipitation. In the boreal forests, the entire growing season is squished into a few short weeks of warmer weather in the summer. Other temperate forests experience a longer growing season, but temperatures drop low enough in the winter that plants become dormant and animals hibernate.

Of course, seasons are not limited to the temperate zone. But the tropical forest's seasons are based mostly on precipitation, and there are only two of them: wet and dry.

Top: New leaves growing on a deciduous tree in the spring. Above: The footprint of a deer in winter snow. Right top and bottom: One tree in late fall, with no leaves remaining; another in mid-fall with leaves almost ready to drop Photos by Maya Walters

seasons -- page 1 of 3
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return to the forests through time article