Deciduous forests are located all over the world. Biomes that contain deciduous forests have four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter. This forest biome differs from a coniferous forest, which is made primarily of evergreen trees and tropical forests that remain warm all year round.

Characteristics of a Deciduous Forest

Deciduous forest biomes are located primarily in the northern hemisphere. They receive between 30 and 60 inches of rainfall a year. This is important. If the area doesn’t receive enough rain to support the growth of trees, then the area reverts to grassland. The biome supports mammals, birds and amphibians. Many of the birds and mammals hibernate during the winter when food is scarce to protect themselves from the cold. Many birds migrate to warmer climates.

North America

In North America, deciduous forests blanket the eastern third of the continent. Some of the major cities located in the biome are New York, Boston and Toronto. While the skyscrapers have grown in place of the tall trees, the cities are located in the deciduous biome. The biome extends west to Chicago and even Minneapolis. Further west, the land is too dry to support large growth forests. The deciduous biome extends south through Louisville, Atlanta and Miami.

Europe

Much of Western Europe resides in deciduous forest biomes. The British Isles, Germany and France all contain large growth forests with deciduous trees. London, Paris and Berlin all lay within deciduous forest biomes. Deciduous forests encompass the Czech Republic and Lithuania. The cities of Prague and Riga are also located in deciduous forests. The western edge of Russian is located in the deciduous forest biome, so Moscow is located in the forest. Further west, the terrain changes to grassland and tundra.

Asia

The deciduous forests of northeast Asia cover portions of Korea, China, Japan and Russia. Many of the same trees found in north America and Western Europe grow in this biome. However, because this biome is thousands of miles from other deciduous biomes, many of the animals that inhabit the Asian forest biome differ from their European counterparts. Some of the cities in the Asian forest biome are Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo.

Other Areas

There are two other smaller deciduous biomes located in the Southern Hemisphere. One is located in New Zealand and the eastern coast of Australia, and the other is the southern tip of South America. Some of the cities that exist in these forest biomes are Canberra, Australia, Wellington, New Zealand and the entire Province of Tierra del Fuego in Argentina.

About the Author

Based in Nashville, Shellie Braeuner has been writing articles since 1986 on topics including child rearing, entertainment, politics and home improvement. Her work has appeared in "The Tennessean" and "Borderlines" as well as a book from Simon & Schuster. Braeuner holds a Master of Education in developmental counseling from Vanderbilt University.

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