Features of Deciduous Woodlands (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Biotic & Abiotic Characteristics of Deciduous Woodlands
Deciduous woodlands are found in the temperate climates of the northern and southern hemispheres
They include Europe, eastern North America, parts of East Asia, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand
Deciduous woodlands thrive in mountainous areas and in regions with a range of soil types
Deciduous trees shed their leaves in the cooler winters
Biotic | Abiotic |
|---|---|
Tall, broad-leaved trees dominate deciduous woodlands, such as oak, beech, and elm. Trees shed their leaves each year for several months to cope with reductions in light and lower temperature | The climate is moderate, with clear seasons |
A wide variety of animals, birds, insects, and reptiles can be found, such as squirrels, deer, owls, snakes, wolves, foxes, etc. | Water keeps the soil moist without being too wet and helps maintain the fertility of the soil. Rain falls throughout the year and supplies water to lakes, streams, and rivers |
Plants other than trees include herbs, fungi, wildflowers, shrubs, and berries. Mosses and lichens grow on trees. | Sunlight hours are shorter than TRFs, but it does reach the lower layers of the woodland, creating layered vegetation |
Humans modify the woodland through leisure and economic activities | The soil is fertile brown earth. Fallen leaves decompose quite quickly and form a rich, organic humus. Earthworms and other organisms in the soil mix this with minerals from weathered rock to form brown earth/soil. Leaching is limited as precipitation is not continuously high as in TRFs |
Interdependence of Biotic & Abiotic Characteristics in Deciduous Woodland
The deciduous woodland nutrient model shows that:
Biomass and soil stores are larger than the litter store
Deep tree roots break up the bedrock, and weathered rock adds those nutrients to the soil
Leaching is less significant in the soil store and soil fertility is higher due to mixing by earthworms
The litter store is kept small due to rates of decomposition and lower levels of leaf litter
The rates of nutrient cycling is moderate
Deciduous woodland nutrient cycling
Energy flows
The biotic and abiotic parts of the woodland are linked through nutrient cycle and food webs
Producers include:
Tree species: elm, beech, oak and ash
Other plants: holly, fern, bluebells, and Wild Garlic
There are also lichens and mosses
Primary consumers include:
Insects
Rabbits
Deer
Squirrel (though they may eat larvae or caterpillars if conditions are harsh)
Secondary consumers include:
Frogs
Voles
Fox
Badgers
Tertiary consumers include:
Foxes
Birds of prey, such as sparrow hawks
Deciduous woodland food web
Interdependence
Trees, such as the rowan, rely on birds eating the berries to disperse their seeds
Some berries are dropped during flight to a new location
The seeds have an indigestible coating, which means that seeds which are eaten are deposited in droppings
Oak trees rely on squirrels burying the acorns to store them for winter. Acorns, which are forgotten, germinate
The trees in the woodland are mostly deciduous, which means that they lose their leaves, covering the ground with a thick layer, which then decomposes, adding nutrients to the soil
A shrub layer of brambles, grass, bracken and other plants are the main producers
Humans collect food and wood, which helps clear the forest floor
In spring, before the trees come into leaf, more light reaches the woodland floor, allowing bluebells and daffodils to bloom
Deciduous Woodland Biodiversity & Adaptations
Deciduous woodlands have lower biodiversity because
Summer has good levels of sunlight, but shorter days in the winter reduce nutrient cycling
The ecosystem is smaller than the tropical rainforest
Lower temperatures and fewer sunlight hours in higher latitudes mean less photosynthesis
Growing season for 7 months of the year
Good nutrient levels in the autumn when leaves fall to supply the soil
No extreme temperatures (range: 4°C–17°C)
Rainfall (often frontal) is around 1000mm per year
Moderate humidity
Layers of a deciduous woodland
The distinctive feature of the deciduous woodland is the appearance and disappearance of the tree canopy during the season
Deciduous woodlands have four layers
The ground layer is often dark and damp, with brown earth soils around 30cm deep
The herb layer consists of non-woody plants such as bluebells
Under or sub-canopy with trees such as hazel and growing saplings
The canopy layer has dominant trees around 20–35m high of oak, etc.
Deciduous trees also play a key role in water storage, provide habitats for animal hibernation, and are a source of food and a factor in bird migration
Deciduous woodlands have four distinct seasons, forcing plants and animals to adapt
Plant and Animal Adaptation
Animal Adaptations | Plant Adaptations |
|---|---|
Some animals hibernate in the winter, such as hedgehogs | Trees have large, deep roots which reach nutrients and groundwater |
Some birds migrate in the winter to warmer climates | Trees spread their branches for sunlight |
Squirrels store food by burying it in the summer to use in winter | Trees have broad, thin leaves, which absorb maximum sunlight and intercept rainfall |
Some animals adapt to the changing seasons, such as growing thicker fur in winter | Trees shed their leaves in winter due to lower light and heat levels |
Worked Example
Explain two ways in which animals have adapted to living in a deciduous woodland.
(4)
Answer:
One way animals have adapted to living in a deciduous woodland is to grow thicker fur (1) in winter to keep warm against the colder climate (1). Squirrels store food (1) such as acorns in the summer to eat in the winter when there is little food available (1).
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