Features of Deciduous Woodlands (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)

Revision Note

Jacque Cartwright

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
Precipitation is high, between 500 and 1,500 mm per year, yet the leaching of nutrients is low
On average, temperatures remain above 0°C even in the winter, with summer temperatures averaging 25–20 °C

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

deciduous-woodland-nutrient-cycle

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

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

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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Jacque Cartwright

Author: Jacque Cartwright

Expertise: Geography Content Creator

Jacque graduated from the Open University with a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography before doing her PGCE with the University of St David’s, Swansea. Teaching is her passion and has taught across a wide range of specifications – GCSE/IGCSE and IB but particularly loves teaching the A-level Geography. For the past 5 years Jacque has been teaching online for international schools, and she knows what is needed to get the top scores on those pesky geography exams.

Bridgette Barrett

Author: Bridgette Barrett

Expertise: Geography Lead

After graduating with a degree in Geography, Bridgette completed a PGCE over 25 years ago. She later gained an MA Learning, Technology and Education from the University of Nottingham focussing on online learning. At a time when the study of geography has never been more important, Bridgette is passionate about creating content which supports students in achieving their potential in geography and builds their confidence.