1. These forests occur in eastern North America, northeastern Asia and western and central Europe.
2. Have well-defined seasons with a distinct winter. Moderate climate and a growing season of 140-200 days during 4-6 frost free months distinguish temperate forests.
3. Annual temperature varies from -30° C to 30° C.
4. Precipitation (750-1500 mm) is distributed evenly throughout the year.
5. Soil is fertile, enriched with decaying litter. Canopy is moderately dense and allows light to penetrate, resulting in welldeveloped and richly diversified understorey vegetation and stratification of animals.
6. Flora is characterized by 3-4 tree species per km2. Trees have broad leaves that are lost annually such as oak, hickory, beech, hemlock, maple, basswood, cottonwood, elm, willow, and spring flowering herbs.
7. Fauna consists of squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, and black bear. Based on seasonal distribution of rainfall, the types of temperate forests are:
8. Moist conifer and evergreen broadleaved forests: wet winters and dry summers.
9. Dry conifer forests: dominate higher elevation zones; low precipitation.
10. Mediterranean forests: precipitation is concentrated in winter (<1000 mm /year).
11. Temperate coniferous forests: mild winters, high annual precipitation (> 2000 mm /year).
12. Temperate broad-leaved rainforests: mild, frost-free winters, high precipitation (> 1500 mm/year), evenly distributed throughout the year.
