Forest RegionsForest RegionsChap.2Chap.2

Kenneth WilliamsFisheries Extension Specialist Langston University Aquaculture Extension Program

Elements of Forestry

Forest classificationForest classification

Commercial forest– Yields at least 1.4 cubic meters of wood per

hectare per year.– Non commercial yields less.

4 main forest types4 main forest types

1. mostly evergreen– Broad leaved evergreen forests (mainly warm

climates).– Coniferous forest (cool climates)

2. mainly deciduous – Drought deciduous forests (leaves shed in dry

season).– Cold deciduous forest ( leaves shed in winter).

Broad leaved evergreen forestsBroad leaved evergreen forests

Ex. Location: The southern part of Izu peninsula

Coniferous forestConiferous forest

Location example: Finland

Drought deciduous forestsDrought deciduous forestsLocation example: Los Reyes, Michoacan,

Mexico

Cold deciduous forestCold deciduous forestExample location: Wisconsin and

Minnesota

Aspen forestAspen forest

Climatic elements that determine Climatic elements that determine existence and productivity of existence and productivity of

forestsforests

PrecipitationTemperaturewind

Geographic elements that Geographic elements that determine existence and determine existence and

productivity of forestsproductivity of forestsLatitudeElevationSlopeDirection slope faces

Increasing latitude

Increasing altitude

Forest changesForest changes

Dynamic systems- forests advance and retreat with prolonged drought .

Human activity (forestry and agriculture) changes species composition and can eliminate forest.

Effect of soils on forest typesEffect of soils on forest typesForest tree species vary

with soil characteristics.Ex. Loblolly, shortleaf

and long leaf pines are found east and west of the lower Mississippi River but absent in river deposited soils of MS and LA due to poor aeration.

Northern coniferous forestNorthern coniferous forest(taiga)(taiga)

Circles globe – from southern Canada north to the tundra. Low elevation, many rivers, lakes and swamps.

Relatively few species but large numbers of individuals represent each species.

Northern Northern coniferous coniferous

forestforest

Northern coniferous forestNorthern coniferous forest(taiga)(taiga)

Principle species– White spruce– Black spruce– Birch– Poplar– willow

Northern Northern hardwood hardwood

forestforest

Northern hardwood forestNorthern hardwood forest

Pacific Pacific coast coast forestforest

Pacific Pacific coast coast

speciesspecies

Pacific coast forestPacific coast forest

Rocky Rocky mountain mountain forestsforests

Rocky Mountain forestRocky Mountain forest

Rocky Rocky mt. mt.

speciesspecies

Central Central broad-leaved broad-leaved

forestforest

Broad-leaved forestBroad-leaved forest

Oak – Pine Oak – Pine southern southern forestsforests

Oak-pine southern forestOak-pine southern forest

Bottomland Bottomland hardwood hardwood

forestforest

Bottomland hardwood forestBottomland hardwood forest

Tropical Tropical forestforest

Tropical forestTropical forest

Tropical speciesTropical species

World World ForestsForests

Forest regions of the worldForest regions of the world

Climate and soil determine the general appearance of the forest.

Northern forests about the same world wide.

Southern hemisphere forests are very different than northern forests.

Northern coniferous forestNorthern coniferous forestEurasian taiga similar to North American

taiga except that it extends farther north and has more species of larch spruce and fir.

Scotch pine is the leading commercial species.

Pacific coniferous forestPacific coniferous forest

Japan, Korea, southern coast of Siberia.Species include Douglas fir, most U.S>

conifers.Important mostly for watershed protection

and recreation.

Central broad- leaved forestCentral broad- leaved forest

Species similar to U.S. but few in number in Europe due to last glaciation. Many species in Asia.

Deforestation is extensive but returning.Forest management began in the forests of

Europe.

Mediterranean forestMediterranean forest

Around the Mediterranean Sea except for Egypt and Libya.

Evergreen broad leaved trees prevalent ex. Laurels and olives.

Cork oaks, hazel nuts and chestnuts are economically important.

Coastal forest of California and Coastal forest of California and ChileChile

Monterey pine, live oak and hard leaved shrubs predominate.

Coastal forest of AustraliaCoastal forest of AustraliaEucalyptus and Acacia predominate.

Primary producers of timber and fiber in this area.

Eucalyptus

Acacia

Tropical rain forestTropical rain forest Amazon and Congo

basins and Indonesia Extreme diversity of all

life forms. May be as many as 4000

tree species. Most productive

terrestrial ecosystem. Important for timber,

medicines, chemicals, rubber, cocoa and many other products.

Tropical rain forestTropical rain forest

Drought deciduous forestDrought deciduous forestFound next to tropical

forest where there is heavy rainfall in the summer and extreme drought in the winter.

India Burma and Thailand contain good examples of this forest.

Teak and bamboo trees are important.

Teak tree

Mangrove forestMangrove forest

Restricted to coastal saltwater areas.Mangrove tree most important.Protects coastland from storms and waves.

Temperate rain forestTemperate rain forest

Found in New Zealand, Southern Chile and Australia.

Not commercially valuable. Much of it is being converted to Douglas fir and Monterey pine.

Kauri trees

THE ENDTHE END