Trees and Forests

Ecosystem An area of living and non living

components which form an environment.

Conks

A type of fungi that looks like shelves growing out of a tree. They are indicators that the tree is sick.

Fungus

Lichens The organism resulting from the

relationship between an alga and a fungus

Moss

Layers of the forest

Upper Canopy

Upper Canopy Plants- leaves and branches of tallest

trees

Animals- owls, eagles

Understorey (Middle) Plants- smaller trees and larger shrubs

Animals- insects, squirrels, woodpeckers, and many birds.

Underbrush or Shrubbery Layer Plants- ferns, wildflowers

Animals- butterflies, mice, weasels, deer, skunks, rabbits

Forest Floor Plants- leaf litter, mushrooms, soil, moss,

flowers, tree roots

Animals- insects, salamanders, toads, millipedes

Food Chains!

Nutrient Cycle The chemicals or minerals that plants

and animals need to grow.

As consumers animals cannot make their own food of use the nutrients directly from the soil.

That is where plants and the nutrient cycle come in.

Water Cycle

Photosynthesis The process by which a tree produces its

own food (sugar).

For photosynthesis to occur a plant needs: CO₂ carbon dioxide what

humans/animals breathe out H₂0 water from the ground Sun (light energy)

These 3 combine in a chemical process which takes place in the leaves of the plants and produces...

O₂ oxygen What we need to breathe C₆H₁₂0₆ sugar What the plants need to

eat to live.

CO₂ + H₂0 + light energy = O₂ + C₆H₁₂0₆ Photo from notebook.

Parts of the tree Crown Roots Trunk/ Stem

Outer bark Phloem Cambium Sapwood Heartwood

http://www.aucoeurdelarbre.ca/en/from-root-to-crown/

What is a tree?1. Must be perennial (lives for more than

2 years). 2. Must have a self supporting trunk. 3. Trunk must be made of woody

material.

Anything else is a shrub.

Coniferous Trees Cone bearing trees. Needle shaped leaves which are green

all year long.

Deciduous Trees Usually have leaves (except for the

needle leaf tree tamarack). Produce either flowers or catkins (scaly

structures that contain seeds that fall off the tree).

Leaves are flat, green blades which fall off in the autumn.

Examples of each? http://www.abtreegene.com/trees.html

Parts of the Leaf

Leaf Classification 1. Type

2. Arrangement on branch

Needle Arrangements

Margins

4. Shape:

Bark

Tree Shapes

Branching Patterns

Tree Cookies....Mmmmmmmm.... Not!

http://www.idahoforests.org/cookie1.htm

1. Center ring- tree is born. 2. Broad, evenly spaced rings- plenty of moisture

and light, tree grows rapidly. 3. Wider rings on one side- something pushing on

one side preventing growth. 4. Narrow rings- crowded by other trees, competing

for nutrients. 5. Tree scar- forest fire or mechanical damage. Fire

damage= darkened area. 6. Wider rings- more nutrients7. Tree damage- dead branches, torn bark.8. Narrow rings- drought. 9. Narrow rings- insect attack.10. Tree is harvested.

Use of Trees 2 of each from each category in your

notes

Reforestation- the building of a new forest by planting or reseeding.

Regeneration The process of growing back what has been lost.

1. Natural regeneration- seeds fall to the forest flow and geminate.

2. Direct seeding- cones and seeds are gathered and sown from tractors.

3. Planting seedlings- small trees that are grown in nurseries and taken out and planted.