Temperate deciduous forest are a close relative of the Taiga biome, and can be found in areas with a milder, shorter winter season. In addition to evergreens, trees in thetemperate forest include maple, elm, oak, cedar and other trees which shed their leaves in the fall.
- Today, forests occupy approximately one-third of Earth's land area, account for over two-thirds of the leaf area of land plants, and contain about 70% of carbon present in living things.
- They have been held in reverence in folklore and worshipped in ancient religions.
- Forests are becoming major casualties of civilization as human populations have increased over the past several thousand years, bringing deforestation, pollution, and industrial usage problems to this important biome.
- One of the major characteristics of tropical forests is their distinct seasonality: winter is absent, and only two seasons are present (rainy and dry).
- The length of daylight is 12 hours and varies little.
- There are three major types of forests, classed according to latitude: