Forest types

forest types

The set of biomes that are spread throughout the planet generates ecosystems capable of sustaining life. There are various types of forests that have biotic elements and can host a large amount of biodiversity in a single space. Between the different forest types we have temperate, tropical, deciduous, evergreen, boreal forests, among others. Each of them has unique characteristics that make it different from the rest. Forests are of great importance on a planetary level since they are sinks of carbon dioxide and production of natural resources and life.

Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you everything you need to know are the different types of forests, their characteristics and the importance they have.

Key features

coniferous forest

Before going on to describe the different types of forests, it is necessary to know what a forest is. It is a terrestrial biome that houses a large number of ecosystems and which can have spectacular biodiversity. There is a great variety of forests depending on their location and composition. In some we find a large number of trees, bushes and other types of vegetation. You can also find many animal species and others such as bacteria and fungi.

When we analyze an ecosystem we have to see the elements that make it up. On the one hand, we have the biotic elements and on the other the abiotic ones. The first are those elements that have life. They are elements that interact with each other and form a series of survival relationships between species. Abiotic elements are those that lack life and are geological agents such as rocks and earth, water and air, among others. Depending on the characteristics of the different types of forests we can find more or less biodiversity. For example, it is not the same amount of biodiversity that we are going to see in a boreal forest as in a tropical forest.

If we focus on the origin of the characteristics of a forest we have to go to the climate. The climate is the main determining factor in the development of flora and vegetation species that begin to develop. It is from the vegetation that there is primary production in an ecosystem. We remember that the food chain has different links and the principle is primary production. Depending on the climate, latitude, foliage, gestation, human intervention and its environmental impact, there are different types of forests. Let's see what they are:

Types of forests according to climate and latitude

subtropical forest with abundant rainfall

Boreal forest

These forests are known by the name of taiga and are those found in the northern part of the planet. They are colder wooded areas. The temperatures they usually range between 20 degrees as a maximum and -60 degrees as a minimum. The boreal forest is spread over extensive areas that occupy part of the various large countries such as Alaska, Norway, Canada, Finland, Sweden and Russia.

The predominant vegetation in this type of forest are mainly Gil we see more. Here we have pines, firs and animals such as elk, grizzly bears, reindeer, owl, boreal lynx, osprey, among others.

Temperate forest

They are those forests that vary according to the climate and the latitude in which we are. In the temperate climate is where this type of forest is found and they are regions in which, although they are found in both hemispheres, it is more abundant in the northern part. It stands out for having moderate temperatures and abundant rainfall. Most large animals have the ability to hibernate. Other animals migrate to warmer areas to establish the breeding season.

They are characterized by having rich, fertile soil with dense vegetation cover and high humidity levels. All these environmental conditions favor the development of humus that serves as organic fertilizer for the development of flora and vegetation.

Subtropical forest

They are somewhat warmer and have an average temperature of 22 degrees. They are close to the tropics and in them the vegetation is usually much larger and they stand out for having wide leaves. They have high rainfall throughout the year and the seasons are very marked. We can see pine forests, deciduous forests, subtropical jungle and subtropical dry forests.

Tropical forest

It is another of the different types of forests according to latitude. It can be found in both hemispheres in the tropical zone. It is one of the hottest and rainiest due to a high temperature. The average temperature is around 27 degrees annually. We can find, according to the regions, some subtypes of tropical forests:

  • Humid or rainy tropical forest. It is also known as a rainforest
  • Dry tropical forest.
  • Monsoon forest.
  • Wetlands or flood forests
  • Mangroves

Types of forests according to foliage

variety of forest types according to their leaves

These types of forests are divided according to their types of leaves. Let's see what they are:

  • Evergreen forest: They are those that have evergreen leaves and are those that are maintained manually.
  • Deciduous forest: They are forests that stand out for having deciduous trees. This means that the leaves fall at some times of the year and sprout again at others.

Types of forests according to vegetation

Apart from the leaves it can also be classified depending on the trees found in these forests:

  • Coniferous forests: This type of forest is mainly found in the taiga area and stands out for having lower temperatures. The main trees in these regions are pines and firs. Both trees belong to the coniferous family and are so named because they grow in the shape of a cone.
  • Lush forests: they are known to have very abundant and dense plants. Some of these forests are jungles and trees with very broad leaves. They are divided into dry forest, montane forest, montane forest, humid forest and nimbosilva.
  • Mixed forest: combines the two previous types.

According to the degree of intervention and the impact of the human being

We can also classify different types of forests according to the degree of intervention caused by humans and the damage they cause. Let's see what they are:

  • Primary forests: human beings have not intervened in them and they are totally natural. It usually belongs to the group of protected natural spaces that serve to conserve biodiversity.
  • Anthropogenic forests: they have had various impacts and may or may not be artificial.

Now we are going to see what those are according to the environmental impact:

  • Primary forests: they are totally natural. Here the human being has not intervened.
  • Secondary forests: human beings have intervened to extract natural resources. Later they have been reforested.
  • Artificial forests: They have been created by man and forestry is working on them.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the different types of forests and their classification.


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