Eastern Temperate Forests
Ecoregion Data
Description
This ecological region extends from the Great Lakes in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the
south. From the Atlantic Coast, it extends westward approximately 620 km into eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota. The region is distinguished by its moderate to mild- ly humid climate, its relatively dense and diverse forest cover, and its high density of human inhabitants that approximates 160 million. Urban industries, agriculture and some forestry are major activities.
Physical Setting
A variety of geologic materials and landforms are present. Younger-age sedimentary coastal
plains in the south and east abut the older, folded and faulted sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Appalachian Mountains that reach elevations over 2,000 m. A mixed lime- stone-dolomite terrain of plains and hills dominate much of the central part of the region, with other sedimentary rock found on the plateaux and plains in the north and west. Glacially derived materials and landforms and areas of glacial lake deposits shape the landscape in the north. Soils are mostly leached, being nutrient-poor to calcium-rich. Surface waters are characterized by an abundance of perennial streams, small areas with high densities of lakes, a diversity of wetland communities and a rich array of maritime ecosystems. The climate is generally warm, humid and temperate, although there is a latitudinal gradient from cool, continental temperatures to those that are subtropical. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are mild to cool. The average daily minimum temperature in winter is –12°C in the north and 4°C in the south. Average daily maximum summer temperatures are 27°C to 32°C. Precipitation amounts of 1,000-1,500 mm per year are relatively evenly distributed throughout the year, with most areas having either a summer or spring maximum.
Biological Setting
The Eastern Temperate Forests form a dense forest canopy consisting mostly of tall broadleaf,
deciduous trees and needle-leaf conifers. Beech-maple and maple-basswood forest types occur widely especially in the eastern reaches of this region, mixed oak-hickory associations are com- mon in the Upper Midwest, changing into oak-hickory-pine mixed forests in the south and the Appalachians. These forests have a diversity of tree, shrub, vine and herb layers. While various species of oaks, hickories, maples and pines are common, other wide-ranging tree species include ashes, elms, black cherry, yellow poplar, sweet gum, basswood, hackberry, common persimmon, eastern red cedar and flowering dogwood. A key tree species, the American chest- nut, was virtually eliminated from the Eastern Temperate Forests in the first half of the twenti- eth century by an introduced fungus. Two essentials for wildlife—food and shelter—are relatively abundant in the Eastern Temperate Forests. Because it is a significant evolutionary area for the continent’s fauna, the region con- tains a great diversity of species within several groups of animals. Mammals of the region include the white-footed mouse, gray squirrel, eastern chipmunk, raccoon, porcupine, gray fox, bobcat, white-tailed deer and black bear. The region has extremely diverse populations of birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.