Forest Definition

A forest is an area with various naturally occurring flora and fauna because of different climatic conditions. The concept of a forest is as varied as the types, species composition, commodities, services it offers, etc. of a forest. Different elements such as latitude, climate, rainfall patterns, soil composition, and human activities influence many different forest kinds.

As seen below, there are four main layers that make up forests.

Emergent Layer: Around 200 feet from the emergent layer, the tallest trees in the forest can be found. These trees get lots of sunshine and have large leaves.

Canopy Layer: Just behind the emergent layer is the canopy layer. A network of branches and leaves with smooth, oval shapes thickens it. It is the forest's foundational layer.

Understory Layer: Sunlight cannot enter the understory layer; thus, plants grow bigger leaves to capture it.

Forest Floor: Because sunlight cannot enter this stratum, it is gloomy and damp. It provides fungi with a rich environment in which to develop. This stratum is where decayed leaves, branches, & dead animals are found.

Depending on their latitude, forests can be classified as boreal, temperate, or tropical.

Boreal Forest

Boreal forests, often known as taiga, are found across North America, Asia, & Europe between 50 - 60 degrees latitude. Underneath the boreal forests is terrain that was carved by glaciers, whose impact may be seen in the region's geology, hydrology, and soils. Boreal forests have lower species diversity than temperate & tropical forests because of the harsh, cold temperature that makes life there challenging. Boreal forests are home to various flora and animals that have been uniquely adapted to survive the harsh climate and short growing seasons. Boreal forests are significant carbon sinks due to their size and isolation.

The boreal forest has the shortest planting season of the three forest types, lasting about 130 days. Boreal forests frequently feature nutrient-poor, acidic, shallow soils. Although certain well-adapted deciduous trees, like willows, poplars, & alders, are also present, conifers predominate in abundance. Significant species include tamarack, jackpine, balsam fir, & black and white fir. Cranberry and blueberry bushes in the understory give animals in the area high-energy food.

The animals that inhabit boreal forests have been uniquely adapted to withstand year-round poor resource availability and extremely cold temperatures, which can go as low as -22 degrees F (-30 degrees Celsius). One of the few animals that can survive year-round in the taiga is the boreal caribou, which forages over a million acres to do so.

During their yearly migrations, various bird species stop at wetlands in boreal forests. As the seasons change and food becomes scarcer, they migrate south.

Boreal forests are seriously threatened by climate change. Unnaturally high temperatures cause the earth to saturate and grow mushy, and numerous trees eventually lose their support and perish.

Types of Boreal Forest

Open Canopy Boreal: Boreal forests with an open canopy, also referred to as lichen woodlands, are found at higher latitudes with smaller species richness.

Closed Canopy Boreal: Closed Canopy Boreal is found at lower latitudes. These forests are characterized by richer soil & denser tree stands, which prevent much light from reaching the forest floor. However, fewer adverse conditions result in a higher species variety.

Temperate Forest

Temperate forests are found in the mid-latitudes and have four distinct seasons. Very few remaining areas of an old-growth temperate forest; secondary woods predominate in this region. Temperate forests made up about 16% of the planet's total forest cover as of 2020.

Temperate woods are home to species that have adapted to seasonality. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter oaks, hickories, and many more to conserve energy. In temperate forests, bears, bobcats, foxes, and deer can hoard food, modify their diets, or hibernate to deal with the shortage of nourishing food in the winter.

Although seasonality is a feature of temperate forests, their annual precipitation and temperature range greatly, depending on the region and season; the annual temperature varies from 22 degrees F - 86 degrees F. Rainfall in temperate forests ranges from 30 - 59 inches annually. Organic matter is typically abundant in soils, making them nutritious and providing plants with nutrients for growth. Many threatened species can be found in temperate forests.

Temperate Forest Types

Deciduous Forest: This type of forest is primarily composed of deciduous trees, which fall their leaves during the colder months and go into slumber.

Coniferous Forest: More evergreen, cone-producing trees can be found in this area.

Temperate Rainforest: These jungles report incredibly high precipitation levels with mild temperatures.

Tropical Forest

Tropical forests are among the planet's most biodiverse ecosystems, and they can be found at 23° north & south, halfway between the Capricorn and Cancer Tropics. These forests occupy only one-tenth of the planet's surface but are home to 50% of all species. 11 They are also among those most at risk from human activity.

Tropical forests provide generally controlled environments, allowing life to flourish. With temperatures ranging from 68 to 77 degrees F and 79 - 394 inches of precipitation annually, they are the warmest and wettest forests on earth.

Tropical forests are renowned for their amazing biodiversity. For instance, 10% of all known species on the planet reside in the Amazon rainforest.

Tropical forests are particularly effective at digesting nutrients because of their diversity. Decomposers break down dead and rotting stuff quickly, and another creature nearly immediately absorbs it. The result is nutrient-poor soils in tropical forests. Tropical forests are in danger from human activities, including poaching, logging, and clearing land for agriculture.

Tropical Forest Types

Evergreen Rainforest: Often regarded as the "real" rainforest, these tropical forests are the wettest (averaging about 80 inches of rain annually) and most diversified in terms of plant life.

Tropical Moist Forest: Tropical wet forests get more seasonal changes and less overall rainfall than evergreen rainforests since they are located farther from the equator.

Tropical Dry Forest: Gets very little rain for four to six months of the year. To cope with this time of water constraint, animals and plants have developed specific adaptations.

Mangroves: Coastal tropical forests with trees that can survive in brackish, fluctuating water. Mangroves serve as a nursery for aquatic creatures and shield the shore from storms.

What Function do Forests Serve?

Forests serve as many animals' natural habitats. The trees provide oxygen for the atmosphere. They affect the local precipitation. Additionally, they provide us with goods like food, medicine, clothes, paper, wood, and other essentials.

The carbon content of trees is the highest on the globe, making them essential for preserving the earth's temperatures. It is believed that the rise in levels of carbon dioxide is the primary cause of global warming. Despite the benefits, deforestation has grown quite common in the contemporary era, generating a variety of issues such as pollution, soil depletion, and climate change. Here are a few explanations for the value of forests to all living things and the need for their proactive preservation.

• Utilizations of Trees to Reduce Greenhouse Gases- Forests protect the ecosystem from the absorption of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which are thought to cause climate change. Tropical forests alone store a large amount of carbon, and its discharge into the air might have detrimental effects.
• Trees provide a natural habitat- Millions of creatures rely on forests for a stable habitat to survive. Snakes, reptiles, crocodiles, butterflies, birds, insects, monkeys, and other wild creatures are among the many species that call it home. It offers a thriving environment for the animals. Microorganisms, which are crucial for converting dead matter into nutrition, are also abundant on the forest floor. There are also indigenous people that live there and depend on the trees for their food.
• Forests are Important for Air Purification- The production of food and energy by plants depends on photosynthesis. During the day, plants, bushes, and trees take in co2 from the air and emit oxygen. They serve as the atmosphere's "giant lungs," cleaning the air by eliminating carbon dioxide and preserving the proper quantities of oxygen for daily inhalation. Trees remove odors and air pollutants like sulfur dioxide and ammonia by absorbing them. The leaves & bark of these plants contain these poisons.
• Forests are Important to Support biodiversity- Forests cover 90% of the earth's land area and are home to numerous plant and animal species. They support biodiversity while supplying the necessary habitat. Some genes build up biodiversity.
• Forests' Importance as Watershed Regions-Rivers, streams, lakes, and water tables found in forests are all important water sources. The vegetation shields the water reservoirs from solar rays. The greatest watershed & river system in the world is found in the Amazon forest.
• Trees control global temperatures- Forests' green cover absorbs the sun's heat and lowers the temperature. Through evapotranspiration and wind, they control the temperature of the atmosphere. Additionally, forests encourage rainfall, which aids in preserving the water table as well as a temperate environment. In contrast, deforestation causes a sharp increase in global temperature.
• Essential to enriching the soil- The decomposition process turns dead leaves and snapped branches into the soil, which becomes nutrient-rich. Soil-dwelling microorganisms break down the biodegradable substance into smaller bits that the plants can repurpose. Trees have extremely strong roots that keep the soil intact in the event of a flood or other causes of soil erosion. They are essential because they reduce runoff and preserve the soil in hilly locations or along stream banks. Unchecked soil erosion can deplete the soil's fertility, resulting in arid conditions.
• Regulates the water cycle- Forests play a significant role in the water cycle. They control how much water vaporizes, condenses, and precipitates. Additionally, they feed the aquifers, replenishing groundwater supplies. Trees enable rainfall to seep down their trunks into the soil, preventing contaminants from entering the ocean. They filter water and replenish the water table by functioning as enormous sponges.
• Forests are important to our way of life- Forests are abundant in medicinal herbs, plants, and trees. These plants and trees' extracts, seeds, petals, and bark are non-toxic to humans and cure several ailments. Quinine, curare, rose periwinkle, wild yams, willow tree extracts, & calabar bean, & are a few examples.
• Forests' Economic Benefits - Forests have several advantages for people. A tree's leaves, branches, trunk, wood, fruits, seeds, and roots are all beneficial. Wood, lumber, raw materials, veggies, and fruits-all of which have a significant economic value all provided by forests. The timber is utilized in furniture production and building. In addition, the forest is required for the production of paper. Rubber obtained from trees is used to make a variety of products. Even green waste has economic significance.

Every year, countless trees are cut down to meet the rising demand from people. We must take proactive measures to safeguard forests and improve the surrounding flora if we want to conserve the living beings that depend on them. This forest also protects the land by shielding it from the bad effects of erosion & climate change, which ultimately serves as a useful and more tangible function that creates income instead of those provided by the nation's military force.

By engulfing the whole area in its canopies, forests also serve as a natural barrier against aerial attack.

Forest Issues & Threats:

• Inadequate and Declining Forest Cover: The largest issue facing forests is their insufficient and rapidly declining forest cover.
  As was already established, just 20.55 percent of the area is covered by woods, compared to a needed 33 percent. The growing demand for both major & minor forest products poses a substantial danger to even this modest portion of forest cover.
  These goods are desperately required for construction materials, fuel, and food for many forest-based enterprises. Large areas of woodland have been destroyed for farming. Different agricultural practices across the nation have wreaked havoc on the nation's forests. A considerable portion of our gains from afforestation is offset by converting forest land to non-forest usage.
• Lack of Appropriate Transport Facilities: One of the main issues the Indian woods confront is a lack of suitable transportation options. In India, over 16% of the forestland is inaccessible and lacks adequate transportation infrastructure. It must be kept in mind that lumber, a cheap and hefty item, is the primary output of forests.
  As a result, it cannot pay the expensive freight rates levied by the roads and railroads. Therefore, without affordable and effective transportation infrastructure, Indian forests can't be commercially utilized. Unfortunately, India's railways only provide service to densely inhabited regions; they are of little value to forests. There is a severe scarcity of all-weather roads in forested areas. Water transportation only has a small range. Given these facts, it is simple to conclude that India's transportation systems are insufficient regarding its forests.
• Forest Fires: Each year, forest fires burn through vast areas of vegetation. In India, the dry season is when forest fires are most destructive. The lack of properly trained employees is a big disadvantage.
• Plant Diseases, Insects, and Pests: Large areas of forest cover are affected by plant diseases, insects, and pests, which results in a significant loss of forest wealth. In order to collect and eliminate the insect, forest authorities are only using simple means such as recruiting tribal people.
• Obsolete Techniques for Logging and Sawing: Obsolete techniques for lumbering, sowing, etc., are still used in most Indian forests. Low forest production and significant waste are the results of this approach. Large amounts of poor timber that may be better utilized by seasoning & preservation treatment are either left unused or wasted.
• Lack of commercial forest: Commercial forests are severely lacking in India, where most forests are kept for protection. Growing concern about environmental deterioration has compelled us to view the riches of the forests as a protector of the environment rather than as a commodity.
• Lack of Scientific Procedures: In India, scientific techniques for developing forests are also inadequate. In India, forests only develop naturally, although, in many industrialized nations, innovative scientific methods are employed to hasten tree development. Many trees have structural defects or are members of species that produce little fruit slowly.
• Unfair concessions to locals and tribes: In large forest areas, locals and tribes have been given customary rights & concessions for free grazing as well as the removal of small-scale forest products like wood fuel. They are also permitted to keep up their centuries-old shifting farming. The production of the forest has decreased as a result of these actions. Additionally, the villagers living in the surrounding regions have encroached on these woodlands.

The Conclusion

Our responsibility is to safeguard and maintain the forests for present and future generations, as well as for the quality of life of animal species and other living things. Forests are a crucial component of our ecosystem. We must not take down trees to enhance air quality and plant more.