Do we know what is growing in the forest? It would seem a very simple question, but many are completely lost when they hear it. And if you complicate it? For example, ask what kind of forest happens, and which animals and birds live in each of its types?
After reading the article, you will know the answers to many questions about the types of forests and its inhabitants, as well as about plants and trees. And in the last section, we will talk about the dangerous inhabitants of the forest.
What is a forest?
Before you know what is growing in the forest, it does not hurt to determine what the forest is in general.
As soon as a forest is called various scientific sources. And the ecosystem, and the "place where the trees grow," and a complex combination of different plants, and the "lungs of the planet." What is the most accurate name? All options together will give the most correct answer. Let's try to formulate a definition of the forest. A forest is a place where trees and herbs grow, birds and animals live, insects and microorganisms. All of them together constitute a complex ecological system, with food chains and cohabitation in one territory. Well, this whole ecosystem, together with many of the same ones, is really the lungs of our planet. What is lung function? The simple answer is to breathe, enrich the body of a person or animal with oxygen. Forests do this, they purify polluted air, release oxygen, which is very valuable and useful for us. Have you noticed how clean and fresh the air is in the forest? How nice and easy to breathe there? Therefore, walks in the forest are so useful in our time, the development of industry and chemical industries.
What are the forests?
What grows in the forest also depends on the type of forest. It is not easy to choose one attribute for classification, as nature loves diversity. You can divide the forests at the place of their "habitat" into the eastern, southern or equatorial, or you can according to their seasonal "behavior", for example:
- Evergreen (forests, trees in which their leaves change like a human hair - weak ones fall, and new ones grow in their place).
- Deciduous (those whose leaves fall in the winter, and new ones grow in the spring).
- Conifers (those in which conifers grow - spruce and cedar, pine and cypress).
- Mixed, or semi-deciduous.
We will talk about deciduous and coniferous forests, as well as talk about the pine forest and its inhabitants. Each forest has its own plants and, accordingly, residents. Flora (that is, the plant world) is also unique to each species.
Inhabitants and plants of coniferous forests
Coniferous forests are often called taiga. These are harsh evergreen taiga houses for many animals. Here live animals with luxurious fur. Otherwise, they would simply freeze, since the winter in the taiga is very long, snowy and severe, and the summer, although warm, is short enough.
Here, on the snowy branches of firs and cedars, you can see a cone (which got its name because it eats cones, chopping them with its unusual beak across) and large capercaillie with huge feathers. Of the small animals, fluffy chipmunks and ermines live here, insanely beautiful sables, whose fur has always been very highly regarded. A beautiful lynx, a huge brown bear and large moose, as well as a rather rare wolverine, live in taiga forests.
The flora of taiga forests is not rich. The upper tier is composed of conifers - majestic cedars and cypresses, junipers, larch and pine. And, of course, ate. A Christmas tree in the forest, from a famous song, most likely, was born in just such a taiga.
Of the herbs, not many species grow here, and they are most often not found in other forests. This is because the upper tier of the forest is very high and allows little sunlight to pass through, so unpretentious moss and lichen of different species survive in these conditions. Special attention should be paid to mosses, there are a lot of them, they are luxurious and varied and feed many animals with their juicy stems even in winter, feeling great even under icy snow.
Who lives in a pine forest?
Pine forest - the forest? Yes, it is a forest dominated by pine trees. In their content, these forests are similar to taiga. In addition to pine, wild garlic and bird cherry, aspen and blueberry, which is also called black raspberry, grow here. Coniferous-deciduous forest is the second name of mixed pine forest.
Pine trees in such forests grow very tall and slender. This is due to the fact that they, like any tree, tend to sunlight, and are pulled up to make their way to the warm rays past the crowns of their brothers.
Pine forest is rich in mushrooms that feel great on soil generously spiced with fallen needles. Under the tall trees in a tender grass hid breasts and honey mushrooms, oily and brown boletus.
Unfortunately, pure pine forests are not very rich in inhabitants, because there is not enough food for them. But in the mixed forests live a lot of hares, wild boars and foxes. Roe deer and elk also find a good home here. In addition, we can see between the pines serious hedgehogs and martens fast as lightning.
Who can be seen in the deciduous forest?
Deciduous forest is one in which trees and shrubs of deciduous species predominate. Also, such a forest can be called deciduous, because by winter its leaves fall, and in spring new ones grow.
Plants growing in the forest (herbs, flowers, berries) make up its lower tier. The middle tier is the bushes, and the high is the trees. These are mainly ash and elms, oaks and linden, birch and alder.
In the grass (lower tier) and soil there are many small insects and their larvae, as well as the ubiquitous mouse.
The fauna of deciduous forests is not very diverse, but interesting. It consists of spiky hedgehogs, fast squirrels, foxes and wolves, wild boars and moose, pine martens and chipmunks, badgers and ferrets. In the high crowns of the trees, woodpeckers and carduelis, nightingales and siskins make their nests.
Forest berries grow here , the names and descriptions of which are worth knowing in order not to accidentally pick up an inedible berry and not to be poisoned. Edible cranberries and strawberries here, you can also find blueberries and not in the grass, but on the undersized bushes blackberries and mountain ash.
About 25% of all European forests make up deciduous forests, which is not a small number.
Autumn forest and winter forest
Autumn and winter are a bit of a sad time for the forest and its inhabitants. In the fall, thrifty animals gather supplies that will help them survive in the winter. For example, squirrels store nuts, mice carry grains into burrows, animals that will hibernate, feed fat, that is, eat intensely - with a margin. This will help not to exhaust them for three long months while they sleep in their “houses”.
Autumn is the time to harvest. Mushrooms and roots, plants for herbariums and useful, medicinal herbs and leaves, nuts, acorns and cones - all this "wealth" matures in the fall.
The forest is harsh and silent in winter. No songbirds are heard, they flew south and will return only in spring. Foliage does not rustle, except that fallen leaves rustle underfoot. The birdsong is not heard, most of them flew to the warm lands before the onset of cold weather.
Of course, you cannot find mushrooms, berries and other forest good in the winter, but breathing in the frosty air, enjoying the winter walk, and admiring the trees in silver hoarfrost is very pleasant, and also useful.
Spring and summer in the forest
Spring and summer are the best times for the forest.
Spring in the forest is a period of awakening from winter sleep and restoration of nature. Moreover, it is in the spring, when the leaves have not yet fully blossomed, that one can well consider the characteristics of plants and bushes. The attention of those who are interested in nature, can attract the kidneys. On different trees, they can be of different degrees of maturity. That is, on earlier trees we can see tender leaves in the bud, and on still "sleeping" - tight dark buds. In addition, when the branches are completely bare, they are more likely to see interesting, but very cautious forest inhabitants.
Of course, there is nothing else to collect in the spring forest. But this applies to berries, mushrooms. But it’s quite possible to dig up useful roots and plants for transplantation.
Animals in the spring also begin a new cycle of life. Some come out of hibernation (bears, hedgehogs), others are looking for a mate for procreation. Migratory birds return from warm countries, and the spring young forest is slowly filled with bird trills.
The summer forest appears before us in all its beauty and richness of decoration. Mouse-voles rustle in the grass, hard-working ants crawl along the stems, and angry and busy bugs and bumblebees fly overhead. Already ripen in the grass, blushing, like a precious ruby, strawberries. The summer forest is beautiful.
What gives us the forest?
What grows in the forest can be very healthy and tasty.
Let's talk about the beneficial gifts of each of the types of forests that we have examined.
Deciduous forest gives many types of edible mushrooms. There are inedibles in it, so you need to be careful not to pick mushrooms if you don't know them well.
There are also berries in the deciduous forest. In spring and summer it is wild strawberry, the autumn forest treats with ripe blackberry and very useful dog rose. By autumn, hazelnuts are also being sprinkled - a tasty and, unfortunately, already quite rare delicacy.
And, of course, medicinal plants, for example, yarrow, motherwort.
The taiga forest (or coniferous) is rich in pine nuts. They are very tasty, easy to digest and rich in nutrients.
Pine forest gives us such valuable and useful plants as thyme (it is from it that a tasty and effective cough syrup is made) and cladonia, which is also called deer lichen.
Dangerous inhabitants of the forest
Despite the beauty of the forest, do not forget that it can be dangerous here. Before you go to the forest, you should find out about the possible dangers.
- Snakes. These dangerous reptiles conceal a serious threat to the health of negligent guests. They are in almost every type of forest. Therefore, if you are going to the forest, be sure to take care of closed shoes made of thick materials. It will protect your legs not only from a possible snakebite, but also from punctures and scratches with sharp twigs.
- Spiders. They, like snakes, also live almost everywhere. The best defense against them is your caution. Go around the large cobweb lace.
- Ticks They can be very dangerous and not only cause discomfort, but also cause serious harm to your health. This is because some of them can be carriers of a terrible disease - encephalitis. Therefore, it is better, when going for a forest walk, wear closed natural clothing, and at home carefully examine yourself and your loved ones for ticks. If this harmful insect is found, it is necessary to consult a doctor. He will remove the tick and send his body for examination to see if it is encephalitis.
- Mosquitoes. It turns out that mosquitoes can also be harmful to health. Even if you are not allergic to their bites, it is better to treat exposed areas of the body (face, hands) with special sprays or creams.
- Wild bees and wasps are dangerous during the formation of swarms or in the event of the accidental or deliberate destruction of their nests. For safety reasons, it is also better to use special means before going to the forest.
- Inedible mushrooms killed many lives of careless mushroom pickers. And those who survived after accidentally eating them are unlikely to boast of good health. Do not pick mushrooms if you are poorly versed in their species, and remember that even edible species can be poisonous if you pick them in waste-polluted places or near busy roads.
- Poisonous plants. In addition to mushrooms, in the forest you can meet dangerous plants. For example, we grow beautiful and appetizing-looking “wolf berries”. There are them, despite the external attractiveness it is impossible, as this is fraught with serious poisoning and intoxication of the body.
- Boars. Wild boars are very dangerous animals. Females that protect their piglets can be particularly aggressive. If you saw a boar brood in the forest, the best option is either to flee or a tall tree, which will serve as protection from an angry mom.
- Predators Predatory animals do not live in all forests. Therefore, we will not dwell on them. We will only say that it is better not to go to the forest where predators live at night, because it is at this time of day that they prefer to hunt.
Finally
Forest is the wealth of the earth, which is difficult to overestimate. He gives us many healthy plants, berries and mushrooms. It is also the home of many inhabitants: animals and birds, insects and microorganisms.
There are several types of forests: the most popular in our latitudes are deciduous, coniferous (which are often called tundra) and mixed. Each of them is inhabited by its inhabitants, who are comfortable precisely in these conditions.
Forest at different times of the year changes its lifestyle. So, in the winter the forest is beautiful and filled with fabulous charm, and in the summer - birdsong and delicious berries.
Despite the charm of the forest, dangers can wait for reckless travelers in it. These are both poisonous plants and snakes or insects. When going for a walk, you should carefully consider your clothes and shoes, if necessary, use repellents. This will help to maintain health and protect from many troubles.
Forest is light earth, it purifies the air, which is very useful. Spend more time in the forest, on picnics or walks - and this will positively affect not only your health, but also your mood. But do not forget about the rules of conduct. Do not break young trees, do not destroy anthills and bird nests, and, very importantly, do not leave mountains of debris after your walk. This is not only ugly, but also dangerous for many inhabitants of the forest, who can get injured on cans and bottles or eat cellophane wrappers and die. Respect and love nature, if you want your life to be healthy.