ENV100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 33: Forest Ecology, Laterite, Biome
69
ENV100Y5 Full Course Notes
Verified Note
69 documents
Document Summary
To transport water, water must be lost! Mature forests are complex ecosystems: opens up vacuum in leaves by opening up stomata to dissipate water, they must draw up water and use it but it must also release water. Provide habitat, maintain soil, air, and water quality, and play key roles in biogeochemical cycles. Crucial link in nutrient and water cycles. Softwood = timber harvested from coniferous trees. Hardwood = timber harvested from deciduous trees. Ntfps = non-timber forest products, such as medicinal, herbal, decorative, and edible products. Forests defined partly on the basis of structure. Canopy: closed; low light penetration; understory limited. Flora: cold-tolerant evergreen conifers with needlelike leaves (pine, fir, spruce) Seasonal variation (changes a lot with season to season) Only ~9% of land, but >50% of species. Variation in degree of seasonality (not seasonal variation like boreal taiga)
