"Natural Science 4" is an interactive encyclopedia that includes scientific information in the understanding of fourth grade students, wonderfully illustrated and animated.
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* Chapter 2 Lesson 7 *
* The Forest *
The forest is a natural living environment in which many living things live. Because of this, the forest is considered the paradise of plants and wild animals.
In our country, there are both deciduous forests in the plains and hilly areas, as well as coniferous forests in the mountains. Mixed forests consist of coniferous and deciduous trees. They are found in the transition regions between relief steps.
Are all forests the same?
Coniferous forests consist of trees that have green leaves all year round. To withstand the low temperatures in those places, their leaves are shaped like needles and covered with a layer of wax, called resin. Here you can admire firs, spruces, pines. Light penetrates very hard in these forests, they are darker. This is why fewer grasses or shrubs grow. Instead, you will find mosses and lichens on the bark of trees, ferns and a lot of mushrooms, as well as shrubs with fruits, such as blueberries, raspberries, currants. These plants need coolness, moisture and less light. Among the animals of these forests we can mention mammals (bear, wolf, fox, deer, deer), birds (grouse, buzzard, woodpecker, woodpecker, owl), small reptiles (vipers, snakes) and insects (beetles, mosquitoes, butterflies, ants).
Deciduous forests are made up of trees whose leaves are flat and fall in autumn. In these forests, light penetrates to the surface of the soil, favoring the development of a large number of plants. In addition to the tall trees (oaks, beeches, sycamore maple, elms, lindens, ash trees and birches), shrubs also grow (rose hip, sea buckthorn, blackberry). Rabbit, fox, deer, nightingale, woodpecker, snakes, lizards, bees, beetles, butterflies are just a few examples of animals that live in these places.
The fall of leaves in autumn in deciduous forests is an adaptation to the changes brought by the seasons. Thus, the trees manage to save energy and water during the winter.
Some animals migrate to warmer places (migratory birds), others build warm shelters and gather supplies (rabbit, fox, squirrel), and some hibernate all winter (badger, hedgehog).
How does the forest protect its living things?