A Temperate Deciduous Woodland Biome

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A Temperate Deciduous Woodland Biome

An example of a temperate deciduous woodland biome is the New Forest, an ancient and ornamental woodland of 3,692 hectares.

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Wildlife and Adaptations in the New Forest

  • Around 100 bird species can be found here, with 20 being just regular winter migrants. It includes birds such as the redshank, lapwing, snipe, kingfisher, woodlark and Dartford warbler (there are 500 making them the most important population in the UK). 
  • 4 species of deer are present, which include the roe deer, the red deer, the fallow deer, and the sika deer. One fifth of these can be spotted, but the Muntjac deer can never be seen as it hides away in the dense woodland. 
  • Foxes and badgers are widespread due to the spread of earthworm popualtions, and 9 species of bat have been recorded, including the rare Bechstein's bat. 
  • 55% of butterflies and moths, 46% of beetles, 74% of dragonflies and 67% of grasshoppers and crickets from Britain is found here. Many of these can be seen in the decaying matter. 
  • Reptiles such as grass snakes and great crested newts have been seen in the New Forest.
  • Over 2,600 species of fungi have been identified in the New Forest. 
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Dominant Vegetation in the New Forest

  • There are 15 species of orchids and a wide range of other wild flowers in the New Forest, some of which are very rare, such as the bog orchid, slender cottongrass and the pennyroyal.
  • The bugle grows in sunny, damp sites and is very common in the New Forest. The flowers are blue and provide an important source of nectar for butterflies.
  • Foxgloves can be seen on the edge of the New Forest, in distrubed areas such as felled areas, growing up to 1.5 metres in height. They are poisionous and should not be eaten. 
  • Common dog violets grow in sunny sites and like other small plants that grow in the woodland areas, are helped by hungry ponies grazing on the competing vegetation.
  • The Knightwood oak is perhaps the most famous of all the New Forest trees, and has been a visitor attraction since the 1880s when Ordnance Survey labelled it the 'Queen of the Forest'.
  • Many conifers can be found in the New Forest. 
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Ensurance of a Climatic Climax Community

  • The Deer Removal Act of 1951 reduced the grazing pressure on these woodlands and alowed regeneration of beeches and oaks to occur to create a dense canopy layer.
  • In 1969 a Minute of Intent was signed between the Forestry Commission and Natural England in which a commission agreed to recognise the forest as having a National Nature Reserve status, meaning consultation takes place on every issue of importance.
  • The removal of Scots pine and birh is recommended only where it would not compromise the existing woodland structure as minimum intervention is the general policy. Birch is accepted for its ability to suppress bracken and nurse young oak and beech regeneration on forest margins.
  • Directing fire wood collection away from core deadwood habitats. 
  • Holly pollarding is still being carried out in the forest each winter to provide additional food for ponies. The process also benefits some species of lichen as it allows light into the trunks of oak and beech, therefore creating the best conditions for lichen.
  • Temporary fencing is erected as the most cost effective mechanism to achieve regeneration of oak in forest.
  • Natterjack toads are being introduced to the area as the population declined, through a breeding programme by the ARC. There is ongoing monitoring to see if the toads will successfully sustain themsleves at Whitbeck. 
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