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In North America, temperate deciduous forest pretty much means a temperate climate with four seasons.
A temperate coniferous rainforest, such as those on the West Coast, shows a maritime climate with little seasonal variation.
In the southern appalachians, there is also a temperate coniferous forest. The climate is too cold in the summer for deciduous trees but too warm in the winter for boreal vegetation (Mount Mitchell has a similar climate to SE Alaska with a bit more variation).
However, Western European locations with little seasonal variation still support deciduous forest, so it sometimes depends on location.
We don't have mass plantings of Eucalyptus, but they're very common, and there are some areas where they dominate. They fit in well with native vegetation. NZ was covered in Eucalyptus in the past.
Here is a photo of some 12 year old eucalyptus mixed in with local vegetation, just behind the house. Around 80-90 ft tall and about ready for firewood.
Just found this post -finally chopped those trees down 8 years later - biggest were about 140 ft, with a 1.4 metre diameter.
I'm guessing the volume of wood would have about doubled in those 8 years.
Here in the coastal plain of Georgia the predominate forest type is subtropical coniferous, mixed with broad leave evergreen/deciduous.
The natural landscape is like this into Central/South Florida where it starts to look more savannah-like.
The closest other regions that favor the deep south "piney look" are some of the places in Nepal and Pakistan. Pinus roxburghii, which is predominant in the Himalayan subtropical pine forests is reminiscent of our longleaf pines here.
Here in the coastal plain of Georgia the predominate forest type is subtropical coniferous, mixed with broad leave evergreen/deciduous.
The natural landscape is like this into Central/South Florida where it starts to look more savannah-like.
The closest other regions that favor the deep south "piney look" are some of the places in Nepal and Pakistan. Pinus roxburghii, which is predominant in the Himalayan subtropical pine forests is reminiscent of our longleaf pines here.
In fact it is called the Indian longleaf pine.
What's the reason for pines being so dominant in the subtropical south and boreal regions, but not in the mid-latitudes (ex Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, southern New England)?
What's the reason for pines being so dominant in the subtropical south and boreal regions, but not in the mid-latitudes (ex Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, southern New England)?
Because the coniferous forests from the gulf coast and from the boreal latitudes are made of different species of plants who adapted separately for their different environments. The vegetation of the gulf coast is adapted to mild winters (10C - 18C), hot summers (above 22C) and a lot of precipitation (50 to 80 inches a year). While the boreal forests are adapted to long cold winters (below 0C), short mild to warm summers (fewer than 3 months above 10C). The mid latitude forests are deciduous rather than coniferous due to the high seasonal variation.
There’s also a 3rd type coniferous Forest adapted to moist highland climates with cool winters (0C - 10C), warm summers (18C - 22C) and a lot of precipitation.
What's the reason for pines being so dominant in the subtropical south and boreal regions, but not in the mid-latitudes (ex Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, southern New England)?
At a guess I'd say the pines being dominant in the south is to do with soil conditions. Poor soils often favour evergreen trees and shrubs, often with hard, long lived leaves. Because these are better able to hang on to scarce nutrients. I'd expect to find more broad leaf trees, perhaps deciduous, where soils are better eg alluvial soil near rivers.
Because the coniferous forests from the gulf coast and from the boreal latitudes are made of different species of plants who adapted separately for their different environments. The vegetation of the gulf coast is adapted to mild winters (10C - 18C), hot summers (above 22C) and a lot of precipitation (50 to 80 inches a year). While the boreal forests are adapted to long cold winters (below 0C), short mild to warm summers (fewer than 3 months above 10C). The mid latitude forests are deciduous rather than coniferous due to the high seasonal variation.
There’s also a 3rd type coniferous Forest adapted to moist highland climates with cool winters (0C - 10C), warm summers (18C - 22C) and a lot of precipitation.
Soil type is a better explanation, some of the areas around the gulf coast are heavily deciduous, like the area around New Orleans, very swampy with bald cypress trees dominant. It's eastward towards the mid/southern portions of Georgia, South Carolina that the soil is more sandy.
I see this in Augusta, the swampy areas are heavily deciduous while the drier areas are pine dominated, it's just the drier, sandy areas are more widespread.
Our pine trees look very different than the northern ones, they have big bulbous, bright green needles that look tropical-like while the northern ones look more like spruces with smaller needles.
An observation of mine is that deciduous struggle to spread in climates with mild winters - even though introduced deciduous trees grow well in my area, they are not at all invasive. That is because the dormant period puts seedling deciduous trees at a disadvantage when competing with native vegetation that has evolved to grow right through winter. They basically get smothered before they really get a chance to grow.
Pines on the other hand, can put a foot or more of growth on over winter.
An observation of mine is that deciduous struggle to spread in climates with mild winters - even though introduced deciduous trees grow well in my area, they are not at all invasive. That is because the dormant period puts seedling deciduous trees at a disadvantage when competing with native vegetation that has evolved to grow right through winter. They basically get smothered before they really get a chance to grow.
Pines on the other hand, can put a foot or more of growth on over winter.
True. It looks like a lot of plant distribution is as much of competitive limitations as it is any physical intolerance of the given climate.
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