Appalachian temperate rainforest facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Appalachian temperate rainforest
The Appalachian Trail traverses the dense, moss-covered spruce-fir understory near the summit of Old Black in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee

The Appalachian temperate rainforest is a special kind of forest. It is found in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. This huge forest covers about 351,500 square kilometers (135,000 square miles). You can find it in parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.

This rainforest gets a lot of rain every year. It receives more than 60 inches (over 1500mm) of precipitation. The higher parts of the mountains have a specific type of forest. It is called the Southern Appalachian spruce–fir forest. Here, fir trees grow mostly at the highest spots. Spruce trees are common in the middle areas. Lower down, you will find a mix of different trees.

Climate of the Appalachian Rainforest

The Appalachian temperate rainforest has a cool and mild climate. The average low temperature is about 4.4 °C (39.9 °F). The average high temperature is around 15.5 °C (59.9 °F). Even at high altitudes, the rainforest gets a lot of rain. It receives less than 2,000 millimetres (79 in) of precipitation each year.

This rainforest is known as a "perhumid" temperate rainforest. This means it is wet all year long. Moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean causes this. When this air hits the Appalachian Mountains, it rises. This rising air cools and drops its moisture as rain. This effect is called the orographic effect.

High mountain areas are often covered in clouds. These clouds help keep the air moist. They also provide a lot of water to the forest. Clouds can supply 20% to 50% of the yearly water. This is a very important source of water for the rainforest.

How the Appalachian Rainforest Formed

The Appalachian Mountains began to form a very long time ago. This was during the middle Ordovician period. Huge land plates collided, pushing the land upwards. This process started about 440 to 480 million years ago. It finished around 230 million years ago. These mountains are key to why this rainforest exists. They create the orographic effect, which brings so much rain.

During the Last Ice Age, ice did not cover the southern Appalachian Mountains. This area became a safe place for plants and animals. Many species from northern areas found refuge here. After the ice melted, some species moved back north. But many stayed in the Appalachians. This is one reason why this rainforest has so many different kinds of living things. This is called biodiversity.

Amazing Species of the Rainforest

The tall mountains allow northern species to survive here. Today, many plants make up this temperate rainforest. The forests have a very high rate of biodiversity. About 10,000 species live in this area. This includes many unique salamanders and turtles. These unique species are called endemic.

Plants of the Rainforest (Flora)

Red spruce and Fraser fir are the main trees in the high mountain areas. At very high elevations (over 1,980 metres (6,500 ft)), Fraser fir trees are most common. In the middle elevations (1,675 to 1,890 metres (5,495 to 6,201 ft)), red spruce and Fraser fir grow together. Lower down (1,370 to 1,650 metres (4,490 to 5,410 ft)), red spruce trees are dominant.

Smaller trees and shrubs grow beneath the main canopy. These include yellow birch, mountain ash, and mountain maple. You can also find young spruce and fir trees. Shrubs like raspberry, blackberry, and southern mountain cranberries grow here too. Below the spruce-fir forest, around 1,200 metres (3,900 ft), you will find forests of American beech, yellow birch, maple, and oak. Some northern plants, like skunk cabbage, stayed here after the glaciers left.

The wet environment is perfect for many types of fungi. Over 2000 species of fungi live here. Scientists believe there are many more that have not yet been identified.

Animals of the Rainforest (Fauna)

More than 30 species of salamanders live in this rainforest. Some of them are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else. Examples include the Black Mountain salamander and Jordan’s salamander. Rotten trees and moist leaves on the ground create a perfect home for amphibians like salamanders. Many salamanders here do not have lungs. They breathe through their skin, so they need a wet environment to survive.

The most well-known mammal here is likely the American black bear. Other common mammals include white-tailed deer and groundhogs. Northern animals like the northern flying squirrel and red squirrel also live here. They can survive because of the cool climate.

People and the Rainforest

Native Americans have lived in this area for about 10,000 years. The Cherokee Nation lived in this region for a long time. Sadly, in 1838 and 1839, they were forced to leave their homeland. They had to move to Oklahoma.

The Appalachian Trail is a famous hiking path. It is over 2,000 miles (3,200 km) long. It stretches from Georgia to Maine. This trail passes right through the Appalachian temperate rainforest. The idea for the trail was shared in 1921. It was finished in 1937. Many hikers enjoy this trail each year. Non-profit groups and the National Park Service help take care of it.

Parts of the Appalachian temperate rainforest are protected lands. These include the Nantahala National Forest (started in 1920) and the Cherokee National Forest (also started in 1920). The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (started in 1934) also protects parts of the rainforest. Millions of people visit these national forests every year to enjoy nature.

Threats to the Rainforest

Human-Caused Threats (Anthropogenic)

Air pollution is a big problem. It comes from power plants, factories, and cars. Air pollution can lead to acid rain and water pollution. Plants at high elevations easily collect these pollutants. Acid rain harms plants and makes streams more acidic. This acidic water affects fish, salamanders, and other plants.

Air pollution also creates ground ozone. This ozone forms when pollutants react with sunlight. Ground ozone can damage plants. In national parks, many plant species have been harmed by ground ozone. Plants in higher elevations are especially at risk.

Non-native species are another threat. These are species brought in from other places. For example, the Balsam Woolly Adelgid is an insect from Europe. It accidentally came to the U.S. This insect kills Fraser fir trees. You can see many dead fir trees on mountain peaks because of this pest.

Wildfires

Wildfires are often started by lightning. This happens about twice a year, usually in May or June. While fires can be a threat, they are also a natural part of the ecosystem. Some native species, like table mountain pines and woodpeckers, actually benefit from the changes after a fire.

The National Park Service sometimes performs controlled burns. These are fires that are carefully set and managed. They are done for two main reasons. One is to help certain plants or ecosystems that need fire to thrive. The other is to reduce dead wood and brush. This helps prevent very large, dangerous wildfires that could harm people and property. While some rare plants grow well after a controlled fire, others can be destroyed.