Forest Life

Producers in these forests include evergreen trees, grasses, ferns, mosses, and a variety of shrubs and bushes. The waxy, needle-like leaves found on evergreen trees tend to not be appetizing for consumers. This is an adaptation to prevent the plants from being eaten. However, there are a few animal species that do not mind the distasteful needles, such as deer and moose, who continue to consume them throughout the year. Many temperate coniferous forests are primarily evergreen but can still have few deciduous trees scattered throughout, such as alders.

The consumers found in the temperate coniferous forest ecosystem include insects, small rodents, birds, deer, foxes, bobcats, wolves, bears, tigers, leopards, and moose. The yellow-bellied marmot, a relative of the squirrel, is one of the small rodents found in this ecosystem. In these forests, they would be considered primary consumers, along with birds, chipmunks, and mice. Although they are much larger, moose and elk are also primary consumers. The small predators that prey on marmots and other small rodents include weasels, foxes, and owls. Larger predators, like wolves and lynx, feed on the small predators.

Decomposers, organisms that break down organic material, can also be found in these temperate forests. A fungus with the scientific name Pilobolus crystallinus is one of the fastest known things on the planet. The fungus is more commonly known as "Dung Cannon" fungus. These fungi can accelerate their spores from 0 to 45 mph in the first millimeter of flight! The spores of this Dung Cannon stick to the plants that animals graze on. The spores pass through the animal's digestive system, and the fungus grows in the feces that the animal leaves behind.