The temperate zone is characterised by the clearly visible and noticeable change of seasons. Hardly any extreme temperatures are measured and precipitation falls throughout the year. In summer as rain or hail, in winter also as snow.
We divide the temperate zone into three vegetation zones, which are often summarised as the cool temperate zone:
- Temperate rainforest
- Mixed deciduous forests
- Steppes
The landscape of the cool temperate zone is densely populated by humans and consists of strongly anthropogenic cultural, agricultural, urban or economic landscapes and forests.1)
Temperate rainforests are forest ecosystems that, as the name suggests, are characterised by their particularly high levels of precipitation. Due to the prevailing temperatures, which are above freezing on 270 to 360 days, they belong to the temperate zones. Due to their mild climate and year-round high humidity, they are the most species-rich regions in the temperate climate zone with a vegetation period of over 200 days.2)
The temperate rainforests are located on the west coasts of the continents. And as these are predominantly anthropogenically influenced today, there are hardly any regions left in a natural state. These often serve as a refuge for species that have been displaced elsewhere.3)
In mixed deciduous forests, the average daily temperatures are above 0° C on 220 to 360 days. The vegetation period lasts between 150 and 200 days. Due to the high annual precipitation, the potential natural vegetation consists of deciduous hardwood forest, which is more or less interspersed with evergreen conifers.2)
Steppes are open, predominantly dry grasslands where daytime temperatures are above zero degrees for 150 to 360 days a year. The average temperature range is around 0° C to 20° C throughout the year. The vegetation period lasts around 180 days2) and is divided into two phases in spring and autumn. Another characteristic is the low rainfall, which is why steppes are too dry for large trees, but not for shrubs.4)
As humidity decreases, a distinction is made between tall-grass steppes rich in herbs and shrubs, short-grass steppes, dwarf shrub steppes and thorny steppes. Most cereal plants originate from steppe regions and in some areas of the Eurasian steppe we hope to encounter people who traditionally practise nomadic livestock farming.4)
As no special adaptation to extreme cold or heat is required in the cool-temperate climate zone, there are no animal groups that occur exclusively here. A typical mammal in the Eurasian mixed deciduous forests is the wild boar, which is also found in the subtropics. Typical of temperate steppes are the many species of ground squirrels, which also occur in subtropical dry areas.2)
Only a maximum of one third of the cool temperate zone is still in a near-natural state, and these regions are predominantly dry areas and high mountains that are of little use. There are probably no longer any completely original areas; typical forms of agriculture today are mixed, intensive farming and grassland farming.2)
But our roots and the origin of traditura are right there, in the vegetation zone of mixed deciduous forests. It will therefore be a challenge to find living, traditional methods of food production in the cool-temperate zone.
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Our next article will continue with the basics of the subtropics:
References:
1) Cf. Wikipedia, 2024: Gemäßigte Klimazone, taken from the internet on 29.03.2024, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemäßigte_Klimazone
2) Cf. Wikipedia, 2024: Kühlgemäßigte Klimazone, taken from the internet on 29.03.2024, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Külgemäßigte_Klimazone
3) Cf. Wikipedia, 2024: Gemäßigter Regenwald, taken from the internet on 29.03.2024, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemäßigter_Regenwald
4) Cf. Wikipedia, 2024: Steppe, taken from the internet on 29.03.2024, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppe