A maple tree in Massachusetts shows off its bright colors

The Northeastern coastal forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of the northeastern United States. The ecoregion covers an area of 34,630 sq miles (89,691 km²) encompassing the Piedmont and coastal plain of seven states, extending from northern Maryland and Delaware through southeast Pennsylvania, New Jersey, southern New York State, Connecticut, Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire to southwestern Maine.

The ecoregion is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, it transitions to the New England-Acadian forests, which cover most of northern and inland New England. To the west, the ecoregion transitions to Allegheny Highlands forests and the Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests of the Appalachian Mountains. To the south lie the Southeastern mixed forests and the Middle Atlantic coastal forests. The ecoregion surrounds the distinct Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion, which covers portions of southern New Jersey and Long Island.

[edit] Seasons

What makes deciduous forest biomes so special is that they have four seasons. Although technically all places have four seasons, deciduous forests undergo very conspicuous changes from season to season. Deciduous forests have a cold winter, a mild spring, a warm-to-hot summer, and a cool autumn.

[edit] Fauna

Some of the animals that live in the Northeastern coastal deciduous forests are white-tailed deer, eastern gray squirrels, chipmunks, red foxes, fat dormice, sparrows, chickadees, garter snakes, snails, coyotes, and raccoons. Chickadees, white-tailed deer, and eastern gray squirrels can be seen quite often. Gray wolves used to be quite common, but are now very rarely seen, causing endemic growth in deer populations near suburban areas.

[edit] External links

• Northeastern coastal forests (World Wildlife Fund)

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