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  Definition of a Forest    
 
Introduction
Illinois Forests
Definition
Structure
Classifying
Importance
Present Day Forests
Recent Forests
Ancient Forests
Conservation
How Do We Know?
Human Inspiration
Tree Guide
Glossary
Resources
Credits
Teacher Orientation
     
Savanna
Savanna
A forest is best defined as an ecosystem or assemblage of ecosystems dominated by trees and other woody vegetation. 

Parts of a forest
The living parts of a forest include trees, shrubs, vines, grasses and other herbaceous (non-woody) plants, mosses, algae, fungi, insects, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and microorganisms living on the plants and animals and in the soil.

These interact with one another and with the non-living part of the environment - including the soil, water, and minerals, to make up what we know as a forest.

How many trees make a forest?
Forests (according to the U.S. National Vegetation Classification system) consist of trees with overlapping crowns forming 60% to 100% cover. Woodlands are more open, with 25% to 60% cover. 

Other classification systems recognize savannas, which are discussed in this Web site, as having widely spaced trees with anywhere from a minimum of 5 - 10 % cover to a maximum of 25 - 20% cover.

Many definitions of forest
Today, there are more than 250 definitions of the term "forest." These definitions differe based on the emphases or concerns of different people.

A legal definition is different from an ecological definition. The perspective of the economist differs from that of a geographer. All definitions stress the importance of trees in the system and include places where tree cover ranges from 5% to as high as 100%.

 

 

   
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