New England's Biomes: Temperate Deciduous and Northern Coniferous Forests

Two Dominant Forest Types

The six New England states (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT) span a transition zone between two major biomes:

1. Temperate Deciduous Forest (Southern & Central New England)

• Dominant trees: Oak, hickory, maple, beech, birch, ash.
• Range: Coastal CT/RI, CT River Valley, eastern MA, southern NH/VT, coastal ME.
• Characteristics: Four distinct seasons, 100–200 cm annual precipitation, rich soils, high biodiversity.
• Human impact: Heavily cleared for agriculture (18th–19th C), now largely regrown as secondary forest.

2. Northern Coniferous Forest / Boreal Forest (Northern & High-Elevation New England)

• Dominant trees: Red spruce, balsam fir, white pine, paper birch, tamarack.
• Range: Northern ME/NH/VT, White/Green/Adirondack Mountains, high elevations southward.
• Characteristics: Short growing season, acidic thin soils, snow-dominated precipitation, fire-adapted.
• Transition: Ecotone (spruce-fir/northern hardwood) creates unique habitat (e.g., Bicknell's thrush).

Other Notable Communities

• Coastal salt marshes, pine barrens (ME, Cape Cod), alpine tundra (Mt. Washington, Katahdin), freshwater wetlands, vernal pools.