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Effect of human activity
Temperate forests are located in the middle latitudes where much of the planet's population is. Not only were these forests cut down to build cities (i.e. New York City and Seattle), they have also been "cut down long ago to make way for cultivation." This biome has been subject to mining, logging, hunting, pollution, deforestation and habitat loss.

The following is a direct quote from the book "Earth Matters" by David Mayer de Rothschild: "Deciduous forests have been more affected by human activity than any other biome, since they grow in the areas of fertile soil and relatively gentle climate that are most popular for humans to live in. Huge areas, especially in China and Europe, were cut down long ago to make way for cultivation. Most existing deciduous forest is regrown ("secondary forest"), and only tiny fragments of original forest remain."

The anthropogenic destruction of temperate forests negatively impacts seed dispersal and pollination and disrupts species interactions. It has also led to a major loss of habitat, displacing wildlife, destroying native populations, and threatening the survival of species. Habitat loss is one of the main drivers of extinction and declines in biodiversity.

Destruction of forest habitat threatens the lives of many native organisms, but it can also negatively affect human health. Deforestation, forest fragmentation, and land use change can have an impact on disease reservoir host and vector communities, increasing transmission of zoonotic diseases. Thus, forest fragmentation caused by human action could lead to an increase disease spread, ultimately harming the health of both wildlife and human populations. As urbanization and incorrect land use continue and more habitat is destroyed, diseases could become an even larger concern, and we do not need any more pandemics.

Even the spread of invasive species is linked to human activity. With modern advancements, humans are now capable of traveling large distances and goods are shipped world-wide. This large amount of movement can relocate organisms to new and extremely different environments where they will disrupt the current food web and damage ecosystem functioning. For example, construction, logging, releases of unused fishing bait, and movement of horticulture materials have led to the invasion of nonnative earthworms in Northern Temperate forests. These introduced populations have been negatively impacting nutrient storage and cycling in soils, as well as decreasing plant fitness and young salamander survival.

Global warming is a growing concern, and anthropogenic factors, such as pollution and omission of greenhouse gases, are mainly responsible for the alarming rate at which atmospheric temperatures are rising. Global warming disrupts seasonal changes and causes irregularities in ecosystem function. Temperate forest function relies heavily on seasonal changes, so climate change may have a detrimental impact on these ecosystems. One of the effects of warmer weather on temperate forests has been the extension of breeding periods. Specifically, the mountain pine beetle has been able to shift from reproducing one generation within a breeding season (univoltine) to reproducing twice within a single breeding season (bivoltine), which has caused a rapid increase in pine beetle populations. The mountain pine beetle burrows beneath the bark of pine trees to lay its eggs, and the larvae consumes the inner bark, disrupting the flow of nutrients within the tree. Mountain pine beetles have resulted in the destruction of more millions of hectares of temperate coniferous forests in the western United States, and with population sizes increasing due to global warming these beetles are spreading to more forests and this issue is worsening.

Not all of human impacts on forests are negative. Plenty of people are investigating new ways to solve some of these anthropogenic issues to conserve temperate forests and maintain healthy populations of native species. Conservation efforts are currently focusing on reforesting areas and attempting to connect fragmented forests. It has also been recommended that more coniferous trees are planted throughout forests to help improve soil quality in the area.