Final answer:
Both flora and fauna in the temperate forest require substantial adaptations to cope with the changing seasons, such as deciduous trees losing their leaves and bears hibernating. These adaptations enable them to conserve energy, protect themselves from harsh weather, and use resources efficiently.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a temperate forest, both flora and fauna require significant adaptations due to the changing seasons, making option c the most accurate choice. For example, deciduous trees, which are the dominant plant in this biome, must adapt by losing their leaves each fall to conserve water and survive the winter. This state of dormancy minimizes their activity and conserves energy until conditions are favorable again in the spring for new leaves to enable photosynthesis. Similarly, animals such as bears also undergo substantial adaptations like hibernation, a state of inactivity and metabolic depression during winter to conserve energy when food is scarce.
These adaptations are essential for survival as they address the moderate annual rainfall and temperature fluctuations characteristic of temperate forests. For understory plants, adaptations to capture limited sunlight become crucial due to the dense shade created by the taller trees. In these environments, leaf litter plays a significant role in soil nutrition and health, offering protection and habitats for invertebrates like the pill bug and their predators such as the red-backed salamander.