Research
Introduction. The boreal forest (also known as the taiga, a Russian word meaning swampy moist forest) is found in a nearly continuous belt across North America and Eurasia. Most of Canada and Russia are covered by coniferous trees that make up this biome. This biome is defined mainly by the trees that compose it. taiga means the coniferous evergreen forest. Pine trees are the most common trees. The climax trees are furs, spruces and pines. Sub climax plant communities may have deciduous trees like larch, tamarack and birch. Much of the zone that this biome covers was formerly glaciated. Today large sections have permanent permafrost. Also taiga is thee largest biome. The trees of taiga provides most of the worlds lumber.
Climate: The boreal forest corresponds with regions of subarctic and cold continental climate. In summer the lowest temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and the highest temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas, in winter the lowest temperature is -65 degrees Fahrenheit, and the highest temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit. When it rains in taiga it is mostly moderate. the winter months in taiga are long and cold.
Vegetation: This biome has very character trees. Dominant trees in the taiga are Needle leaf, coniferous (gymnosperm) trees. From a biodiversity standpoint, there is little diversity in the main trees. The four main genera found are: the evergreen spruce (Picea), fir (Abies), and pine (Pinus), and the deciduous larch or tamarack (Larix). In North America, one or two species of fir and one or two species of spruce are dominant. Across Scandinavia and western Russia the Scots pine is a common component of the taiga.
There are several other trees that can be found in this zone. They are early succession trees (trees found in disturbed habitats that over time will be replaced by the climax community of spruce, firs and pines). The most common trees are the deciduous alder (Lanus), birch (Bitola), and aspen (Populous).
Growth form Adaptations: The main reasons firs, spruces and pines are the dominant trees in the boreal forest, and thus define the biome is because they are adapted to the extreme conditions brought about by the cold, including the winter-induced drought and the short growing season. The following are some of the main adaptations we found that trees in this zone have:
Animals – The most common animals in the taiga are the snowshoe rabbit, bobcat grizzly bear, gray wolf, red fox, and river otter.
Introduction. The boreal forest (also known as the taiga, a Russian word meaning swampy moist forest) is found in a nearly continuous belt across North America and Eurasia. Most of Canada and Russia are covered by coniferous trees that make up this biome. This biome is defined mainly by the trees that compose it. taiga means the coniferous evergreen forest. Pine trees are the most common trees. The climax trees are furs, spruces and pines. Sub climax plant communities may have deciduous trees like larch, tamarack and birch. Much of the zone that this biome covers was formerly glaciated. Today large sections have permanent permafrost. Also taiga is thee largest biome. The trees of taiga provides most of the worlds lumber.
Climate: The boreal forest corresponds with regions of subarctic and cold continental climate. In summer the lowest temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and the highest temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas, in winter the lowest temperature is -65 degrees Fahrenheit, and the highest temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit. When it rains in taiga it is mostly moderate. the winter months in taiga are long and cold.
Vegetation: This biome has very character trees. Dominant trees in the taiga are Needle leaf, coniferous (gymnosperm) trees. From a biodiversity standpoint, there is little diversity in the main trees. The four main genera found are: the evergreen spruce (Picea), fir (Abies), and pine (Pinus), and the deciduous larch or tamarack (Larix). In North America, one or two species of fir and one or two species of spruce are dominant. Across Scandinavia and western Russia the Scots pine is a common component of the taiga.
There are several other trees that can be found in this zone. They are early succession trees (trees found in disturbed habitats that over time will be replaced by the climax community of spruce, firs and pines). The most common trees are the deciduous alder (Lanus), birch (Bitola), and aspen (Populous).
Growth form Adaptations: The main reasons firs, spruces and pines are the dominant trees in the boreal forest, and thus define the biome is because they are adapted to the extreme conditions brought about by the cold, including the winter-induced drought and the short growing season. The following are some of the main adaptations we found that trees in this zone have:
- Evergreen habit - retention of foliage allows plants to photosynthesize as soon as temperatures permit in spring, rather than having to waste time in the short growing season merely growing leaves.
Animals – The most common animals in the taiga are the snowshoe rabbit, bobcat grizzly bear, gray wolf, red fox, and river otter.