Taiga Research Paper

Taiga: a moist subarctic forest dominated by conifers (as spruce and fir) that begins where the tundra ends. The word taiga is of Russian origin, quite appropriate considering that a large part of the world’s taiga forests are located there. Taigas are also commonly called boreal forests and many of North America’s taigas are referred to as such. Taigas are found in Eurasia and in North America. They are characterized by the abundant presence of coniferous trees and poor soil due to the acidic needles that they drop.
When one thinks of a taiga a winter wonderland might come to mind; with thermometers dropping down to -14 degrees . Nights with little cloud cover may become even colder and nights like that are quite common in taigas. Winter lasts for 6 to 7 months and summer isn’t much better. Average summer temperatures range from 64 to 72 degrees fahrenheit and taigas usually have only 50 to 100 frost free days. Taigas get around 33 inches of rain annually on average and despite what one may think the biome is actually quite humid. Due to low temperatures evaporation rates are low leaving the area with lots of excess moisture.
The taiga (referred to as the Boreal Forest in this picture) is the pale yellow, stretching across the top of North America,
covering much of Canada and the majority of Alaska. The taiga is also located in Asia and Europe, much of it located in Russia, but extending west into Scandinavia.
The taiga biome is home to many many animals, with large herbivores such as Caribou and Elk feeding on the lowest branches of the trees.
To small mammals such as mice and squirrels subsisting on the seeds found in pine cones. Predators are abundant in these regions of the planet with Bobcats, Lynxes, foxes, otters, members of the weasel family, wolves, and perhaps most notably wolverines all living in these forests around the world. Other species such as black bears, beavers, and hares also live in these parts of the world. With all of these trees for food and habitat, it’s no wonder that many kinds of birds live in taigas as well. Large birds of prey also live and hunt in these biomes such as owls and the Bald
Eagle.
The snowshoe hare, its scientific name being lepus americanus is characterized by large feet allowing them to traverse more easily above snow (much like the snowshoes that we have invented for the same purpose). They also have white winter coats that allow them to blend in with the snow around them. Their coats gradually turn brown as the snow melts. They are nimble and fast as are most leporidae (their rabbit and hare cousins).
The wolverine, scientifically known as gulo gulo is the largest member of the weasel family, despite resembling a small bear. They are opportunistic feeders, eating anything from berries to carrion. Their diet is mainly made up of meat and when food gets scarce they have been known to dig up hibernating animals and eat them. Wolverines have heavy fur coats designed to keep them warm through the long, cold taiga winters.
While taigas do not lack for quantity of trees, the biodiversity is very low. The taiga is mostly populated by various coniferous trees such as firs, spruce, and hemlock. Lichen and moss also manage to survive in the harsh conditions that taigas present.
The douglas fir (scientifically known as pseudotsuga menziesii) has self pruning lower branches so that their conical crown starts far above the ground. I can imagine that this is so that more sunlight can reach the needles that are at the top. Douglas firs like all evergreen trees keep their needles all year long allowing them to receive sunlight all year instead of only in the warmer months (which in boreal forests summers don’t last very long anyway). Their needles are acidic like all evergreens and that makes it harder for other, competing plant species to grow in the harsh, acidic soil.
Lichen forms mats on the floor of taiga forests, being some of the only non-animal life that can thrive due to the conifer’s acidic needles. Lichen forms relationships with algae that use photosynthesis to make food and steals the food for itself. Lichen survives in harsh conditions that other organisms cannot survive in. Explain food web
In conclusion I thought I might add some threats that the boreal forests are facing today. Logging is a threat to these forests. Thousands of acres of habitat is lost due to clear cutting and it may come as no surprise to know that logging threatens many other forests as well. Another threat to these forests is disease, due to trees being the backbone of entire ecosystems within these forests, disease can devastate entire populations of not only trees but the animals dependant on them for food and shelter. Global warming is also a threat to taigas, as temperatures rise animals will leave as it becomes too hot for them to survive, eventually the trees will die too, becoming unsuited to the new climate While it seems that right now these biomes are at no great risk, it is important to notes the dangers that ourselves as humans and other factors impress upon entire ecosystems.