Taiga
By: Mackenzie Riley
Location
Located mostly in the northern part of North America. It is also located spread out across Asia and Europe. Not very populated with human activity because it gets very cold.
Abiotic Factors
Soil:
not very rich, nutrient soil, very thin and rocky.
Rock
Climate
Ecological Concerns
Threats:
- Deforestation; with using all the lumber from the trees, many parts of this biome are not protected.
- Exploration and Development of oil; since a lot of our petroleum products lie within this biome.
Endangered Species:
- The Amur/ Siberian Tiger because of limiting resources.
- Beavers because of hunting.
Importance:
- The lumber from the trees provide paper.
- It is the host of millions of trees and animals.
Plant Life, Animal Life, and Climate.
Climate
- The winter months can last up to six to seven months.
- In the summertime, forest fires are very common and they help remove old sticks from the trees.
Temperature
Summer: low of 20°F and high of 70°F.
Rainfall:
Yearley of 10-30 in (25-75 cm)
Plant Life
Not very diverse plant life because it is difficult for plants to live in such harsh, cold weather in the winters. Majority of the plants have needles because they don't need as much water. The plants that do survive are manly coniferous trees.
Animal Life
Animals that live here tend to have thick coats of fur. In the winter months they either hibernate or migrate south to warmer areas.
Plant Life
Jack Pine
It adapts to sandy soil and has waxy pine needles. The tree grows about 80 feet tall and 32 centimeters wide. This tree also has pine cones that store seeds and this tree gives most animals their food to be able to survive.
Eastern Red Cedar
It is a much smaller tree than the other trees (10-50 ft). Normally not found in forest, more of open land areas. It is a very slow growing tree. This tree also has needles and seeds that provide food to animals. It has very strong wood.
White Fir
It can grow up to 60-100ft tall! The wood on this tree is primary used for lumber. Many small rodents keep it as their home in the winter. It also has a strong scent, often used for a Christmas tree. It has needles and this is easier for a tree to adapt in the cold weather.
Balsam Fir
It grows 40-80 feet high and with dark green needles to keep the tree warm in the winter. It protects other plant life from the winds by being such large trees. Main food source for moose and squirrels.
Coniferous trees
Coniferous trees are the dominant plant form in this biome. They are needle-leaved trees and in the winters the snow slides off the tree very easily. They are found frequently throughout this biome.
Interesting Facts
- In Russian the word Taiga means forest.
- Taiga is the largest land biome and covers 11% of the earth.
Animal Life
Cooperation/Competition:
- Interspecific Competition: Once a larger gray squirrel nest in the same place as the red squirrel, the red squirrel ends up getting pushed off because the larger squirrel dominates and takes up more space.
- Mutualism: A redwood tree provides a place for the moss stay on or live on. While the moss provides protection for the tree.
Predator/Prey:
- Lynx preys on a grouse by laying low to the ground.
- Ermine preys on rabbits and it is easy for them to attack because they have such sharp teeth.
- Fox preys on mice by sneaking up to its prey.
- Northern Lynx preys on small deer by hiding low.
Wolverine
These carnivores can eat animals that are larger than themselves. It is very strong for its size. It also has very strong jaws so it is easy for them to bite through frozen meat. It has thick fur and has a good sense of smell and can find food quickly.
Moose
They can grow up to be almost ten feet tall. They eat plants and have a thick coat of fur, so during the winter months they won't freeze. It is the largest member of the deer family.
Lynx
It is not a very large animal, about four feet tall. It tends to eat small to medium size animals, therefore they are carnivores. It has very thick fur so it is easy to adapt for the harsh winters. They are becoming very rare.
Red Squirrel
Manly eat the conifer cones from the trees. In the summer they tend to eat more fruit and fungi. There are very small animals about eight inches. To be able to survive in the environment they can climb up trees very fast. Before the winter season starts, they grow a new coat of fur thats very thick.
Ermine
They are very smart animals when it comes to hunting. In the winter when the weather is harsh, they live in dens in the trees. They are carnivores and eat small rodents. They adapt to this biome by having thick fur and are able to handle to harsh weather.