Taiga Biome BY: JACKSON BURNS

Location & Size  The Taiga biome is the largest terrestrial biome  It extends over Europe, North America, and Asia  Located right below Tundra biome  Takes up 29% of the forest cover  50°N to 70°N latitude, but with some variations  Largest areas are in Canada and Russia

World Map of Taiga Biomes  The Taiga biome includes much land in the Arctic Circle, yet no land beneath the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere

Abiotic Factors The abiotic factors of the taiga biome include  Extreme variations in temperature, from -76°F to 68°F  Snowfall in a Taiga biome is very heavy, ranging from 37 to 60 cm per year  Poor and leached poderized soil, only for pines and low nutrient plants  Located inland  Annual rainfall from 12 to 33 inches

Biotic Factors  Wildlife, such as moose, deer, lynxes, foxes, and wolves  Plants (mostly coniferous), like spruce, fir, and pines  Some deciduous trees  Grass  Moss

Climate  Precipitation is moderate in the Taiga, with most of it being snow  Temperature ranges -76°F to 68°F  Winter is dark, cold, and blasted by arctic winds  Summer is warm, dank, and rainy

Limiting Factors  Water: Trees and animals cannot use frozen water and permafrost  Fire: Many plants and animals are not prepared for the occasional fire  Temperature: Plants adapted to the colder temperature, so anything much above that will kill them

Dominating Animals  The classic American Black Bear (different from it's name, it is in the whole of the Taiga Biome) It eats many of the non-predators, excluding many insects  The Bald Eagle is the predator of the skies. Although endangered, it eats many land, sea, and air animals, mostly fish and mammals'  The Sea Otters are surprisingly the dominating animals of the sea. They eat over 40 known species of sea animals.

Carrying Capacity  The carrying capacity for the Taiga Biome's predators is less than the prey, just like any Biome  The average carrying capacity of this biome is a little lower than the temperate deciduous forest because the Taiga has a lower temperature and gets less rain

Niches Although the taiga biome has low biodiversity, here are some of the niches of the main species of predator and prey  The Hawk Owl is a small carnivorous bird inches long and its niche is that it keeps insects at check, so they do not grow to populous.  The Black Bear is a large carnivorous bear 6-8 feet tall, and it eats many other predators and some prey.

Food Chain / web To the left is a sample of a food web of the low biodiverse environment of the Taiga biome. To the right is a food chain of an owl, a predator in this biome.

Physical Characteristics  The Taiga is very large and homogenous  Acres of the same tree species can be found in the same place due to low biodiversity  Includes large mountains, rivers and beautiful lakes  There are many waterfalls that dump into lakes

Animal Adaptations  Cold climate prevents many animals and plants from living in the Taiga Forest  Many birds do not adapt but instead migrate to warmer lands  Some animals adapt by hibernating when the temperatures drop, and others adapt by producing an insulating layer of feathers or fur  Some animals don’t even shed their coat, but instead it changes from a darker color in the summer and lighter color in the winter to camouflage themselves from predators  Evergreens don’t ever shed their leaves because it takes too much energy, so they do not have to regrow them again in spring  Plants in the Taiga have narrow needle structures that limits water loss because in the cold winter, the ground freezes over and plants are unable to get water from their roots

Animal Pictures Top: Prey Bottom: Predators

Pictures of Taiga Biome

Bibliography "Abiotic Factors of the Taiga Biome." Abiotic Factors of the Taiga Biome. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar "Earth Floor: Biomes." Earth Floor: Biomes. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar "Earth Floor: Biomes." Earth Floor: Biomes. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar "Taiga Animals." Taiga Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar