The Taiga Brenda Yuan Prajna Madhusudhan Stephanie Harris Sanjay Patel Cathy Davanzo

The Taiga Biome Also known as a coniferous forest or boreal forest Largest terrestrial biome A subarctic, evergreen coniferous forest of northern Eurasia located just south of the tundra and dominated by firs and spruces. Location: Northern portions of North America, Europe, Asia, extending southward at high elevations

Climate The taiga climate is cold arctic air. Cold winds bring in cold air from the Arctic Circle. Because of earth's tilt, the taiga is turned away from the sun in the winter. Seasonal climate Long winter (6-7 months) Summer is rainy, hot and short Fall is the shortest season. Spring brings flowers and the frozen ponds melt.

Climate continued Lowest temperature is -65°F in the winter Highest temperature is 70° F in the summer. The taiga's average annual rainfall of 12 - 33 inches (30 - 84 cm). Most of it falls in the summer as rain

Soil Type Characterized as young and poor in nutrients Caused by the cold, which slows the development of soil and plants' ability to use its nutrients. Much humus and litter → fallen leaves and moss remain on the ground for a long time which limits their contribution to the soil Soils acidic → acids from pine needles also strains the soil from having more nutrients. However, in clearings in the forest and in areas with more trees there are more herbs and berries growing.

Common Vegetation Coniferous trees Deciduous tress/shrubs Spruce Alder Fir Birch Pine Aspen Larch Tamarack Poor understory

Adaptations/Features of Plants Conical shape Promotes shedding of snow and prevents loss of branches Needle-like leaves Reduces surface area through which water can be lost Have thick, waxy coating– cuticle– again to prevent water loss Evergreen– retention of foliage Allows plant to photosynthesize as soon as sunlight is available, rather than waiting to grow leaves Dark color Helps the plants to absorb maximum sunlight

Animal Life There are 85 species of mammals, 120 species of fish, and 32,000 species of insects Some animals include: mule, deer, moose, elk, mice, hares, squirrels, lynx, bears, foxes, fishers, marten, birds Taiga has cold summers and warm winters, which of course is a challenging biome for reptiles and amphibians.

Animal Life Home to many large herbivorous mammals Animals eat heavily during summer to gain fat for winter and have heavy layers of fur to insulate their bodies. Also fur is dark in the winter and light in the summer which can help protect against predators (snowshoe hare)

How people have adapted to living/working in the taiga Very few people live in the taiga because of its cold climate Most of the taiga is unpopulated, though there are a few large cities in the southern parts such as Moscow or Toronto

How people have adapted to living/working in the taiga continued Humans have adapted to working in the taiga by using the abundant resources it produces Logging, mining, and hydroelectric development (a form of renewable energy where electrical power is produced by flowing/falling water) These activities negatively impact the biome Most of logging is done by clear-cutting → regrowth of mature forests takes a long time because of climate and soil Hydroelectricity seems beneficial, modifies and disrupts the environment

Opportunities Limitations Abundance of empty land Lots of resources to use and exploit. Can have peace and solitude and be by yourself Few cities or other forms of civilization Large amounts of snow and extreme weather Difficult for plants to grow because of the thin and nutrient-poor soil

You should move to the Taiga because… In the summer month’s since ground is moist plant growth can be very rapid in this short time of 3-4 months. Lots of trees and other resources If you want you can live alone and have peace and solitude However, there are also a few large cities if you prefer a more metropolitan lifestyle

Before moving, please consider… Harsh weather in the Taiga Huge range of temperatures, from very cold for a long period of time to hot temperatures. Steady amounts of precipitation (in small amounts) throughout the year but in the winter it is only snow. Due to the permafrost, you cannot grow many types of crops because of the frozen soil

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