TAIGABy Anushka Siewrattan, Kerry McCloskey, and Alyssa Martins

THE TAIGA…

BIOME STRETCHES ACROSS A LARGE AREA OF

CANADA, EUROPE, AND ASIA.

TYPES OF ANIMALS1. Hawk Owl

Lives in Canada, extreme Northern U.S, Northern Asia, and Scandinavia in open areas of coniferous forests

Has a longer tail than the usual owl Wings are short and pointed Hunt during the day for mice, lemming, squirrels

and other small mammals. They also eat birds and insects.

2. Pine Grosbeak Lives in Northern

Scandinavia, Russia, Asia, Alaska, Canada, and Northern USA in coniferous and mixed forests.

large, long-tail finch Uses its heavy bill to

crush fruit such as cherries and plums. They also eat seeds, buds, and insects.

Males and females look different. Females are a more bronzer color.

3. Lynx Live in Europe:

Scandinavia to Spain and Portugal, east through Asia to Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and Northern US.

Habitat is Coniferous forests and scrubs.

Short tails, tufted ears and cheeks, and coat color varies.

Becoming scarce- strictly protected in most countries

Nocturnal Stalks prey, such as

hares rodents young deer and birds, on the ground.

4. European Red Squirrel Live in Europe, east to China, Korea and Japan in

evergreen forests. Population is abundant in Europe and Asia. Eat fungi, fruit, and mostly conifer cones

1. Lynx Inherited wide paws that work like snowshoes to help

then more better in snow.

2. Grizzly Bears Inherited the ability to hold a protective layer of fat

that lets them stay in their dens while its cold.3. Gray Wolf

Inherited rough and wooly fur coat to have insulation during the winter

Inherited long legs and large paws to help them travel through thick snow.

4. Snowshoe Rabbit Inherited toes that can spread out, making look like a

snowshoe that help it walk through snow.

Adaptations

GEOLOGIC FEATURES Thick soil due to cold Continuous belt of cone- bearing coniferous trees Some areas of the taiga have a layer of permafrost

(permanently frozen layer of soil) Soil is very infertile due to acid from conifer needles

causing little plant life Ground is made up of various bog stages

TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION

The average temperature is 0°C.

The average precipitation is 100-200 cm.

The taiga is warmer and wetter than a tundra.

The taiga has long, severe winters and short, mild summers.

Fall is the shortest season in the taiga.

Flowers grow in spring and many of the animals come out of hibernation.

Summer is a very rainy season in the taiga.

HUMAN IMPACT Human Impact on the taiga is:

Acid rain due to pollution Burning of fossil fuels Power plants and factories burn coal The trees get poisoned and lose nutrients Global warming; organisms have trouble

adapting to different climates

PLANTS IN THE TAIGA Harsh climate and

environmental conditions make it hard for plants to survive in the biome1. Black Spruce

Most common plant in Taiga because of its ability to grow in poor soil and cold climates

Can reach a height of about 25 meters

The tree branches are moderately shorter than other conifer trees.

The black spruces needles are sharp and are about half an inch long with four sides

The bark is rough, thick and gray-brown in color.

The pinecones of spruce are a major food for the birds in Taiga biome.

2. Balsam Fir Balsam fir is a medium-

sized; grows up to the height of 80 feet

Shallow roots that hardly reach 35 inch.

The branches grow at the right angle off the trunk of the tree, the lower branches are mostly dead and droop onto the ground

The barks of the tree are resinous, smooth and gray

Major food supplier for deer, moose, squirrels and other inhabitants in cold winter months

3. Jack Pine Grows to about 27 meters

tall, the base almost similar to the height.

Young jack pines have reddish colored barks, older jack pines have gray barks

The branches are long, slender that bear needle leaves

It is found in cold regions of the taiga that have sandy soils

Leaves and pinecones are used as food for the rodents and other animals inhabiting the biome

QUESTIONS ABOUT TAIGA1. What areas of the world is the taiga biome

located?2. Why is it so difficult for plants to survive in

the taiga?3. What is the most common plant in the taiga?4. Some areas of the taiga have a permafrost.

What is a permafrost?5. How is global warming affecting the biotic

factors in the taiga?6. What is the average temperature and

precipitation in the taiga?7. What economical values lye in the taiga?

COMMERCIAL VALUES OF THE TAIGA Economic values are from:

Taigas have a lot of trees which is cut down for lumber, toilet paper, copy paper, and newsprint

More then 80% of taiga products are exported from Canada and sold in America

People hunt and fish in taiga There is diamond mining and coal mining in

some regions of taiga

WORKS CITED

Books: Biology- Dynamics of Life (National Geographic) Biology- The Sixth Edition

Websites: http://Nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep8b.htm http://Buzzle.com/articles/taiga-biome-taiga-ani

mals-and-plants.htm http://mbgnet.mobot.org http://blueplantsbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm