Boreal Forest Biome

1. Boreal Forest Biome By: Evin C.

2. Climate • Tempature: +5°  to -5°  C • Rainfall: about 20cm to over 200cm • Most precipitation is snow. • Winters = Cold and Long • Summers = Short and Cool • ground is usually moist during growing season

3. Plant life • coniferous trees are the dominant plant form • thick waxy coatings and small surface area • Broadleaf plants lose their leaves when freezing conditions begin • growing season of broad-leafed trees is much shorter than for coniferous trees

4. Plant life cont. • conifer types include firs and pines, spruces, hemlocks, and larches. • mosses and lichens are also important in the taiga and may be an important part of the diet for many animals

5. Animal life • There are a number of cats and dogs in addition to the other carnivores. • Siberian Tiger, the lynx and the Bobcat are a few of the main carnivores.

6. Animals cont… • Herbivores range in size from the large members of the deer to small insects. • Among the smaller mammalian herbivores are the tree-living porcupine and the Snowshoe Hare

7. Intrest to humans • The biggest threat to the Taiga today is exploration and development of oil and natural gas reserves. It is estimated that huge amounts of petroleum products lie under these forests.  It is not clear whether the slow-growing coniferous forests can recover. • Logging is always a threat. Unless carefully managed these forests are very slow to re-grow.  • Large areas of boreal forest have also been flooded as part of hydroelectric projects. • People that live in this area have to use the area to survive. They chop down the surrounding wood to heat their homes during the winters. And use the trees to build their homes.

8. Food web producers Primary consumers  Secondary consumers l V <-- Tericiary consumers <--