Keyann Griffin Breauna Hale Daria Johnson ISCI 2001

1. Keyann Griffin Breauna Hale Daria Johnson ISCI 2001

2. World Location • Northern: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Japan • Inland: Canada, Alaska, and Norway • All: Sweden, Finland, Siberia, Scandinavia, and Russia • (Eurasia and North America)

3. Geology Soil is poor in nutrients, thin, and acidic. Canopy permits low light penetration, therefore, understory (plant life growing on the ground) is limited. Located at 50 to 60 degrees North latitude Dominated by conifers (pine, spruce, and fir) Ground is usually covered with the wax-covered needles of conifer trees

4. Seasonal Patterns Winters: Long, cold, and dry (last up to 6 months with average temperatures below freezing) Precipitation falls mainly as snow Summers: short, moist, and moderately warm (50 to 100 frost free days) Relatively dry, receiving 40 to 100 centimeters of precipitation every year.

5. Climate • Precipitation: 15-20 inches annually • Humid due to low evaporation rates • Canada and interior Alaska (evergreen) : longer warmer growing seasons (130 days). • Most northern coniferous forest are covered in lakes and bogs. • Verkhoyansk, Russia (taiga) : recorded extremes of minus 90 ° F and plus 90 ° F.

6. Animals • Bob Cat, Red fox, Black bear, Elk, River otter, Finches, Snowshoe Hare, Reindeer, Beaver

7. Animal Adaptations • Lynx- Well furred feet, which helps them walk across snow rather than crashing through it. • Red Squirrel- Well adapted to these short periods of plant productivity. By burying and hiding coniferous tree cones and nuts during warmer months, these high energy snacks keep them alive during the winter. • Black Bear- coat is well adapted to the cold weather of winter because of its many layers of shaggy fur. • Bobcat- Sharp claws and teeth, Its fur changes color with the seasons, and helps it blend in with the colors of the season. • Snowshoe Hare- In summer its fur is rusty, grayish brown, But it turns pure white in the winter, which helps them hide from predators

8. Comparable Animals BIGHORN SHEEP Dall’s sheep • Body- Compact, muscular, longer, curlier horns, white • Habitat- Northern regions, artic and subarctic; Alaska • Eat- Grasses, sedges, lichens, moss • Body- Compact, Muscular, short and pointed ears, short tail, tan-brown • Habitat-Sierra Nevada Mountains • Eat- Grasses, sedges, and forbs

9. Plants Plants

10. Plant Adaptations • Pine- have long, thin waxy needles, the wax gives them some protection from freezing temperatures and from drying out. • Black Spruce Tree- Branches angle down to prevent breaking under the weight of the heavy winter snow. • Mosses- Needlelike leaves, narrowness reduces surface area through which water may be lost, especially during winter when the frozen ground prevents plants from replenishing their water supply.  • Sun dew-  get nutrients by trapping and digesting insects and other arthropods. • Red Alder- have bacteria-filled nodules in their roots which help to convert atmospheric nitrogen into useable nutrients, feeding not only themselves but the plants around them as well.

11. Comparable Plants Red clover White clover • Leaves- Compound, 3 broad leaflet, V-shaped pattern near middle • Flowers- Pink • Habitat- Native to Europe and Russia • Leaves- Compound, 3 broad leaflets, teeth on edges • Flowers- white or very pale pink • Habitat- Native to Europe

12. Tertiary Secondary Primary Producers

13. Why Should You Visit? Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park

14. The word "boreal" might be most familiar because of the phenomenon aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, which is a natural light display seen in high latitudes.

15. Sources l