Biome presentation Coniferous forest – Taiga

Location Located in: North America Scandinavia Russia Across Asia: Siberia and Mongolia Northern China Northern Japan

Located in:

North America

Scandinavia

Russia

Across Asia: Siberia and Mongolia

Northern China

Northern Japan

Climate in Taiga Sub arctic & cold continental climate Cold winds bring bitterly cold air from the Arctic Circle Tilted Earth – taiga is turned away from the sun in winter

Sub arctic & cold continental climate

Cold winds bring bitterly cold air from the Arctic Circle

Tilted Earth – taiga is turned away from the sun in winter

Winter Lasts for 6 months Cold & severe Temperature –30 °C Some snowfall Lasts for 3 months Hot & humid Temperature 30 °C A lot of rain Summer

Lasts for 6 months

Cold & severe

Temperature –30 °C

Some snowfall

Lasts for 3 months

Hot & humid

Temperature 30 °C

A lot of rain

Temperature Highest temperatures in July & August (30 °C) Lowest in January & February (–30 °C) Most rainfall from June to August Most snow from December-February Precipitation

Highest temperatures in July & August (30 °C)

Lowest in January & February (–30 °C)

Most rainfall from June to August

Most snow from December-February

Vegetation NPP – 800g/m2/yr Nutrient cycle: Litter – the largest Biomass – medium Soil – the smallest Nutrient cycle

NPP – 800g/m2/yr

Nutrient cycle:

Litter – the largest

Biomass – medium

Soil – the smallest

Vegetation Very few species Needle leaf trees are dominant & adapted to the cold Coniferous trees can keep they’re needles for 15 years Advantages Needle leaf – have thick waxy coatings Conical shape – prevents loss of branches Evergreen habit – plants can photosynthesize throughout the year Dark green color – helps to begin the photosynthesis early

Very few species

Needle leaf trees are dominant & adapted to the cold

Coniferous trees can keep they’re needles for 15 years

Advantages

Needle leaf – have thick waxy coatings

Conical shape – prevents loss of branches

Evergreen habit – plants can photosynthesize throughout the year

Dark green color – helps to begin the photosynthesis early

Vegetation Mosses Lichen

4 main needle leaf trees in Taiga Fir Spruce

4 main needle leaf trees in Taiga Pine Larch

4 main leaf trees in Taiga Aspen Birch

4 main leaf trees in Taiga Willow Rowan

Soil Type of soil – podzolic Very acidic & sandy Poor in nutrients Poor agricultural soil Leached minerals –restricts the drainage of water through the soil

Type of soil – podzolic

Very acidic & sandy

Poor in nutrients

Poor agricultural soil

Leached minerals –restricts the drainage of water through the soil

Animals in Taiga Need to have special adaptations to survive Adapted to the climate by hibernation Breed and raise the young in the summer Constantly changing population – local animals have to change what they are hunting Food Chain

Need to have special adaptations to survive

Adapted to the climate by hibernation

Breed and raise the young in the summer

Constantly changing population – local animals have to change what they are hunting

Animals in Taiga The bear – omnivore. Eats berries and salmon in the summer Needs to "fatten up" for winter hibernation. Winter – the bear goes to its cave & sleeps until the spring

The bear – omnivore.

Eats berries and salmon in the summer

Needs to "fatten up" for winter hibernation.

Winter – the bear goes to its cave & sleeps until the spring

Animals in Taiga Lynx – carnivore Eats rabbits, birds, and other small prey. Adapts by changing its coat to disguise itself. Soft white in the winter Light brown with dark spots in the summer

Lynx – carnivore

Eats rabbits, birds, and other small prey.

Adapts by changing its coat to disguise itself.

Soft white in the winter

Light brown with dark spots in the summer

Animals in Taiga Snowshoe Rabbit – herbivore Eats available plants Has large back feet – snowshoes. Grayish brown fur in the summer Pure white in the winter Can run up to 40km/h and jump 90cm in one hop. An expert at escaping predators like the wolf or lynx. Good swimmers – will swim to make an escape.

Snowshoe Rabbit – herbivore

Eats available plants

Has large back feet – snowshoes.

Grayish brown fur in the summer

Pure white in the winter

Can run up to 40km/h and jump 90cm in one hop.

An expert at escaping predators like the wolf or lynx.

Good swimmers – will swim to make an escape.

Conclusion Largest biome Cold & sever winters Hot & humid summers Dominating needle leaf trees Poor soil Few species Animals need special adaptations to survive

Largest biome

Cold & sever winters

Hot & humid summers

Dominating needle leaf trees

Poor soil

Few species

Animals need special adaptations to survive

Bibliography http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga_climate_page.htm http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/taiga/index.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/tundra.htm http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/taiga/taiga.html http://www-eosdis.ornl.gov/NPP/guides/Busing_GSM_NPP.html http://www.s-cool.co.uk/topic_principles.asp?loc=pr&topic_id=2&subject_id=6&ebt=192&ebn=&ebs=&ebl=&elc=13 http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/taiga.html www.slusarczyk.net/winter/ http://www.wildnatureimages.com/S%20to%20Z/TEK-SUMMER..jpg David Waugh, Geography An Integrated Approach, pg 300, 330-332

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga_climate_page.htm

http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/taiga/index.htm

http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/tundra.htm

http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/taiga/taiga.html

http://www-eosdis.ornl.gov/NPP/guides/Busing_GSM_NPP.html

http://www.s-cool.co.uk/topic_principles.asp?loc=pr&topic_id=2&subject_id=6&ebt=192&ebn=&ebs=&ebl=&elc=13

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/taiga.html

www.slusarczyk.net/winter/

http://www.wildnatureimages.com/S%20to%20Z/TEK-SUMMER..jpg

David Waugh, Geography An Integrated Approach, pg 300, 330-332