Ecology/Taiga

Taiga is one of the biomes discussed in the Ecology event.

Overview

Otherwise known as the boreal forest, the taiga is the largest land biome and the largest forest in the world. It covers most of northern Canada and Russia, and is characterized by many coniferous trees and often very cold weather in the winter.

The green area shows the wide distribution of the taiga.

General Information

• The angle of incidence for incoming solar radiation is low and twilight lasts many hours

• Seasons are divided into short, moist and moderately warm summers and long, cold, dry winters.

• Temperature – vary greatly from summer to winter (-65 to +70 degrees Fahrenheit)

• Variable precipitation: 6-40 in (15-100 cm).

• Soils – thin because they were scraped by glaciers and very acid because of decomposition of pine needles

• Absence of earth-churning invertebrates as earthworms so soil is hard and compact

• Fire a major factor in maintaining the biome

Flora

• Larch

• Spruce

• Pine

• Fir

• Birch

Importance

• Taiga filters millions of liters of water

• It stores large amounts of carbon

• Produces oxygen

• It rebuilds soils and restores nutrients

• Bogs and marshes provides habitats for large numbers of species from fish to birds