TaigaTaigaBy: Heather McKee, By: Heather McKee,

Brandon Maddy, Ashleigh Brandon Maddy, Ashleigh Khayo, Michael Teed, Khayo, Michael Teed,

Rachell Wagers, Christina Rachell Wagers, Christina Steinmetz, and Omid Steinmetz, and Omid

QayoumiQayoumi..

LocationLocation

• Known as the Boreal Forest

• The Taiga is located in the Northern Hemisphere.

• Mostly in Canada

LocationLocation

ClimateClimate

• Winter ranges from -65 to 30 degrees F

• Summer ranges from 30-70 degrees F

• winter is longer and is colder due to the low angle of sunlight.

– Causes weaker light

PrecipitationPrecipitation

• Gets roughly 40 inches of rainfall each year

• The further north in the Taiga the less precipitation

• 10-20 inches in the summer– Three month growing season

• 20-30 inches in the winter– falls in the form of snow, so it is not useable

to plants

Coniferous TreesConiferous Trees

• Most dominant plants in Taiga, that is why it is also called the coniferous forest

• Due to the short growing season most conifers are evergreen (don’t shed their leaves) in order to be able to photosynthesize all year

Species of conifersSpecies of conifers

• Blue Spruce Scotch Pine Larch

• Norway Spruce

LeavesLeaves

• Their leaves have a lower surface area in order to conserve water.

• Their cuticle (waxy covering made of lipids/fats) is thicker to also prevent water loss

ConifersConifers

• Myccorhizae– A fungus that grows on the roots to absorb

water for the tree and in return the conifer provides glucose for the fungus. This is an example of mutualism.

Fire!Fire!

• Is a necessary adaptation that assists in the reproduction of certain species of conifers.

• The heat has to burn the resin from their cones in order to open the scales to receive pollen

Animal AdaptationsAnimal Adaptations

–Food Cache

–Storage site for certain animals’ food.

–Usually hidden

• Ex. A squirrel storing acorns in the ground

Elk/MooseElk/Moose

• Large herbivores whose height allows them to reach high vegetation

LynxLynx• Insulation

–thicker amounts of fur keep the cat warm during the harsh winters

Boreal PorcupineBoreal Porcupine

• Burrows into the snow to hide from the winds and the cold during the winter months

Snowshoe HareSnowshoe Hare• Large pads on feet allow for running

across snow (like snowshoes)

• Grows a brown coat in order to camouflage during the summer months, and then grows a white one in the colder months

Foxes/WolvesFoxes/Wolves• Have a thick coat to protect against the

elements

• Burrows into the snow to avoid the cold and the wind

• Larger pads then its more southern ancestors in order to run on the snowy terrain

Saw-whet OwlSaw-whet Owl

• Migrates south for some of the colder months to avoid the cold

• Nest in holes left by woodpeckers during the warmer months

HibernationHibernation

• Hibernation is the resting period for some species of animals. During this, their metabolism, temperature, and breathing rate slows.

• They hibernate because there isn’t enough food to sustain the population.