BOREAL FOREST BIOME

Avery Gilks

ClimateThe average temperature in the boreal forest ranges from 5 degrees Celsius to -5 degrees Celsius. These forests receive anywhere from 20cm to 200cm of precipitation every year. This number varies on the year depending on the long harsh six month winter, because the majority of the precipitation is in the form of snow. The summer on the other hand

is very short, usually only lasts about three months. The summers are usually cool which results in little evaporation after the snow melt. Therefore the ground remains wet and moist for the duration of the summer, furthermore the daylight hours become longer which results in rapid plant growth.

Location

The boreal forest stretches across the northern latitudes of the earth. Also known as the taiga the boreal forest occupies 29% percent of the land on earth. This biome can be found throughout Canada, Northern Russia as well as Europe. It forms the largest biome on earth.

WildlifeThe boreal forest is home to many different species of wildlife. The carnivores that frequent this habitat range from the cat family to the dog family. Bobcats, lynx and Siberian tigers all make their home in the boreal forest. Timber wolves, coyotes, black bears and grizzly bears also call this biome home.

Many herbivores are also found in the boreal forest. Deer, elk, moose and bison are the largest of the herbivores but there are also porcupines, snow-shoe hares and beavers.

There are on average 3 billion birds that migrate to the boreal forest every year. These include wetland birds such as geese and ducks as well as small birds such as mountain thrushes and sparrows. There are also birds that have adapted to the unforgiving winters and live in the boreal forest year round. These birds include owls who use their keen hearing to locate small mammals beneath the snow, ruffed grouse grow scales on their feet which turn their talons into snowshoes, and black-capped chickadees whose feathers have adapted so that they absorb heat and insulate the bird while sleeping.

Birds

PlantsThere are many plant species found in the boreal forest but the most dominant would be the coniferous trees. These trees produce their leaves in the form of needles which allow them to carry out photosynthesis all year round. Example are spruce trees, fir trees and pine trees. There are also a few deciduous trees found in the boreal forest, the most common are popular, birch and Aspen. Mosses and lichens also grow in these environments and they make up the diet of most of the herbivores during the long winter months.

Environmental ProblemsClear-cutting, logging, oil refineries and natural gas reserves are the main threats to our boreal forest. With the destruction of this biome the wildlife that live in these forests run out of area in which to live and to survive. Furthermore the trees in the boreal forest carry out photosynthesis year round which helps reduce the carbon dioxide that is in our atmosphere. Without this layer of trees around the globe the carbon emissions continue to rise which are very harmful to our environment when they exist in large quantities.

Food Web

Mosses

Trees

clover

Deer

Rabbit

Grouse

Lynx

Wolf

Owl

Worms

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11253518@N07/2152748622/ -owl

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/08/30-fascinating-facts-about-the-boreal-forst.php - tiger

http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect3/Sect3_5a.html - location

http://www.skolaiimages.com/journal/category/wildlife/moose-photos/ - moose

http://my.opera.com/cofoppyplop/albums/showpic.dml?album=371184&picture=5315211 – northern lights

http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=354

http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/boreal.htm

http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0171-coniferuous-forest.php - coniferous forest

Bibliography