Boreal Forest Brady Seeley Basic Description Also know as taiga Covers over 11% of earths land area Dominated by trees and occasional lakes and rivers Very dense forests Location, Location, Location Located between latitudes of 50 and 65 N Climate Winters are long Over 6 months Immense temperature difference in some places Precipitation: 200 mm 600 mm Droughts are rare Soils Low fertility Acidic Low temperatures impede decomposition Permafrost in more extreme areas Biology - Plants Dominated by conifers with some deciduous trees Spruce Pine Larch Aspen Birch Little vegetation underneath canopy except for small shrubs Biology - Animals Larger mammals Caribou Reindeer Wolf major predator Various bears Moose Smaller mammals Lynx Wolverine Snowshoe hare Red squirrel Human Influences Early humans lived off of boreal forest animals Hunting and eventual domestication of reindeer Historically human intrusion light Threats: Deforestation QUIZ!!! What is another name for the boreal forest? A) Tundra B) Taiga C) Temperate forest D) All of the above ANOTHER QUIZ!!! What is the biggest threat to the boreal forest? A) Drought B) Wildfires C) Deforestation D) Rudolph creating panic among the reindeer Work Cited Molles M C. Life on Land. In: Kemp M J, editor. Ecology: Concepts and Applications. 5 volumes. New York (NY): McGraw-Hill; Vol 5th: 572 p.