Features Of The Taiga The Boreal Forest is

Features Of The Taiga The Boreal Forest is a long strip of softwood dominated forest which in all adds up to about 1. 7 billion acres. Over the years the Taiga has been shaped by the movement of glaciers, which has made an accumulation of sediment deposited by lakes and rivers. The soils in the Taiga are typically Podzols, which are thin grey soils that are acidic and low in nutrients. Podzols are formed when precipitation is greater than evaporation and the nutrient and minerals are leached from the soil. This type of soil is bad for farming, but it is able to grow a number of trees in the Taiga and other plants which have adapted to the soil.

Taiga Flora • Much of the ground is covered by permafrost and moss. The most prevalent fauna in the Taiga are the coniferous trees (larch, spruce, fir, pine) and shrubs, fruited, and fruitless (Cranberry, Raspberry, Leonia)

Taiga Flora Adaptation • To survive the Taiga conditions trees have adapted to become evergreen which, enables them to photosynthesize more quickly in the bipolar weather • many trees have needle-like leaves which shape loses less water and sheds snow more easily than broad leaves • waxy coating on needles prevent evaporation • needles are dark in color allowing more solar heat to be absorbed • many trees have branches that droop downward to help shed excess snow to keep the branches from breaking

Taiga Fauna • 85 species of mammals, 130 species of fish, 32, 000 species of insects and more than 300 species of birds inhabit the Taiga Forests in North America, with many more in Russia and Scandinavia. • Indigenous species are the Black Bear, Bobcat, Gray Wolf, Owl, Red Fox, River Otter, Snowshoe Rabbit, Wolverine, Elk, and Deer

Taiga Fauna Adaptations • There are many widespread adaptations that span a number of species like color adaptations which help camouflage prey and predator into their surroundings. Another widespread adaptation is webbed footing for the purpose of keeping the animal afloat in the soft snow. Many animals, like the brown and grizzly bears, hibernate through the coldest times in their caves. Plus, they have a protective layer of fat right underneath their skin for added heat.

Environmental Concerns of the Taiga • Taigas are damaged every day by things that affect most of the worlds ecosystems, such as acid rain, caused by pollution, and destruction of the environment. Also something that affects taigas are soil depletion. When crops or trees are cleared out the soil gets washed away, damaged, and then takes about five or more years to recover from this. Much concern for this region is the prevalence of deforestation for paper mills and fuel. Also on the agenda is strip mining and fracking for mineral resources and oil which displaces animals but also has unforeseen future implications.

Best Time To Visit • Summer: Even if it might get chilly every now and then the immense beauty and breathtaking sights. With winter temperatures going as low as 54°C coming in those eight months would be suicidal but the outlook is bright because in the summer temperatures range in the 50 -60°’s. Tourism activities range from hiking to boating and to swimming in natural hot springs. In the Taiga most of the activities will be outdoors.

Wildlife in the Taiga • Not as much wildlife abundance in the taiga and the inability to see most of them because they are camouflaged. Most of the wildlife is very majestic and indigenous to the climate like the Snowshoe Rabbit, Wolverine, and the Canadian Lynx.

Climate • The taiga climate is engulfed by cold arctic air for the 8 month winter that these regions experience. Prevailing winds from the north carry down frozen artic air which plummets the average temperatures to -30 C. Because of earth's tilt, the taiga is turned away from the sun in the winter. Less of the sun's radiation reaches the ground to warm it up. But in the summer the sun comes out and stays out for most of the day, heating up the ground and partially melting the snow allowing the hibernating creatures to rise from their winter slumber.

Adaptations • Flora – Pine Tree » have needle-like leaves which shape loses less water and sheds snow more easily than broad leaves » evergreen which, enables them to photosynthesize more quickly in the bipolar weather » waxy coating on needles prevent evaporation » needles are dark in color allowing more solar heat to be absorbed • Fauna – Canadian Lynx » Very light sensitive eyes for the long dark winters » Grey/White fur for camouflage and sneaking up on prey » Webbed feet so it can stay on top of powdered snow