 The boreal forest or taiga exists as a nearly continuous belt of coniferous trees across North America and Eurasia.  Taiga is the Russian name for this forest  However, the term is used in North America as well.

 North America  Eurasia

 These forests are huge carbon sinks  Large diversity of soil microorganisms in these three forest soils  These forests have large total leaf area and they contribute a lot of leaf litter to the ground.

 Podzolization occurs as a result of the acid soil solution produced under needle leaf trees  The main soil order associated with the taiga is spodosol.

 The taiga corresponds with regions of subarctic and cold continental climate.  For example, Verkhoyansk, Russia, has recorded extremes of minus 90 ° F and plus 90 ° F.

 Biotic Factors: 1.Black Bear 2.Fox 3.Squirrel 4.Deer 5.Coyote Abiotic Factors: 1.Large amounts of precipitation 2.Both cold and hot seasons 3.Little amount of sunlight reaches through the trees 4.The soil is very fertile 5.Distant from the sea

Competition Adaptation  A group of squirrels eating a colony of beetles!  A red fox eating a squirrel.  six tree species forming a boreal climax forest  The main reasons firs, spruce and pines are the dominant trees in the boreal forest,  adapted to the extreme conditions brought about by the cold,  including the winter-induced drought and the short growing season

Influences Impacts  The frequency of forest fires  during the past 600 yr was studied  281 sample plots within boreal forest ecosystems  It was found that all these factors have influenced the vegetation  Fires led to a widespread vegetation mosaic  Human Activities  Logging  Mining  Hydroelectric Development  Forestry  Construction

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