Cold Climates

Tundra Climate (Without Trees) Temperature Summers are short and cool: 15 degrees max. Winters are long and cold : - 35 degrees. Large annual temperature range Precipitation In the form of snow, below 250mm per annum Natural Vegetation Very little vegetation. Only mosses, heathers and lichens can survive extreme cold. Wildlife Can survive in summer but migrate south for winter.

Boreal Climate (Northern) Found between 55 degrees north and the arctic circle (66½ degrees N)

Vegetation of Boreal Climate Evergreen coniferous (cone bearing) forest called Taiga. Forests have survived intact because the climate is too harsh for agriculture. Taiga accounts for 20% of world’s forested area. Spruce, fir and pine are very common. They take between 70 and 150 years to reach maturity.

Spruce in Canada

Boreal Wildlife Rich variety including minks, bear, wolf and fox. They have adapted by: Hibernating Developing thick fur to retain heat Changing the colour of their fur with the seasons for camouflage Some animals have hooves that spread out to act like a snowshoe Migrating south for the winter

People of the Boreal Forest Few people live in the boreal forest because of the harsh climate. Miners, foresters and native people - Lapps (Sami) live there. There are more than 50,000 Sami living in Lapland. (Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia). Europe’s last tribe. Nomadic. Herders of reindeer. Many have become urban dwellers and taken employment in the forestry and mining industries.

Problems Forests at risk from logging companies. Huge areas of forests have been cleared Wood in huge demand for paper and chipboard. Forests at risk from mining and oil exploration companies.