Coniferous Forests By: Natalie Henderson

What is A Coniferous Forest? A forest made primarily of conifers, or trees producing needles and or cones – Example: pine tree, spruce tree, fir tree Forests that have 4 distinct seasons Northern Coniferous forests also called: – Taiga Forests – Boreal Forests – Cold forests

Climate Typical Coniferous forests have long, cold winters and short warm summers Winter: 6-8 hours of sunshine Summer: up to 19 hours of sunshine Precipitation: cm (a lot in snow form) Average Temperature: ≈-40°C - 20°C

Climatograms

Where are coniferous forests found? Typically found in northern hemispheres (North America, Northern Europe, and Asia) Usually just below arctic tundra  subarctic climate Ex: Coniferous forest found in Rocky Mountains

Animals and Plants Conifers, mosses, and lichens (plants) Bobcats, lynx, Siberian tigers, bears, wolves, owls Elk, moose, porcupines, snowshoe hares, other small animals In summer: birds, flies, mosquitoes and caterpillars

Food Web Balsam Fir Tree (Producer) Balsam Fir Tree (Producer) Moose (primary Consumer) Moose (primary Consumer) Wolf (secondary Consumer) Wolf (secondary Consumer) Bacteria (Decomposer) Bacteria (Decomposer)

Plant Adaptations Coniferous trees – needles and cones covered in wax to resist cold temperature and retain more water Cones contain seeds – usually at least two  when birds find the seeds they usually only get one seed – Another seed is left to grow Mosses and lichen grow on forest floor because they can grow with little sunlight – Blocked by tall coniferous trees

Animal Adaptations Some animals hibernate through cold winter Some animals hide and live under the snow Birds migrate south for winter Snowshoe hare – white fur blends in with the snow and is well protected

Humans and Coniferous Forests Humans cause threats to many coniferous forests through: – Global Warming – other trees will be better suited to warmer climate  decrease of conifers – Development of land for oil and natural gas reserves Disturbs natural habitats – Logging and deforestation

Works Cited A-Z Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb "Coniferous Forests." WWF Panda. WWF Panda, n.d. Web. 10 Feb Earth Observatory. NASA, n.d. Web. 10 Feb Miller, G. Tyler, and Scott Spoolman. Living in the Environment, AP edition. 17th ed. Belmont, C.A.: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, Print. Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at "The Taiga or Boreal Forest." The Boreal Forest Biome. Marietta EDU, 14 Oct Web. 10 Feb