The TaigaBy: Carolyn Wu

What is a taiga?

The taiga is known as the boreal forest. This is the largest land biome in the world. The taiga spreads in the northern latitudes, covering up Canada and north of Europe and Russia. Taigas aren’t found in southern hemispheres because there isn’t enough land mass to create a taiga climate.

ClimateCool summers and cold for rest of

the year.Freezing cold temperatures last

six to seven months.Usually rains during summer.Average annual rainfall- 12-33

inchesTemperature can change from

one extreme to another.

PlantsConifers (pine trees)GrassConifers adapt in a taiga

environment because they lose less water and shed snow easily by their conical shape.

Not many variety of plants because of poor soil.

AnimalsEstimated about 85 species of

mammals, 130 species of fish, and 32,000 species of insects.

Mammals including bears and rabbits hibernate during the winter.

Many insects, a part of a bird’s diet.

Majority of mammals are herbivorous, which is one who eats only plants, such as moose and deer.

Types of TaigasTwo types of taigas: closed

canopy forest and sparse taiga.The canopy forest has spaced

trees and mossy ground with shrubs and wildflowers.

The sparse taiga has farther-spaced trees and lichen covered ground.

Interesting FactsWorld’s oldest trees can be found in

taigas, one of them is about 4,600 years old!

The taiga covers 11% of Earth.The trees have thick bark, which

protects it from mild fires.The conifer’s bark is used to

produce paper.Indians have lived in North America

taigas for centuries.

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