Characteristics of the Taiga
 A taiga biome is sometimes considered a coniferous
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forest
Many coniferous trees live in the taiga, such as fir,
pine, and spruce trees
The taiga is the largest land biome of earth, covering
up to 15% of earth’s land
The largest area of the taiga is located in the
northernmost lands of Europe and North America
There are mainly two seasons in the taiga: The
summers are short and hot, and the winters are long
and cold
Climate
 There is a lot of precipitation in the taiga that mostly
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occurs in the form of snow during the winter
The average temperature of the taiga, or the boreal
forest is over 50 degrees Fahrenheit
Usually, in the winters, the temperature can drop to a
low of -65 degrees Fahrenheit, and in the summer, the
high can go up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit
The winters last for about seven months, while the
summers last for the rest of the year (five months).
The average, annual rainfall for the taiga biome is from
12 – 33 inches
Animals of the Taiga
 Animals of the taiga include the black bear, wolverine,
bald eagle, Canadian Lynx, grey wolf, long – eared owl,
and the snowshoe rabbit
 Food Chain Example
Energy Pyramid Example
Food Web
Plants of the Taiga
 Plants of the taiga included the Balsam Fir, Black
Spruce, Douglas-fir, Eastern Red Cedar, Paper Birch,
Jack Pine, Siberian Spruce, and the White Fir
Plants of the Taiga (continued)
 The plants of the taiga are usually cone – shaped on
the top
 Most of the plants stay green throughout the entire
year
 Only a few trees and plants provide food, such as
berries or seeds from large pine cones, for small
animals
 The Black Spruce can grow up to a massive height of
about 25 meters tall, which makes it one of the tallest
trees in the biome
Map of the Taiga
Abiotic Factors
 Shelter is very easy to find for animals: A treetop of the
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owl, or a burrow for the snowshoe rabbit
The ground- level of the taiga doesn’t get much
sunlight
The temperature is mostly cool throughout the year,
but the animals are adapted to it
For example, the thick fur of a lynx, grey wolf, and a
black bear
Usually, the taiga contains a small stream or pond,
which provides food for many animals, such as the
black bear who eats the fish
Picture of the Taiga
Picture of the Taiga
Another Picture of the Taiga
List of National Taiga Parks
 Sequoia in North America
 Yosemite in North America
 Vodlozero in Russia
 Yugud-Va in Russia
 Kostamus in Russia
 Paanajarvi in Russia
 Laplandski in Russia
 Kutsa in Russia.
Geographical Taiga Facts
 The taiga is mostly found between the latitudes of 50
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degrees North and 60 degrees North
Canada, Northern America, and Russia are all known
for their large taiga biomes
The taiga lies between the tundra in the North and the
temperate forests in the South
The taiga is the terrestrial biome with the lowest
annual average temperatures after the tundra
Although it is cold in some parts of the southern
hemisphere, there are no taiga biomes found beneath
the latitude of 45 degrees N
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