The Taiga
Ecosystem
Mr. Calderon
Biology
What is the Taiga ecosystem?
• Taiga is Russian for forest…specifically
for evergreen forests (e.g., Pine trees,
Spruce, etc.)
• Also called the Coniferous, or Boreal Forests.
• “Boreal” was the Greek goddess of the North Wind!
• Taiga is located in the high northern
latitudes.
• Winters are harsh (-65 to 30° F) and
food is limited.
• Many animals deal with these winters by either
migrating south, hibernating, or having certain
traits that help them survive the winter.
• Summers are warm (70°F), rainy, and
humid in the Taiga.
• Spring and Fall seasons are so short,
you hardly know they exist.
• It is either hot and humid or very cold in the taiga.
Example Trophic Pyramid of Taiga
Siberian Tiger
(Panthera tigris altaica)
Eurasian Lynx
(Lynx lynx)
Snowshoe Hare
(Lepus americanus)
Douglas Fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Wolverine
(Gulo gulo)
Eurasian Red Squirrel
(Sciurus vulgaris)
Caribou moss
(Cladonia rangifernia)
Primary Energy Source
Decomposers
• Soil Bacteria
• The Sun!
• Roundworms (Nematodes)
• Sow Bug (Armidillidium
vulgare)
• Honey Fungus
(Armillariella mellea)
A closer look at two Taiga species!
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Siberian Tiger
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: P. tigris
Subspecies: P. tigris altaica
Wolverine
• Domain: Eukarya
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Carnivora
• Family: Mustelidae
• Genus: Gulo
• Species: G. gulo
Advantageous traits:
Siberian Tiger
• Wide paws for running
through snow*
Wolverine
• Dense fur for cold
temperatures*
• Striped for blending in
vegetation when sneaking
up on prey during summer
• Keen sense of smell for
finding carrion (decaying
flesh)*
• Solitary lifestyle in food
limited environment
means less food to find.*
• Cache/store extra food in
snow for when food may
not be available later.
* Applies to both species
Interesting Facts:
Siberian Tiger
• Considered to have a top 15
strongest bite in animal
kingdom.
• Adult male Siberian tigers
can weigh up to 700 lb. while
females weigh up to 400 lb.
• Siberian tigers are
considered endangered by
IUCN’s Red List.
• Causes of their dwindling
population is loss of habitat due
to deforestation, and poaching
for their fur and for body parts
that are used for traditional
Chinese medicines.
Wolverine
• Their territories can range
from 40 miles (65 km) to
more than 372 miles (600
km).
• The wolverine's scientific
name comes from the Latin
word gulo, which means
"glutton."
• M56 is a wolverine that was
fitted with a tracking device
near Grand Teton National
Park in Wyoming. During just
two months, the wolverine
walked more than 500 miles.
Works Cited
• Blue Planet Biomes – Taiga:
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga.htm
• Welcome to the Taiga : http://welcometothetaiga.weebly.com/carnivores.html
• Wikipedia – Taiga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiga
• Biomes First – Taiga:
https://biomesfirst.wikispaces.com/Taiga+Facts
• LiveScience – Facts About Wolverines:
http://www.livescience.com/27461-wolverines.html
• Animal Fact Guide – Siberian Tiger:
http://www.animalfactguide.com/animal-facts/siberian-tiger/
• Handwerk 2012 (National Geographic) – Bite Force:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/03/120315crocodiles-bite-force-erickson-science-plos-one-strongest/