Taiga, by Maegan Jennings and Zoe Read
Part I:
1) Abiotic Factors: The Taiga is a biome found in the north above deciduous forests.
The Taiga is warm during the summers during which forest fires are common.
Winters are cold due to arctic winds, and snow falls. Throughout the year, there is a
lot of precipitation, which provides for its many species.
 Winters are harsh, with arctic winds blowing through the area causing low
temperatures. Temperatures can be as low as 65 degrees below zero
(Fahrenheit)
 Found between the tundra and deciduous forests, the taiga is the largest land
biome in the world.
 Mainly coniferous forests, with some deciduous trees.
 Very cold and snowy; plants and animals have adapted to this climate.
 Found at high elevations, and adjacent to the tundra near the north pole.
a.
2) The Taiga biome is found in northern U.S.A., southern Canada, and Russia.
3) List of National Parks:
a. Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Canada
b. Zabaikalsky National Park, Russia
c. Nahanni National Park, Canada
4) Discover here meese and geese trudging through the snow, striding through the
tundra going towards a secret, come and you shall know.
5) To the tune of “Mickey Mouse”
Taiga, Taiga
Mickey, Mickey
Spruce and Pine
you’re so fine
Spruce and Pine
you’re so fine
All trees in line
you blow my mind
The Taiga
hey Mickey
Snow, Snow
hey hey
And Taiga.
hey Mickey
Part II:
1) 3 Kingdoms:
Animalia:
 American Black Bear
 Bald Eagle
 Bobcats
 Northern Lynx
 Gray Wolf (Timber Wolf)
 Grizzly Bear
 Long-eared owl
 Red Fox
 River Otter
 Showshoe Rabbit
 Wolverines
 Moose
 Siberian tigers
Plantae:
 Black Spruce
 Balsam Fir
 Douglas-fir
 Eastern Red Cedar
 Jack Pine
 Paper Birch
 Siberian Spruce
 White Fir
 White Poplar
 White Spruce
Fungi:


Bracket Fungus
Razor Strop Fungus
2) 3 Adaptations:
Conical shape of firs, spruces, and pines: Allows snow to slide off easily so that branches
are not broken, as it snows frequently in the taiga.
The Needleleafs reduce surface area and water loss. This is helpful when the ground
freezes and the trees have difficulty extracting water from it.
The evergreen nature of many of the trees allows them to begin photosynthesizing early, as
they do not have to wait and grow leaves when the temperature warms.
The dark color of the trees also allows them to absorb greater sunlight and heat in the cold
and to start photosynthesizing early.
3) Food Chains:
green leaves from clover >>> grouse >>>bobcats
grass >>> vole >>> long-eared owl >>> golden eagle
plant matter (grass) >>> river otter >>> red fox
4) Food Web:
6) Ecological Pyramid
1st Trophic Level (Producers): Grasses, Clover, Aspen Tree
2nd Trophic Level (Primary Consumers): Snail, Vole, Grouse
3rd Trophic Level (Secondary Consumers): River Otter, Long-eared owl, Bobcat
4th Trophic Level (Tertiary Consumers): Red Fox, Golden Eagle
Part III:
1) Mutualism is found in the Taiga relationship between owls and trees; the owl is able
to roost in the tree, and when the owl excretes its fecal waste, it’s nutrients go into
the tree.
2) Commensalism in the Taiga is exemplified in the relationship between seed
producing trees and seed eating animals, the animal can benefit from eating the
seed and the tree is neither hurt nor helped.
3) An example of parasitism in the Taiga is fungus growing on trees; the fungus grows
on the tree and slowly kills it by robbing the tree of nutrients without giving anything
to the tree in return.
4) Competition for resources and food is found in the Taiga in interspecies competition
for grasses during the winter. This is because in populations of herbivores in the
winter, all of the members of a population have to compete to get food.
Part IV:
1) Endangered, threatened, or extinct species
The wolverine is endangered. These species become endangered as they lose their habitat,
the boreal forest, to logging. These areas provide them with the animals and protection they
need for survival.
2) Environmental Issue:
An environmental issue which threatens the taiga is the clearcutting of forests for wood to
make wood products. Clearcutting removes all trees from an area, absolutely eliminating
taigan animal’s habitats. This also exposes the soil and allows it to be eroded, exposing
permafrost and bedrock, which are not very supportive of life.
This issue could be resolved by prohibiting the practice of clearcutting and requiring loggers
to cut small areas and then replant the trees.
Sources:
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga_animal_page.htm
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep8b.htm
http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/taiga.html
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/taiga/?ar_a=1
http://biomesfifth09.wikispaces.com/Taiga+Home
http://explorebiodiversity.com/habitats/boreal.html
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/tundra.htmlhttp://www.adfg.alaska.go
v/static/hunting/smallgamehunting/pdfs/alaska_grouse_ptarmigan.pdf
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/ruffedgrouse.html
http://animals.pawnation.com/habitat-taiga-vole-3740.html
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Asio_otus/
http://ladywildlife.com/animals/gardensnail.html
http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/biomes/boreal.html
http://www.pellotsaari.ru/en/3734/3945/3985/
https://biomessixth10.wikispaces.com/Taiga+Facts
http://biomesfourth.wikispaces.com/Taiga+Facts
Pictures:
http://www.borealforest.org/world/herbs_shrubs/sweet_grass.htm
http://citadel.sjfc.edu/students/aac01774/e-port/taiga.html
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/iZJxVV99Dt4/UAsHINT024I/AAAAAAAABrE/Fr4oleZjO2A/s400/red-clover-white-clover.jpg
http://www.birdholidays.co.uk/manitoba/sage%20grouse.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/Q6Ct2KLsk9k/TxyE51H5wqI/AAAAAAAAAr8/M6tbrn8cgbc/s400/Field+Vole.jpg
https://biomessixth10.wikispaces.com/Taiga+Facts
http://www.myschoolisgreat.org/Bird_pages/golden_eagle.jpg