Coniferous Forests

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Coniferous Forests

• By Hannah Dawson,
• Shivali Kohli
• And Hannah Leyland

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Introduction

• Other names for the coniferous forests are Boreal
  and Taiga.
• These forests cover approximately 15 0f the
  Earths surface.
• There are two types of coniferous forests Open
  lichen woodland with trees spaced far apart with
  lichen in-between, and Closed forests which has
  trees close together with moss underneath.

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Location

• Coniferous forests are found across North
  America, Northern Europe and Northern Asia.

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Climate

• There are strong seasonal variations in a
  coniferous forests climate. Sometimes it can
  vary by 100oF. It has a cool, short summer, and a
  very cold, long, dry winter. Some forests in
  lower locations have a much wetter winter. The
  average rainfall can be 300-900mm annually. In
  some extreme forest, the rainfall is 2,000mm.

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Threats

• There are many threats to the coniferous
  forests such as
• Clear-cut logging is the biggest threat to the
  Coniferous forests. To replant after logging
  single-species conifer monocultures, which is not
  conducive to species biodiversity. Clear-cutting
  can accelerate soil erosion and degrades wildlife
  habitats, leading to the loss of biodiversity.
  Then land is being cleared for ski-slopes,
  landfills, housing, new roads, etc.
• The rain in many areas of the world has become
  more acidic. These pollutants come from coal
  burning and power plants The tees die and stand
  like grey skeletons against the sky due to the
  acid rain.

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Threats Continued

• High- intensity hunting and trapping, has reduced
  many populations of fur-bearing animals.
• Mining operation are a threat to the forests
  because of the chemicals used in mining, and the
  silt released by mining.
• Road construction destroys the forest and also
  acts as a barrier to the wildlife. Roads isolate
  the population of the species, from feeding
  grounds, natural migration routes and limits
  breeding between larger groups.
• As the Earths population continues to increase
  and people continue to move out of the city and
  into the suburbs, more and more Boreal forests
  will be lost in urbanization.

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Plants

• Many species are becoming extinct and
  something needs to be done soon. To many, it is
  apparent that today there is an extinction
  crisis. By destroying habitats, polluting the
  land, air, water and promoting the spread of
  exotic species humans have increased extinction
  to alarming rates.
• Many 'at risk species' are plants. Plants
  play an important role in ecosystems. Through
  photosynthesis they provide food for animals.
  Plants are an important energy source for the
  entire ecosystem. Plants at risk of extinction,
  or some rare plants, are indicators of the
  overall health of an ecosystem. If a plant
  becomes rare, or a previously rare plant begins
  to decline dramatically, it is usually an
  indication of some type of imbalance within the
  ecosystem.

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Animals

• Deer
• Earthworms
• Owls
• Lemmings
• Lynx
• Moose
• Mosquitoes
• Squirrels

• Ants
• Foxes
• Hares
• Wolves
• Badgers
• Eagles
• Beavers
• Bears
• Geese
• Hawks
• Weasels

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