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Taiga or tayga (/ ˈ t aɪ ɡ ə / TY-gə; Russian: тайга́, IPA:), also known as boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, and larches. The taiga, or boreal forest, is the world's largest land biome. [1]
The taiga is inhabited by many species, some of which are endangered, and include the Canadian lynx, gray wolf, and grizzly bear. The Canadian lynx is one well-known animal to inhabit the North American taiga region and is listed as threatened in the U.S. The mother lynx will have a litter of about 4 kittens in the spring.
The taiga forests are mainly white spruce (Picea glauca), alaskan birch (Betula neoalaskana), balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the warmer drier areas, and black spruce (Picea mariana), and american larch (Larix laricina) where it is marshier but the ecoregion also contains scrubby areas of dwarf birch (Betula nana) and riverbanks of willows ...
Although less than half of the following birds' North American populations nest in the boreal forests, a major portion of their species is reliant on this habitat. Many of these birds are more often aquatic and woodland generalist than species more dependent on the taiga. Greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons; Snow goose Chen caerulescens
In the taiga forests, species include squirrels, chipmunks, voles and lemmings. The carnivores are polecats, brown bear, lynx, wolves, foxes, wolverines and the sable. Elk, a large deer about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in height up to the shoulder, are common in this habitat. [6] Steppe animals include wild boar as well as 30 other mammal species.
This vast ecoregion is located in the heart of Siberia, stretching over 20° of latitude and 50° of longitude [1] (52° to 72° N, and 80° to 130° E). The climate in the East Siberian taiga is subarctic (the trees growing there are coniferous and deciduous) and displays high continentality, with extremes ranging from 40 °C (104 °F) to −65 °C (−85 °F) and possibly lower.
These seven can be divided into two main groups. The northern regions of the boreal forest consists of four eco-zones – Taiga Cordillera, Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield and Hudson Plains – that are the most thinly treed areas where the growing season and average tree size progressively shrinks until the edge of the Arctic tundra is reached. [21]
The fur varies from yellowish to dark brown, depending on the species; it is valued by animal trappers for the fur trade. Martens are slender, agile animals, which are adapted to living in the taiga, and inhabit coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the Northern Hemisphere.