BIOME: TAIGA

• Taiga, generally referred to in North America as boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome
characterized by coniferous forest consisting mostly of pines, spruces and larches. The taiga or
boreal forest is the world’s largest land biome.

• Taiga, also called boreal forest, biome (major life zone) of vegetation composed primarily of
cone-bearing needle-leaved or scale-leaved evergreen trees, found in northern circumpolar
forested regions characterized by long winters and moderate to high annual precipitation. The
taiga, “land of the little sticks” in Russian, takes its name from the collective term for the
northern forests of Russia, especially Siberia.

LOCATION:

• Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It
extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the
arctic tundra. It is also found at cool, high elevations in the more temperate latitudes, for
example, in much of the mountainous western region of North America. Much of the taiga in
North America was once covered with glaciers. As the glaciers receded, cuts and depressions
were left in the landscape that have since filled with rain creating lakes and bogs.

WEATHER:

• Long, cold winters, and short, mild, wet summers are typical of this region. In the winter, chilly
winds from the arctic cause bitterly cold weather in the taiga. The length of day also varies
with the seasons. Winter days are short, while summer days are long because of the tilt of the
earth on its axis. Fire is not uncommon in the taiga during the summer. Fires may seem
destructive, but they actually help this biome by removing old sick trees, making room for
new growth. Precipitation is relatively high in the taiga and falls as snow during the winter
 and rain during the summer. The total yearly precipitation in the taiga biome is 10 - 30 inches
(25 - 75 cm).

PLANTS:

• Compared to other biomes, the taiga has less diversity in plant life. The most common type of
tree found in the taiga is the conifer, or cone-bearing tree. Conifers, also known as evergreens,
include pines, spruces and firs. There may also occasionally be deciduous species present, such
as oak, birch, willow, or alder, in a particularly wet or disturbed area. The soil in the taiga is
thin, acidic and not very nutrient rich. It also is rocky. Due to these factors, plants in the taiga
have different adaptations than the plants we find around Santa Barbara.

ANIMALS:

• The cold climate of the taiga makes it a difficult place for many animals to live. Many have
thick coats of fur to insulate against the cold, and some hibernate. Others migrate to warmer
areas in the chilly winters. Animal populations are mainly seed-eating squirrels and jays; small
mammals like ermine and moles; and larger browsing animals such as deer, moose, elk, and
snowshoe hare. The bogs and ponds in the taiga provide a great summertime breeding place
for many different insects. Migratory birds often come to the taiga to nest and feed on all
these insects. The typical predators for this area are grizzly bears, wolves, lynxes and
wolverines. These are pretty ferocious, so their prey must adapt to flourish. Some animals
hide from predators by changing color to blend into the different summer and winter habitats.
For example, the ermine is dark brown in the summer, but in the winter it turns white.
 Chaparral Biome

 The chaparral biome is a part of each continent and consists of various types of terrain including
mountains and plains. It is often confused with the desert biome because they share many
similarities such as both being hot and dry. The chaparral biome receives more rainfall per year
than the desert biome.

Interesting Chaparral Biome Facts:

 Parts of the chaparral biome exist in California, Oregon, South Africa, and Australia.

 This biome is characterized by having both forests and grassland.

 The summer season is very dry and can lasts up to five months.

 The dry summer makes the chaparral biome sensitive to fires.

 Occasional fires in the chaparral biome are helpful because they help balance out the living
organisms and nonliving organisms.

 The plants in the chaparral biome contain flammable material yet their barks resist fire.

 Some plants have adapted to the summer fires in such a way that their seeds lie dormant until
they are touched by fire.

 The average rainfall is 10 to 17 inches a year.

 During the winter, the temperature can get as low as 30° F and the summers can get up to 100°
F.
 The average temperature in the chaparral biome is 64° F.

 Majority of the animals are nocturnal, sleeping during the day then coming out at night.

 Animals living in the chaparral biome have to be able to survive on very little water. During the
summer months there is usually a drought.

 Many of the plants found in the chaparral biome are also found in the desert biome. This is
because a chaparral biome normally borders a desert biome.

 Some common animals of the chaparral biome are coyotes, mule deer, praying mantis, and
ladybugs.

 Shrubs are plentiful in the chaparral biome because they are able to survive on very little water.
Chaparral comes from a Spanish word meaning shrub oak.