Coniferous+Forest

Coniferous Forest By Jacob and Evan

Temperature:

-40 to 20 degrees Celsius, average summer temperature is 10 degrees Celsius



Precipitation:

12 to 33 inches a year on average

Fauna of the Coniferous:

Flora of the Coniferous Forest:

Ecological, historical, and cultural points of interest:

- The fur trade helped Northern Europe (Russia) and Canada establish a successful industry within the countries. - The protection of the coniferous forests through the National Parks system.

Use of local materials in crafts:

- Jewelry handicrafts made of animal bone - Fur garments and accessories from animals native to the coniferous forest - Pine cones from Conifer trees are scented and sold with other miscellaneous pine cone nick-nacks during the harvest and holiday seasons.

Human Impacts:

1.) Endangered species due to poaching for fur - Examples of these animals are Lynx and Fox. Often sought after for their desired pelts.

2.) Logging for the timber industry. - Has lead to possible extinction of conifer trees - This is lead to greater counts of Co2, thus resulting in less oxygen for human beings - Soil erosion is another potential effect of excessive logging

3.) Hunting could possibly lead to the endangerment of rare species - Such as Caribou and the Pika

4.) Vehicles powered by fossil fuels can damage the sensitive ecosystem of the Coniferous forest through releasing Co2 and other pollutants

5.) Pollutants spread through streams and other open water sources, thus endangering local populations of plants and animals.

Possible Futures for this Region:

- If the timber industry continues with its deforestation of the conifers, the coniferous forest will have to be renamed. - If the conservation of animals such as the Pika is not successful, the food web would be majorly disrupted, leading to the possible decline of many other species. - If the world population continues at such an accelerated rate, the coniferous could be threatened by the impeding danger of possible housing developments to support the growing community.

Food Webs:



Natural Resources -

- Fur, Timber, Water, Pine Cones, Mine for coal

The Coniferous Forest of Northern Europe:

Introduction -

The coniferous forests of Europe are mostly situated in the upper regions of the continent and wrap around the globe as a band, with tundra above and the decidous forests below. A majority of the coniferous forests do not vary much from continent to continent and contain a variety of the same species of trees and organisms. The animals do vary, but one can almost always find a conifer forest consisting of lynx, caribou, elk, and black bears.

Climate -

In Europe, like much of the coniferous forest around the world, the climate is very cold and dry, but to less of an extreme than the Tundra. The coniferous forests of Europe get on average between 25 - 75cm of rainfall per year. The forest can be characterized by its long, cold winters and warm summers. A majority of the precipitation is accumulated during the summer season. Also interesting to note is that the average temperature within the coniferous forest is below freezing for up to six months of the year!



Vegetation -

The coniferous forest derives its name from pine cone bearing trees regarded as “conifers”. Interestingly, there is a noticeable lack of diversity in terms of the trees. One modern theory for why this is true is related to glaciation during the “Ice Age”. In Europe, east- west running mountain ranges prevented the movement of forests and as a result most of the cold sensitive deciduous trees were killed. The main species of tree that almost always inhabits the coniferous forest are Pines, but other similar species are often noted.

The Coniferous Forest of Northern Asia:

Introduction -

The Russians call the coniferous forest “Taiga”, as it covers so much of their country. The conifer forest of Northern Asia is mostly in Russia, extends into parts of Mongolia and China.

Climate -

In Northern Asia, the climate of the conifer forest is very similar to that of the climate in the coniferous forests of Europe. The region is characterized by long, severe winters and brief warm summers. For example, the record cold temperature in Verkhoyansk, Russia is recorded at extremes up to -90 degrees Farenheit. The mean average precipitation is 15 to 20 inches, but the low evaporation rate makes it a humid climate.

Vegetation -

The main component to the conifer forests of Northern Asia are Scots Pines, which dominate Russia and Western Scandinavia. There is very little in the range of species of tree, consisting of: evergreen spruce (Picea), fir (Abies), and pine (Pinus). Deciduous trees found in the conifer forest are: larch or tamarack (Larix).

Visiting the Coniferous Forest in Alaska Hunting is a very popular sport and leisure activity in the Coniferous areas of Alaska Visit the Tongass National Forest
 * Bears, Caribou, and Moose are all hunted in this area; much of the thrill is due to the difficulty of the hunt
 * Hunting requires a great deal of pre-planned strategy
 * Hunting also offers an opportunity to control the population of specific species


 * 17 million ares
 * Comprised of multiple islands
 * Eagles reside there

Canada
 * The Canadian Coniferous forests are similar to those in Alaska
 * Hunting is also popular in Canada
 * Visit the Prince Albert National Park which contains Conifer trees

Bibliography:

1.) “The Coniferous Forest.” http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/coniferou s3/coniferous3.html Accessed: October 9, 2011. 2.) “The Forests of Europe.” http://www.marietta.edu~biol/biomes/euroforest.htm Accessed: Oct. 9, 2011. 3.) “Taiga or Boreal Forest.” http://www.radford.edu/swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/ taiga/taiga.html Created: Oct. 1996. Date Accessed: Oct. 9, 2011.