8.4 - Threats to Taiga Forests

Question 1

What are some examples of how taiga forests are being exploited?

Answer 1

• Exploitation of minerals
• HEP - flooded land
• Pulp and paper production - deforestation
• Exploitation of fossil fuels
• Logging for softwood

Question 2

What are tar sands?

Answer 2

Tar sand is earth containing a thick, black oil, which can be processed into fossil fuels. Tar sands are found underneath Taiga forests e.g. Canada

Question 3

Why does exploitation of Taiga for tr sands damage them?

Answer 3

Extraction of the tar sands often involves open pit mining or strip mining. This involves digging up the land surface (in strips) to get the sands beneath which causes large-scale deforestation.

Question 4

Why is acid rain causing loss of biodiversity in the taiga?

Answer 4

It damages plant’s leaves and makes it harder for them to cope with the cold. It can also make soils too acidic to support growth and kills organisms in lakes and streams

Question 5

What causes acid rain?

Answer 5

Burning fossil fuels releases gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These dissolve in water to form acids, which are deposited on plants and soils when it rains or snows

Question 6

How are forest fires causing loss of biodiversity in the taiga?

Answer 6

1) Wild fires are a natural part of the ecosystem - allowing new growth and regenerating the forest
2) It is thought that climate change is leading to warmer, drier conditions in taiga forest, increasing the frequency of fires and making them last longer
3) They can destroy large numbers of trees and change the distribution of species. They may also break up forests into smaller areas, making it hard for migratory animals that need lots of space to find enough food

Question 7

Why are pests and diseases causing loss of biodiversity in the taiga?

Answer 7

Many pests and diseases are often specific to one species, and as there is often a single tree species in an area of taiga forest, it is easy for them to multiply and spread, doing lots of damage.

Warming caused by climate change may be making it easier for pests and disease causing pathogens to survive - new ones arriving and frequency of attack increasing