L3

Question 1

What are 3 umbrella terms for threats to the Taiga?

Answer 1

Pests and disease
Acid rain
Forest fires

Question 2

How is acid rain formed?

Answer 2

Chemicals released from fossil fuel burning.
React with water, rain falls as water
Damaging plants and animals

Question 3

How does acid rain affect plants and animals?

Answer 3

Acidic soil has more aluminium, damaging tree roots and removing nutrients

Acid kills eggs and insects meaning migrating birds don’t come

Acid rain stops nutrients entering plant roots

Question 4

How do forest fires form?

Answer 4

Lightning, gas flares, camp fires

Question 5

How do forest fires affect plants and animals

Answer 5

Young plant saplings burnt before developing

Benefits Taiga as the ash is nutrient rich, however only for every 80-100 years, global warming has made this more frequent

Question 6

Generally what do pests and diseases do in the Taiga?

Answer 6

Fungus and mould damage tree roots

insects eat pine needles, seeds

Question 7

Give examples of pests and diseases harming the Taiga.

Answer 7

Spruce Bark Beetle have killed trees

Silkworm from Mongolia killed plants