Taiga

Question 1

Where is the taiga

Answer 1

North America and Eurasia

Question 2

Taiga climate

Answer 2

It is the largest biome in Europe
Also known as boreal
Long cold winters at -40°
Short summers with highs of 16°

Question 3

Animal adaptations

Answer 3

Bears- have a layer of fat that keeps them warm, they hibernate, fur is water repellent and claws for digging the frozen ground
Hare- fur is camouflage, and thick for cold weather
Fast to run away from predators

Question 4

Plant adaptations

Answer 4

Lichens- photosynthesise in low temperatures
Absorb water from a saturated atmosphere
Thick layer of thallus

Evergreen trees
Photosynthesis with limited light
Needles leaves -small surface area less moisture loss
Conical shape- stability
Roots spread far for water and for more stability

Question 5

Direct threats

Answer 5

Oil fields
Deforestation
The fact that it is large and out of the way means we don’t notice it as much as the rainforest

Question 6

Indirect threats

Answer 6

Pests
Wildfires
Acid rain

Question 7

Nutrient cycle of the taiga

Answer 7

Smaller amounts of decay because chemical weathering is limited by cold weather
Nutrients are in litter =biggest store
Biomass is small because trees only grow for some months a year

Question 8

James Bay HEP

Answer 8

Quebec
16500 MW of electricity
11000km2 forest flooded
Mercury leaks
Pollution

Question 9

Athabaskan tar sands

Answer 9

Could hold 1.7 trillion barrels of oil
Underneath the taiga in Canada
Deforests taiga and strip mining
Toxic waste
Water usage