Transcript Coniferous Forest

Chapter 9
Forest Biomes
Section 9.1
Coniferous Forest
Coniferous Forest
• Location: sub-arctic regions of
North America, Europe, and Asia
• Summers: warm & last 2-5
months
• Winters: long, cold, dry, little
sunlight
Coniferous Forest
• Precipitation: 40-200cm per year
• Rain during summer & snow
during winter
Coniferous Forest
• Coniferous means “cone-bearing”
• Conifers (coniferous trees) are
trees that produce seed cones
• Trees have needles instead of
leaves
• What do you think the needles do?
Coniferous Forest
Coniferous Trees
• Pine, hemlock, spruce, fir, & cedar
• Broadleaf trees- aspen & birch
• Not a diverse biome
• Soil is poor & acidic because
needles are acidic & decompose
slowly
Coniferous Forest
• Limiting factors: harsh winters &
nutrient-poor soils
• Also present are ferns, lichens,
and sphagnum moss
Coniferous Forest
• Heavy winter snow is important
• Acts as an insulator to keep the
roots from freezing
• Gives rodents a chance to survive
instead of freezing underground
Coniferous Forest
• Adaptations of animals- herbivores
are seed eaters, such as mice,
squirrels, rodents, & birds
• Insects are common during the
summer- soil is moist and poorly
drained
Coniferous Animals
• Herbivores- moose, elk, beaver,
& snowshoe hares- feed on bark &
plants
Coniferous Animals
• Predators- grizzly bears, wolves,
& lynxes
Animal Adaptations
• Migrate, hibernate, or live under
snow
• Thick body coverings to protect
them from the cold
REVIEW!!!
• What characterizes a coniferous
forest?
• Explain several adaptations that
enable organisms in coniferous
forests to live through harsh
winters