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Boreal Forest

Boreal Forest

Assessment

Presentation

Science

9th - 12th Grade

Hard

Created by

Joseph Anderson

FREE Resource

7 Slides • 3 Questions

1

Boreal forests, or taiga, are the Earth's northernmost forests, covering vast tracts of land across Alaska, Canada, northern Europe, and Russia. They are among the world's leading purveyors of ecosystem services, including carbon storage and clean water, and they harbor globally significant wildlife populations.

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

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2

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-Typical temperatures range from 21 °C in summer to -54 °C in winter.

​​Temperature

-Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters. The length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days. Temperatures are very low. Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm annually.

Precipitation

Climatogram

3

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Latitude or angle of Insolation

-**Latitude**: The boreal forest in North America generally spans from about **50° N to 70° N**.

-This means it is located in the northern part of the continent, takes over areas in Canada and parts of Alaska.

 **Longitude**: The longitudinal range is quite broad, roughly between **60° W and 140° W*

4

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glistening lakes, streams, rivers and wetlands are part of their water in the ocean. The Boreal Forest in Canada has more surface freshwater than any other ecosystem on the planet. These waters nourish a continent-wide landscape of plants, animals and communities.

Water - Major Ocean

dispersal, composition, productivity, and longevity (Hytteborn et a!., 1987; White and Picket.

the flammability of fuel and spread of forest fires.

Impacts

Wind influences every facet of the  forestests  growth and yield, including floristic diversity,

Wind also affects distribution of insects and pathogens, DeMars and Hain, and the dispersion and deposition patterns of moisture and air pollutants.

Prevailing Wind

Proximity to Coastline

5

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The boreal forest region ranges in elevation from about 150 m, near the Alberta-Northwest Territories border, to over 1,100 m near the Alberta-British Columbia border

-Topography of boreal forests ranges widely from gently sloping on lakeplain systems to steep topography on high dune fields.


Topography/Altitude

6

Major Plant Adaptations & Example species

-The slender, conical shapes of many boreal forest trees help them to shed snow. Most boreal forest trees have relatively shallow root systems, taking advantage of the thin layer of unfrozen soil. Black spruce trees can grow in soil only 20 inches deep!

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-Some animals live in and are active in the boreal forest year-round, with some growing thick coats of fur, or layers of fat to protect themselves from the cold. Other animals will migrate south in the winter towards warmer weather and then return further north in the summer months.

-Canada lynx's wide paws work like snowshoes.


Major Animal Adaptations & Example Species

8

Multiple Choice

Keystone species

1

They host numerous endangered species such as the wolverine, the grizzly bear, the whooping crane, and the woodland caribou.

2

The European aspen (Populus tremula L.) is a keystone species in boreal forests and increases forest biodiversity by hosting accompanying species such as fungi, mosses, woodpeckers, small mammals and invertebrates.

3

The northern goshawk(Accipiter gentilis) is an indicator species in a boreal forest. The absence, presence, or abundance of this species can be used to diagnose the health of the boreal forest ecosystem.

4

Black spruce trees can grow in soil only 20 inches deep.

5

Topography of boreal forests ranges widely from gently sloping on lakeplain systems to steep topography on high dune fields.

9

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10

Labelling

The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is an indicator species in a boreal forest. The absence, presence, or abundance of this species can be used to diagnose the health of the boreal forest ecosystem.

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Elevation Amount of Biodiversity

Topography/Altitude

Impact of mountain ranges

Bioindicator species

Keystone species

Boreal forests, or taiga, are the Earth's northernmost forests, covering vast tracts of land across Alaska, Canada, northern Europe, and Russia. They are among the world's leading purveyors of ecosystem services, including carbon storage and clean water, and they harbor globally significant wildlife populations.

Boreal Forest (Taiga)

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