Did you know that boreal forests represent almost a third of the total forest area of the planet? Also known among environmental scientists and nature lovers as "the green crown of the planet", boreal forests are a spectacle of flora and fauna adapted to cold weather conditions. Like the rest of the forests, the value of its biodiversity is truly incalculable. In addition, areas of the boreal forest that remain intact (unaltered by humans) help mitigate global warming; since they contribute to determine both the global climate of the Earth, as well as the percentage of CO2 present in the atmosphere.
If you want to learn more about boreal forests, their characteristics, flora and fauna, don't miss this Green Ecologist article.
What are boreal forests
Boreal forests are those forests that are forming a homogeneous green belt in the circumpolar region. Geographically, they cover the territories of Russia, Canada and Alaska, as well as the countries that make up Scandinavia: Sweden, Norway and Finland; reaching an estimated surface area of 920 million hectares.
They are also known by the name of the terrestrial biome that characterizes them, the taiga, as well as for being the northernmost forests on the planet, since most of the boreal forests extend between 50º and 60º north latitude. We are talking then about forests that we can only find in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, since in the Southern Hemisphere it is possible to find continental masses at these specific latitudes.
Let's keep getting to know more closely in the next sections the incredible boreal forest biome and let's learn what its main characteristics are, as well as the flora and fauna that its forests harbor. In addition, in this other Green Ecologist article we show you what taiga is: definition and characteristics.
Characteristics of boreal forests
The region of the planet occupied by boreal forests is usually divided into three regions: maritime, continental and north-continental, the second being the one with the largest territorial extension. Let's see in more detail what weather characteristics we can find in each of these 3 boreal forest regions:
- Maritime subzone: Temperatures throughout the year are mild, with generally mild winters (reaching -3ºC in the coldest month) and cool summers (10-15ºC).
- Continental subzone: winters are longer and colder (-20ºC to -40ºC), with abundant snow covering the forests for 5 to 7 months and dry winds that lash the trees. In the summers, on the other hand, average temperatures that vary between 10 and 20 ° C are reached.
- North-continental subzone: includes the territories of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. In this area, winters are very long and extremely cold and dry (temperatures as low as -60 ºC can be reached). As for the summers, they are short-lived and relatively warm, although it can get freezing at night.
Flora of the boreal forests
In boreal forest ecosystems predominate evergreen plant species such as conifers, firs, pines and thuyas, which are also characterized by having needle-shaped leaves and fruits and seeds in the form of cones or pineapples. However, there are also many deciduous trees with which they coexist, such as birches, poplars and poplars.
According to the region of taiga biome in which they inhabit, the main species of boreal forest plants are:
- In North America: red pine of AmericaPinus resinosa), false Canadian spruce (Tsuga canadensis), yours western (Thuja occidentalis), balsam firAbies balsamea), American alder (Alnus incana), Alaska Birch (Betula neolaskana), North American black poplar (Populus tremuloides).
- In Eurasia: Scots pinePinus sylvestris), Siberian larch (Larix sibirica), Siberian fir (Abies sibirica), Asian white birch (Betula plaatyphylla), Mongolian poplar (Populus suaveolens), poplar Siebold (Populus sibda).
Boreal forest fauna
All the animals of the taiga present certain anatomical and behavioral adaptations that allow them to survive more successfully in these boreal forests where they inhabit. For example, warm-blooded vertebrates (endothermic animals) are able to conserve heat due to their large size and the presence of short appendages (both ears and snouts, legs and tails). This allows them to better adapt to the low temperatures around them and to maintain a low surface-to-volume ratio. In addition, birds and mammals have a developed insulation layer made up of feathers or skin (fat), respectively; which is usually even thicker in winter than in summer. Despite these adaptations to the climate, on many occasions, animals opt for other strategies to avoid the winter season directly, through migrations (birds) e hibernations (some mammals). You can find out more about these behaviors in these other articles on Which animals migrate and why and on Which animals hibernate and why.
Let's see, next, what are the most characteristic animals of the boreal forest:
- Birds: crossbill (Genus Loxia, whose beak allows you to easily remove the seeds from cones of conifers), boreal owl (Aegolius funereus), northern kite (Ictinia mississippiensis), fishing eagle (Pandion haliaetus), sibylline chickadee (Poecile montanus) and royal finch (Fringilla montifringilla).
- Mammals: caribouRangif.webper tarandus), grizzly (Ursus arctos), lemings (Genus Lemmus and Myopus), boreal lynx (Lynx lynx), I raised (Moose moose, the largest of the deer) and gluttons (Gulo gulo, greater of the weasels).
- Insects: some feed on conifers, such as caterpillars of the species Mesopolobus spermotrophus, weevils or weevils (Hylobius inhabits), as well as other coleopterans of the genus Dendroctonus.
If you want to read more articles similar to Boreal forests: characteristics, flora and fauna, we recommend that you enter our Ecosystems category.
Bibliography- López-Colón, J. I. & García, J. L. (11/19/2011) Boreal forests. Ecologists in Action: El Ecologista Magazine, No. 71.
- Dembner, S. (1993) Boreal forests. Magazine Forestry and Forest Industries International (Unasylva), FAO, Volume 43.
- Drafting Team. The temperature rises: Global warming and the degradation of the Canadian boreal forest. Greenpeace Spain: Executive Summary.
- Shugart, H. & Smith T. (2000) Models for predicting the dynamics of boreal forests in response to environmental change. Contribution to the analysis of boreal forest systems. Unasylva Magazine, FAO, Volume 170.
