Coniferous forests make up a large part of the wooded area in countries such as Spain and Mexico, as well as in countries in the northern areas. In addition to supporting their respective ecosystems, both in generating biomass and offering protection, avoiding soil erosion and much more, they also provide important services to humans, especially thanks to forestry practices.
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What are coniferous forests
The coniferous forests They are a type of forest mass mainly comprised of pines, firs and other trees known as conifers. Conifers are needle-shaped evergreens or scale and woody type and, as its name indicates, its reproductive structures are arranged in the form of cones.
These forests are usually adapted to large climatic variations. They are also usually in areas where, at least part of the year, there is not a large amount of water available. That is why they have leaves with a very small surface, which reduces perspiration. Many of these species are pyrophilic, which means that they are little affected by forest fires, and even their reproductive cycle can be benefited by them.
Coniferous forests: main characteristics
After seeing what coniferous forests are, we are going to detail their main characteristics, such as flora and fauna of coniferous forests:
Flora of coniferous forests
The flora of these forests is usually organized in two well differentiated layers: canopy and understory. The canopy is made up of the mass formed by the treetops, while the understory is made up of small conifers, bushes and ferns closer to the ground. The trees that make up the canopy have better access to sunlight, while the understory is better protected from inclement weather. As already mentioned, conifers have very small leaves and a tough bark. But it is not the only thing that differentiates them from other plants: these trees belong to the group of gymnosperms.
Gymnosperms are plants that do not have "true flowers." The main characteristic of gymnosperms is that they alternate haploid (with a single copy of the genetic material) and diploid (with two copies, that is, a repeated set of chromosomes) cycles in alternate generations. The diploid individual is known as "sporophyte", and the haploid, which sits on top of the sporophyte, "gametophyte". Pineapples and other woody structures host the gametophyte as a whole, which will be responsible for generating a new sporophyte (a new tree) if the conditions are right. Some pineapples open with the heat of the fire. Here we tell you more about Gymnosperm Plants, what they are, characteristics and examples.
It is important to note the great proliferation of coniferous forests used for forestry, since they are fast growing trees that generate a good quality wood. These plantations can be easily distinguished from native forests because the trees are arranged in rows and the understory is practically absent.
Coniferous forests: fauna
Many coniferous forests are located in mountainous or cold-climate areas that are covered with snow and ice for at least part of the year. The leaves, in addition to preventing perspiration, also facilitate the fall of snow to the ground. These climatic conditions largely determine the fauna that can inhabit this type of forest. For example, when the climate is cold, the presence of mammals with thick layers of fur is common. It is common to find species of beavers, porcupines, elk, rabbits, bats, shrews … All these animals live in the understory.
The most numerous animals, however, are birds, which can occupy both the understory and the canopy. These birds have different types of adaptations, since their food source can be varied: they can feed on the seeds of conifers (for example sparrows), insects (robins) or small mammals (birds of prey such as tawny owls, owls, etc).
Where are coniferous forests?
The coniferous forests are found mostly in the North Hemisphere of the planet. They cover large areas in the United States, Canada and Asia, mainly in forested areas such as the taiga. Discover in this other article by Green Ecologist What is taiga, its definition and characteristics.
However, they can also be found in countries closer to the tropics, such as Mexico and Spain, although these areas are more temperate, the characteristic that defines their slopes is their dryness.
Coniferous forests in Spain
In Spain, coniferous forests are relegated mainly to low mountainous areas, such as Pyrenees, Picos de Europa or the Central System. Different species of pine are very frequent, such as Pinus pinaster or Pinus silvestris. In the Canary Islands there is also the Pinus canariensis, which is easily distinguished from the rest because its needles are grouped three by three, instead of in pairs.
In recent years, important efforts have been made to restore the populations of large mammals, such as Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus) in the Central System or the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the Pyrenees area.
Coniferous forests in Mexico
Mexico has pine forests located in temperate zones. They grow from sea level to above 4000 meters, covering a wide range of altitudes and subclimates. The greatest diversity is found in mountainous forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental. They are home to more than 90 different species of conifers, of which about half are endemic to the country.
In Mexico, the conservation strategies of these forests stand out so that they can support the migration of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus).
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