C O N I F E R O U S
Boreal Forests
What they are:
Boreal Forests are forests of
These forests are important
There are many things that are
coniferous trees that grow in the
“Uppermost Northern Hemisphere.”
These regions are spread throughout
North America, Europe, and Asia.
The trees that make up the boreal
forests are mostly spruces, firs, and
other conifers, or needle-leaf trees.
They are also home to over two
hundred different types of birds as
well as Caribou, Lynx, Black Bear,
Moose, Coyote, Timber Wolf, and
some recovering Wood Bison. There
is little palatable food in these forests
which make living in Boreal forests
hard for many species. Another
factor that keeps most species from
being able to live in these forests are
the extreme temperatures. Some of
these forests in Russia can go from
-90ºF in the winter to more than 90ºF
in the summers.
Davies
A N D B O R E A L F
Jocelyn Davies
Why they are important:
because they cover around 12 million
square kilometers and contain around
one third of all the trees on Earth.
Because they are so large they take in
much of the carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere and produce much of the
the oxygen as well. This is proven
when these forests are in their peak
growing time because the Earth’s
carbon dioxide levels go down and
it’s oxygen levels go up. As well as
being important for the producing of
oxygen and the consumption of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the
forests are important for the animals
that live in them. This is because
many almost-extinct animals live
here. Bears and Timber Wolves who
are becoming scarce in many other
parts of the world can live in these
huge forests safely, without too much
interference from the outside world .
This helps their population grow.
O R E S T S
What is affecting them:
affecting these forests. These include
fires, acid rain, logging, and global
warming. Fire is a very destructive
but important aspect affecting these
forests. Although fire out of control
can destroy much of the biome
controlled natural fires are very
beneficial. Fires burn down dead and
diseased trees and leave healthy ash
for new plants to grow in. This
ultimately helps with the re-growth of
the forest. Acid rain also affects the
Boreal forests. Acid rain destroys the
forest and are not beneficial in any
way. The acid and chemicals from
industrial use pollute the rivers and
forest which not only damages the
forest but hurts the animals that live
in the forests and drink out of the
streams. Logging is another big
threat to these biomes.
1
 C O N I F E R O U S A N D B O R E A L F O R E S T S

Paper product companies like vast amounts of oil. Digging for this are in demand it is hard to control all
AbitibiBowater are clear cutting the oil would harm the forests now, but of the pollution. Because of these
forests which makes a great profit for with the use of this oil more carbon factors and because it would be costly
them, however it destroys these slow dioxide would be released into the and time consuming to monitor and
growing forests. One of the biggest atmosphere. Over a longer period of change the system right now there are
threats to these forests is global time this would speed up and many who are against this change.
warming. These trees are very adapt intensify global warming. This
at surviving in cold weather, would hurt the conifers and let the How it Survives
however, if the world were to warm deciduous trees take over. Conifers When anything happens in the
up deciduous trees could replace hold lots of carbon dioxide from over boreal forest the wildlife is greatly
these conifers. thousands of years. Because they impacted. Many endangered species
hold so much carbon dioxide if they live in the boreal forests because they
Effects Over the Next 20 are destroyed they would release are protected by the vast amounts of
Years and Beyond. more carbon dioxide into the land. This allows for many
Over the next twenty years if atmosphere. This would speed up endangered species to grow. The
things continue on this course with global warming even more and boreal biome is a very special place,
trees being clear cut and pollution would be very bad for the human with animals like the White Hare who
being pumped into the atmosphere race on Earth. adapts to the environment by
then much of the Boreal Forest will growing a new coat of fur that is
begin to disappear. Boreal forests are
Controversial Issues brown or white according to the
one of the biggest consumers of There are many environmentalists season. The plants there also adapt to
carbon dioxide in the world. The who argue that the forests need to be the environment by growing needles
forests are also one of the largest watched and monitored. Because instead of leaves because needles
producers of oxygen and if they were much of these forests are being clear loose less water than regular leaves
to disappear we could begin to have a cut for use as timber and paper do which allows the trees to grow as
shortage of oxygen all over the world. products the size of the forests are soon as it is warm enough.
However these issues would only decreasing. However, because these
intensify without the boreal forests. forests give jobs, and because things
Beneath the boreal forests there are like acid rain are produced from
factories that make products which
Bibliography:
"Boreal Forest." Glencoe Science Biology. Ohio: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 68. Print.
Ritter, Michael E. "An Introduction to Physical Geography." The Physical Environment. 2006. Web. 8 Dec. 2009. <http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/
geog101/textbook/biogeography/biomes_northern_forest.html>.
Runesson, Ulf T. "Overview." Boreal Forest. 2002. Web. 8 Dec. 2009. <http://www.borealforest.org/index.php?category=world_boreal_forest&page=overview>.
Save the Boreal Forest. Green Peace. Web. 8 Dec. 2009. <http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/boreal>.
www.stellapolaris.fi/.../sivukuvat/20__KITK.JPG
http://media.photobucket.com/image/boreal forest/edaukte/wallpapers/Mount-Edith-Cavell-Jasper-National-.jpg?o=25" target="_blank"><img src="http://
i127.photobucket.com/albums/p122/edaukte/wallpapers/Mount-Edith-Cavell-Jasper-National-.jpg" border="0"></a>
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.greengardenearth.com/graphics/almanac/003/altai_taiga.jpg

2 Davies