Because of this pruning effect, in some areas tangled, ground-hugging mats of black spruce and balsam fir called "krummholz" occur. In some parts of the taiga, prevailing winds during the rest of the year create lopsided trees and shrubs. The cold wind damages or kills growth on the side of the tree the wind encounters first. The tree's leeward side is protected from the wind and so remains relatively undamaged. Cape Breton Highlands National Park. What should the ecosystem actually be like?
What is the park doing to help reduce ecosystem stressors? What can we all do to help? Taiga region The taiga forest region is made up of scrub forest, extensive stretches of boggy wetlands and rocky barrens above metres.
The unique natural history of this area includes an unrivalled showcase of bald Precambrian bedrock that dates back to the planet's earliest days. Dotting the ancient landscape are millions of lakes and wetlands that were carved by successive waves of glacial erosion or which conform to natural depression in the bedrock.
The Taiga Shield is an ecological crossroads where climates, soils, plants, birds, and mammals from two worlds -- the Boreal and the Arctic -- meet. In the Northwest Territories, settlement of the ecozone began over 7 years ago as the Paleo-Indians followed Barren-ground Caribou northwards in the wake of receding glaciers.
In the taiga, tree growth is thickest beside muskegs and lakes formed by glaciers. Taigas have few native plants besides conifers. The soil of the taiga has few nutrient s.
It can also freeze, making it difficult for many plants to take root. The larch is one of the only deciduous trees able to survive in the freezing northern taiga. Instead of shrub s and flower s, mosses, lichen s, and mushroom s cover the floor of a taiga.
These organisms can grow directly on the ground, or have very shallow root s. They can survive in the cold, and with little water or sunlight. Animals of the Taiga Many kinds of animal s live in the taiga.
All animals have to be well- adapt ed to the cold. Bird s native to the taiga usually migrate south during the freezing winter months.
Small animals, mostly rodent s, live close to the floor. Many birds of prey , such as owl s and eagle s, hunt these animals from the trees of the taiga. Moose, the largest type of deer in the world, is able to live in the cold taiga. Like all deer, moose are herbivore s. Few large carnivorous animals live in the taiga.
Bear s and lynx are fairly common. The largest cat in the world, the kilogram pound Siberian tiger , is a native taiga species. Siberian tigers live in a small part of eastern Siberia. They hunt moose and wild boar s. Threats to Taigas Taiga ecosystem s are threatened by direct human activity and climate change. Animals of the taiga, such as foxes or bears, have always been hunted. Their warm fur and tough skin, turned into leather , have helped people survive in harsh climates for thousands of years.
The most serious threat to taigas does not come from hunting activity, however. Civilization is dependent on sturdy buildings for homes, industry , and schools.
The trees of the taiga are cut down for lumber projects, as well as paper, cardboard , and other supplies. The export of wood and paper products is one of the most economically important industries in Canada, for instance. Clearcutting is the most popular type of logging in taigas. Clearcutting involves cutting down all the trees in a designate d area. This destroys habitats for many organisms that live in and around the trees, and makes it difficult for new trees to grow.
Clearcutting also increases the risk of erosion and flooding in the taiga. This exposes the bedrock and permafrost beneath the taiga, which does not support many forms of life. Climate change puts taigas in danger in different ways. Warming climate contributes to a partial thaw ing of the permafrost. Since this water has no place to drain, more area of the taiga is taken over by muskegs. Few trees take root.
Warming temperature also changes animal habitats. It pushes native species out and attracts non-native species. Animals such as the Siberian tiger are not adapted to warm weather. Its coat is too heavy, and it stores too much body fat to thrive in a temperate habitat.
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