So what is a boreal forest? People often ask such a question when they first meet this concept in the media and on the Internet. From English, boreal is translated as "northern".
Therefore, the generally accepted formulation is as follows: a boreal forest is a forest located north of 60 от north latitude and south of 60˚ south latitude. According to estimates, such forests occupy an area of 1.2 billion hectares. This represents 30% of the total world forest resource of the Earth.
Geography of Boreal Forests
About 70% of such forests are located in Russia. It is followed by Alaska and Canada, as well as European countries, the bulk of which are Finland, Norway, Sweden. You need to know that boreal forests represent 17% of all carbon reserves on Earth. In Russia they are called taiga. Coniferous species of trees mainly grow here: pines, spruce, fir. But there are larches in more arid places.
The reason for such a massive distribution of this type of rock is associated with the climatic conditions of these regions of the Earth. It is cold here in winter. The temperature can drop to -54˚C. And the summer is cool. This leads to the fact that precipitation leaves leave the soil moist for a long time, which creates favorable conditions for the habitat of moisture-loving plants. And conifers themselves help the accumulation of water in the ground. Fallen needles are the best insulator against moisture evaporation. As a rule, the vital activity of people in such forests is minimized. Boreal forests often become protected areas. Due to the fact that they are huge reserves of wood, the question arises of the rational consumption of this resource.
Boreal Forest Animals
Boreal coniferous forests create living conditions for a large number of animals. Among them are deer, moose, brown bears, northern owls, wolverines, hares, etc. Rare representatives of the fauna:
- Amur tiger. According to some reports, the population of these predators is about 3, 000 individuals. Therefore, they are listed in the Red Book. The main diet of this wild cat is made up of deer, wild boars, raisins. A tiger consumes about 10 kg of meat per day. Its menu also includes fish, as he is a wonderful swimmer. The habitat of the Amur tiger extends from the border of Russia with China to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
- Dikusha - a bird that lives in the boreal coniferous forests of the taiga - is a representative of the grouse family. Its size is not more than 50 cm. Basically, it eats plant foods, but can be used as food and needles. Thanks to a calm disposition, it becomes easy prey for hunters and predators. Also listed in the Red Book.
Boreal forest flora
Boreal forests are a storehouse of vegetation. Spruce is the main representative of such forests. Due to its unpretentiousness, it can grow as a separate massif in the coniferous thicket, or in a mixed forest, together with deciduous trees. Pine is the "queen" of coniferous forest. The age of pine can reach 500 years or more. The height of such a long-liver reaches 80 meters, and the diameter of the trunk can be 4 meters. Fir is less common and differs from spruce with softer needles and a less odorous smell.
Another famous representative of coniferous forest was Siberian cedar. Its nuts are very appreciated due to the presence of a large number of nutrients and medicinal elements. Each cone can contain up to 150 nuts.
Larch is considered the most frost-resistant tree on the planet. It can withstand ambient temperatures up to -70 ° C. If we talk about hardwoods of the boreal forest, then the first place, of course, is birch. It is distributed almost everywhere, to the Arctic Circle. Aspen is a congener of poplar. And also very common. Her young shoot is a treat for hares, moose and deer. The green alder is a representative of the birch family. In the north, it can be a small shrub, and in the south - a tree 6 meters high. Much less common in the boreal forest are linden, mountain ash and juniper.
