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taiga, biome (major life zone) of vegetation composed primarily of cone-bearing needle-leaved or scale-leaved evergreen trees, found in northern circumpolar forested regions characterized by long winters and moderate to high annual precipitation.
In the taiga biome the Sun is never directly overhead (90°) as it can be in the tropics. The maximum solar angle decreases with increasing latitude. At latitude 50° N in the southern part of the taiga biome the maximum solar angle is 63.5°, and at the Arctic Circle it is only 47°.
Taiga - Boreal Forest, Ecology, Species: The taiga is well adapted to development following natural disturbances, which include fire, floods, snow breakage, and insect outbreaks. Characteristic of the taiga is the general lack of late successional species that develop under an intact forest canopy.
Soil organisms are protozoans, nematodes, and rotifers; larger invertebrates (e.g., insects) that decompose plant litter are lacking, so humus accumulates very slowly. The taiga is rich in fur-bearing animals (e.g., sable, fox, and ermine) and is home to elks, bears, and wolves.
North America - Boreal Forest, Wildlife, Ecosystems: One of the greatest sweeps of forest in the world, the boreal forest (or taiga) extends in a vast and virtually unbroken sheet of green eastward from the Aleutian Islands through Alaska and northern Canada to the island of Newfoundland.
The taiga is one of the major biomes of the world. Biomes are regions with similar climates and plants and animals. The main feature of the taiga is its conifer forests. Conifers are trees that form seeds inside cones. The taiga grows across northern Europe, Asia, and North America. Another name for taiga is boreal forest.
In the North American taiga the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is adapted to consume fungi, especially underground fruiting bodies (sporocarps) of fungi that form mutually beneficial relationships (mutualism) with trees by colonizing their roots.
One constant factor shaping the tundra is alternate freezing and thawing of the ground. Along with the factors mentioned above, this freeze-thaw cycle sets the tundra apart from two ecosystems frequently found adjacent to it—the icy polar barrens on the one hand and the evergreen taiga on the other.
The taiga biome is estimated to contain about 18 percent of Earth’s total biomass (the dry weight of organic matter). The taiga of Siberia alone represents 57 percent of Earth’s coniferous wood volume.
Soil organisms. The species richness and total biomass of soil organisms are significantly lower in the taiga than they are at lower latitudes. Dominant soil organisms are protozoans, nematodes, rotifers, and tardigrades. These organisms live primarily in soil water film and soil pore water.