May the notes be with you

Done By: Joshua lee, Ivan, Ming jun, Nicholas

Temperate Coniferous Forest

Location:
The forest spans across North america and Eurasia between Latitudes 60N and 70N. It can
also be found in the lower latitudes where there are high mountains. At the Southern limit,
there are mixed forests of coniferous trees and temperate deciduous trees.

Countries:
Countries where it is commonly located in is North America, Mongolia to Northern China and
Russia. Also located at southwestern South America, Pacific Northwest, the Valdivian
temperate rainforests of southwestern South America, the rain forests of New Zealand and
northwest Europe (countries like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Iceland Norway,and eastern Black
Sea-Caspian Sea region of Turkey)

Climatic Conditions:
Long and cold winters (average temperature -15 ~ 30C)
Short summers with long days short growing season (3 months).
Relatively Low precipitation (500mm) cold air unable to hold much water vapour. Winter
snowfall melts only in spring.

Plant adaptations:
Trees are conical shaped with sloping supple branches t o enable snow to roll off without
breaking them. Shape also helps to withstand strong winds.
Trees leaves small, needle-shaped and waxy to minimize transpiration. They remains
evergreen throughout the year so that the plants are able to photosynthesize as soon as the
temperature rises above 6C.
The trees grow close together for protection from the wind.
They also have thick bark, which resists damage from low-heat summer fires.
Trees that produce their seeds in cones, such as pine or fir trees, dominate the Coniferous
forest.
Trees have pine needles instead of broad leaves. They are an important
adaptation due to the climate. Pine needles contain very little sap, so freezing is
not much of a problem.
Being dark in colour they absorb what little light falls on their surfaces.
 May the notes be with you

Climograph of temperate coniferous forests

(BBC,2014)

"The clearest way into the universe

is through a forest wilderness." - John Muir

Sources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/ecosystems/coniferous_woodland_rev3.shtml

Worksheet from school

http://www.worldwildlife.org/biomes/temperate-coniferous-forest

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperate_coniferous_forest