Although perhaps not as well known, boreal forests represent almost a third of the Earth's total forest area. He boreal forest It is a wonder of flora and fauna adapted to cold climatic conditions. Like other forests, the value of its biodiversity is truly immeasurable. Furthermore, the areas of these forests that remain intact, unmodified by humans and help mitigate global warming.
In this article we are going to tell you what boreal forests are, their characteristics, flora and fauna.
What are boreal forests?
The circumpolar region is home to a continuous expanse of lush, green forests known as boreal forests. These forests extend Russia, Canada, Alaska, Sweden, Norway and Finland, creating a vast territory covering approximately 920 million hectares.
These forests, commonly known as taiga, are recognized for their association with the terrestrial biome that defines them. Additionally, they have the distinction of being the northernmost of all forests on Earth, occupying most of the boreal region between 50º and 60º north latitude. It is important to note that these forests are unique to the Northern Hemisphere, as continental landmasses can be found in the Southern Hemisphere at similar latitudes.
When examining boreal forests, it is common to categorize the region into three distinct areas: maritime, continental, and northern continental. Of these three regions, the largest in terms of territorial extension is the continental region. Let's delve into the specific climatological attributes that can be observed within each of these three boreal forest regions.
The origins of this biome date back to the last phase of the Pleistocene (23.000 to 16.500 years ago), the end of the last Ice Age. In a colder world, their plant species were widely distributed around the world, but when the glaciers began to retreat 18.000 years ago, their numbers were reduced to the limits they occupy today.
boreal forests, Like tropical rainforests, they are one of the lungs of the earth. But unlike these, it does not have a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, but it is an example of life adapted to cold, dry and harsh climates, a precursor to the frozen deserts of the polar regions. However, it is an important source of wood for industrial purposes.
Climatological zones of boreal forests
In the maritime subzone, the climate remains consistently temperate throughout the year, with generally mild winters, which They reach temperatures as low as -3 ºC in the coldest month, and cool summers with temperatures ranging between 10 and 15 ºC. On the other hand, the continental subzone experiences longer and colder winters, with temperatures falling between -20 ºC and -40 ºC. Snowfall is abundant and covers the forests for 5 to 7 months, accompanied by dry winds that whip the trees. However, summers in this subzone cause a change in temperatures, averaging between 10 and 20 °C.
The northern continental subzone encompasses eastern Siberia and the Far East, and is characterized by a long duration of frigid, arid winters, with temperatures falling to -60°C. In contrast, summers in this region are short but moderately warm, although nighttime temperatures can still fall below freezing.
Flora of boreal forests
Within boreal forest ecosystems, evergreen plant species predominate, including conifers, spruce, pine, and thuja. These species are distinguished by their needle-shaped leaves and their cone- or pineapple-shaped fruits and seeds. However, Along with these evergreen trees, a variety of deciduous trees, such as birches and poplars, also coexist harmoniously.
The main plant species found in boreal forests vary depending on the specific region within the taiga biome they inhabit. A wide variety of tree species can be found in North America such as the American red pine (Pinus resinosa), the false Canada spruce (Tsuga canadensis), the western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), the balsam fir (Abies balsamea), the American alder. (Alnus incana), Alaskan birch (Betula neoalaskana) and North American black poplar (Populus tremuloides). On the other hand, in Eurasia there are different species including the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), the Siberian larch (Larix sibirica), the Siberian fir (Abies sibirica), the Asian white birch (Betula platyphylla), the poplar Mongolian poplar (Populus suaveolens), and Siebold's poplar (Populus sieboldii).
The characteristics, flora, and fauna of boreal forests are intricately intertwined, and the flora plays an important role in shaping the habitat of the diverse fauna that thrives in these ecosystems.
Fauna adaptations
To thrive in their boreal forest habitats, taiga animals possess specific anatomical and behavioral adaptations. One of these adaptations is observed in warm-blooded vertebrates, or endothermic animals, which are able to conserve heat thanks to their large size and the presence of short appendages, such as ears, snouts, legs and tails. This It allows them to better acclimatize to frigid temperatures and maintain a favorable surface-to-volume ratio.
Additionally, birds and mammals have developed insulating layers composed of feathers or blubber, respectively, which tend to be even thicker during the winter months. Despite these climate-related adaptations, animals often employ alternative strategies to directly avoid the winter season, such as migration in the case of birds or hibernation in certain mammal species.
Let's see what are the different animal species that inhabit the boreal forest region. Bird species present in this habitat include the crossbill, known for its specialized beak that effortlessly extracts seeds from conifer cones, as well as the northern owl, the northern kite, the osprey, the great tit and the royal finch. Among the mammals that inhabit this area are caribou, brown bears, lemmings, boreal lynx, elk (the largest member of the deer family), and wolverines (the largest of the weasels).
Insects found in this ecosystem include caterpillars of the species Mesopolobus spermotrophus, weevils (Hylobius abietis) and various beetles of the genus Dendroctonus, some of which feed on conifers.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about boreal forests and their importance.