Taiga

by S and Y

Biodiversity is the different forms of life within a biome or ecosystem.

Biodiversity also tells us how all species coexist with one another keeping their biome balanced.

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BIODIVERSITY

MEANING

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT

The Taiga Biome is most known for its coniferous trees. These trees have distinct needle or scale-like leaves and produce bear cone-like fruit. These trees are called Evergreen.

Fun fact: Taiga in Russian means ”lands of the little sticks.”

Taiga biomes are characterized by their long winters and moderate to high annual precipitation creating its diverse ecosystem.

The common plants found in the taiga are spruce, conifers, lichens, and moss. Not many plants can grow in the Taiga biome because the soil lacks a lot of nutrients and during the season, the soil FREEZES

The taiga biome is home to the Moose, Beaver, Lynx, Brown Bear, Red Fox, Wolverine, Boreal Chorus Frogs, Crossbills, and mosquitoes. The wildlife there keeps the taiga balanced by having herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Without balance, The taiga will cease to exist because either the biome will have too many herbivores and eat the biome away, or the biome will have too many carnivores limiting the source of food and causing the animals to move on to a different biome

Clearcutting destroys habitats for many organisms and makes it difficult for new trees to grow. It also increases the risk of erosion and flooding in the taiga.

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Mining can cause damage to a landscape in an area much larger than the mining site itself. It can even continue years after a mine site has shut down, including to the addition of erosion of land and greenhouse gasses.

HUNTING

MINING

Animals spread seed through their waste so hunting them down can affect pollination. Also hunting can cause extinction of species whether done illegally or legally.

CLEAR CUTTING

Human Activities

Ways to protect taiga

• Communities can recycle resources such as paper. People can purchase toilet paper made from recycled content and use reusable paper towels instead of the regular ones. They can also reuse mining waste.

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• To reduce illegal hunting, people can stop buying endangered and exotic animal products. They can also write letters to the governor about the dangers of hunting.

Ways to protect taiga

WAYS TO PROTECT

• The government can enact stricter laws on hunting, mining and cutting down trees. For example shutting down illegal mining sites, can stop illegal wood products from entering the US.

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One of the most endangered species in the Taiga is the Grizzly bear. Because of the mass genocide of bears for a “hunting sport”, the population of bears as of 2010 has now become 691. The way we can stop this species from going extinct is by banning bear hunting.

SUMMARY

Biodiversity is the different forms of life within a biome or ecosystem. The Taiga biome is characterized by its coniferous trees and diverse ecosystem. Taiga biomes are among the world's leading providers of ecosystem services, including carbon storage and clean water. However, activities such as clearcutting, hunting, and mining are threatening the biodiversity of the Taiga. To prevent further harm, individuals can recycle resources, avoid buying endangered animal products, and speak out against these destructive practices. Governments can also implement stricter laws to protect the Taiga and its endangered species, such as the Grizzly bear. By taking action, we can help preserve the unique biodiversity of the Taiga biome.

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