The Coniferious Forest can be also known as a "temperate rain forest." This is because of its lush vegitation such as conifers, redwoods, hemlock, dogwoods, and rhododendron. These forests are found in Canada, Northeren part of Asia, Europe, and in the west of the United States of America. Geographical features of this forest include mountains, valleys, rolling hills, and flat plateaus. The climate of a coniferous forest varies greatly as the seasons change. Usually winters are snowy and cold, and the summers are hot and sometimes humid.
Biotic Factors:
- Animals: moose, elk, wolves, birds, owls, weasles, foxes, mice, squirrels, lynx, skunk
- Plant life: there are many plants but the dominate ones are pine, fir, cedar and spruce trees. Mosses are found mostly everywhere
Coniferous forests cover huge areas but have few plants and animals than any other forest. Therefore, many animals have to compete for food and shelter.
Abiotic Factors:
- Precipitation: there is vast precipitation in the fall, winter, and spring. average rainfall 14-29.5 inches
- Heat: there is a regulation of heat because of the sunlight is absorbed by the dark colors of the trees causing a consistent temperature.
- Soil: there is acidic soil formed below the soil by rainfall dissolving sediments.
- Temperature: summer has an average temperature of 57.2°F and winter has an average temperature of 14°F. This forest has moist air from the Pacific Ocean; this influences the climate. It is also found in temperate regions with warm summers and cool winters.
Biotic Factors:
- Animals: moose, elk, wolves, birds, owls, weasles, foxes, mice, squirrels, lynx, skunk
- Plant life: there are many plants but the dominate ones are pine, fir, cedar and spruce trees. Mosses are found mostly everywhere
Coniferous forests cover huge areas but have few plants and animals than any other forest. Therefore, many animals have to compete for food and shelter.
Abiotic Factors:
- Precipitation: there is vast precipitation in the fall, winter, and spring. average rainfall 14-29.5 inches
- Heat: there is a regulation of heat because of the sunlight is absorbed by the dark colors of the trees causing a consistent temperature.
- Soil: there is acidic soil formed below the soil by rainfall dissolving sediments.
- Temperature: summer has an average temperature of 57.2°F and winter has an average temperature of 14°F. This forest has moist air from the Pacific Ocean; this influences the climate. It is also found in temperate regions with warm summers and cool winters.
Location of Coniferous Forests
Above shows where Coniferious forests are located. They are located in the northeran hemisphere specificaly in Canada, Northeren part of Asia, Europe, and in the west of the United States of America.
Map from http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/coniferous/c_forest.htm
Map from http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/coniferous/c_forest.htm
Coniferous Forest Food Web
Symbiotic Relationships
Mutualism is a relationship when both organisms benefit each other. For example Elk and Moose have a mutualism relationship. This is because they watch out for dangers such as their predator, wolves. Squirrels and oak trees also have the same type of relationship. This is because the squirrels get food and shelter when the tree gets it seeds spread out to other areas.
Parasitism is a relationship when one organism is benefited, but the other is harmed. Ticks and any red blooded animal such as owls, foxes, and wolves have a parasitism relationship. This is because the ticks harm the animals by feeding on their blood which may cause them to become ill. The ticks are benefited, while the animals are harmed. Mistletoes and trees also have this relationship. This is because Mistletoes grow on trees which can cause the tree to die because its water and nutrients are beeing taken away.
Commensalism is a relationship when one organism is benefited when the other is nether harmed or helped. A owl and a tree have a commensalism relationship. This is because the owl has a shelter from the tree. The tree is not beeing harmed or benefited by the owl.
Parasitism is a relationship when one organism is benefited, but the other is harmed. Ticks and any red blooded animal such as owls, foxes, and wolves have a parasitism relationship. This is because the ticks harm the animals by feeding on their blood which may cause them to become ill. The ticks are benefited, while the animals are harmed. Mistletoes and trees also have this relationship. This is because Mistletoes grow on trees which can cause the tree to die because its water and nutrients are beeing taken away.
Commensalism is a relationship when one organism is benefited when the other is nether harmed or helped. A owl and a tree have a commensalism relationship. This is because the owl has a shelter from the tree. The tree is not beeing harmed or benefited by the owl.
References
Northwestern coniferous forest. (2013). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/northwesternbiomes
Coniferous forest. (2009). Retrieved from http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/coniferous/c_forest.htm
NASA. (n.d.). Coniferous forest . Retrieved from http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/bioconiferous.php
Photos:
(2010). Red Fox [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://foxesareamazing.webs.com/caresheets.htm
(2013, October 07). Weasel [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel
(2013, October 17). Elk [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/elk.htm
(2013, September 26). Eurasian lynx kitten [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_lynx
Alan, D. (Photographer). Pilleated Woodpecker [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.nebraskabirds.org/www/habitats/deciduous_birds.htm
Arbour, D. (Photographer). The Barred Owl [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.seattleaudubon.org/sas/LearnAboutBirds/SeasonalFacts/Owls.aspx
CAN3 - Grey Wolf at Omega [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.jon-atkinson.com/Canada_Wildlife.html
[Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/animals/5838.php
Northwestern coniferous forest. (2013). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/northwesternbiomes
Coniferous forest. (2009). Retrieved from http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/coniferous/c_forest.htm
NASA. (n.d.). Coniferous forest . Retrieved from http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/bioconiferous.php
Photos:
(2010). Red Fox [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://foxesareamazing.webs.com/caresheets.htm
(2013, October 07). Weasel [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel
(2013, October 17). Elk [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/elk.htm
(2013, September 26). Eurasian lynx kitten [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_lynx
Alan, D. (Photographer). Pilleated Woodpecker [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.nebraskabirds.org/www/habitats/deciduous_birds.htm
Arbour, D. (Photographer). The Barred Owl [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.seattleaudubon.org/sas/LearnAboutBirds/SeasonalFacts/Owls.aspx
CAN3 - Grey Wolf at Omega [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.jon-atkinson.com/Canada_Wildlife.html
[Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/animals/5838.php