Ecology Blog 4: Biome

The Boreal forest, also known as Taiga, are dense evergreen forests of coniferous trees. The winters are extremely cold, but the summers tend to be mild and long enough for the ground to thaw. Abiotic factors include moderate precipitation; high humidity; and acidic, nutrient-poor soils. Because of these conditions, the dominant plants are needleleaf coniferous trees such as spruce and fir; some broadleaf deciduous trees; and small, berry-bearing shrubs. Because of the harsh conditions only these plants can thrive.