Boreal Forest Ecosystem

What Is a Boreal Forest?

Word of the Week

Conifer

Conifers are a group of evergreen trees with needle-like leaves that produce seeds in woody cones. Conifers are well adapted for cold, snowy climates.

Pine trees, spruce trees, and fir trees are all examples of conifers.

Species Spotlight

American Beaver

Castor canadensis

The American beaver is a large species of rodent native many parts of North America. In fact, they are the second largest rodent in the world behind the capybara. They can reach up to 60-lbs with females being larger than males. Beavers are found throughout many parts of the United States and have mastered living in the cold, snowy conditions of the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska. Many of us know beavers for the huge dams they build that can change entire ecosystems! While they don't live in the dam (they live in a lodge located in the pond the dam creates), dams create homes for many other organisms in the ecosystem. Because beavers change the environment with their behaviors, we call them ecosystem engineers.

Beavers are found throughout boreal forest ecosystems and use their large, orange teeth to gnaw through trees. They use these trunks and branches to stop the flow of water in rivers, which floods shorelines and creates important wetland habitat! Ducks, frogs, muskrats, and even moose benefit from the new habitat the beavers create. Water is also filtered as it passes through the dams, creating clean, healthy water for plants and animals downstream.

Button
Button

Conservation Corner

Why Should We Protect the Boreal Forest?

The boreal forest is the world's largest land ecosystem. It stretches across northern North America, Europe, and Asia and is home to thousands of plant and animal species. Unfortunately, like all forests, the boreal forest is under threat. Not only is it destroyed for human development or wood collection, it is also affected by greenhouse gas emissions and the changing climate. As greenhouse gases are building up in the atmosphere, the overall temperature in the boreal forest has increased and rain and snow patterns have changed. Harmful gases in the atmosphere also cause acid rain, which affects the soil and water. This has slowly changed the types of plants that grow in each region and has made it easier for bugs and other pests to thrive.

Boreal forests not only act as a carbon sink, absorbing harmful carbon dioxide and releasing helpful oxygen, but are also home to incredible species found nowhere else in the world. You can help protect boreal forests the same way you protect all ecosystems! Use less energy, create less waste, and think about your impact on the planet with your daily tasks.

Quiz

Quiz Printable

Boreal Forest Vs. Rainforest

Compare and contrast characteristics of the boreal forest and the rainforest.

Boreal Vs. Rainforest Printable

Boreal Forest Challenge

Beginner

Using markers, Play-Doh, foam, or whatever medium you have available, create a boreal forest! Make sure to include what types of plants and animals we would find and what the weather is like. Then, think about how those plants and animals survive in your forest.
Worksheet
Expert

Using the worksheet below, identify the characteristics of a conifer and describe how these traits help conifers thrive in the extreme boreal forest ecosystem.
Worksheet

Glossary

Abiotic

A part of an ecosystem that is nonliving.

Arctic

Freezing cold region surrounding the North Pole.

Biotic

A living organism.

Boreal Forest

A large ecosystem found in arctic regions characterized by freezing temperatures and dense evergreen trees. It is also known as the taiga.

Brumate

A state of inactivity in ectotherms (cold-blooded animals) during the winter months.

Camouflage

A strategy used by many animals that allows them to blend into their environment.

Conifer

A group of trees that has needle-like leaves and produces seeds inside of woody cones.

Ecosystem

An area of the planet filled with living and nonliving things that interact.

Greenhouse Gas

A gas largely produced by burning nonrenewable resources that traps heat near the Earth's surface. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases are all greenhouse gases.

Hibernate

A state of inactivity in endotherms (warm-blooded animals) during the winter months.

Migration

The process of an animal moving to a new location often during a specific season.

Rainforest

A tropical ecosystem that receives a large amount of rain, has trees that form a closed canopy, and is warm year-round.

Temperate Forest

A forest ecosystem found between tropical and boreal regions that typical has cold winters and warm summers.

Tundra

An ecosystem characterized by freezing cold temperatures and a mostly barren landscape.

Wetland

An ecosystem that is either permanently or seasonally covered by water.