© Victoria Chapman & Associates
CASE STUDY: A VISIT TO THE NORTHERN CONIFER FOREST BIOME
E
B
G1
F1
F2
D
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F3
C
A
A Climate: A conifer
forest has long, cold,
snowy winters and short,
warm summers. Bogs and
pools of water dot the
forest after the late spring
thaw.
Conifers: Thin,
needle-like conifer leaves
have waxy coatings that
hold in water during cold,
windy weather. Conifers
produce seeds in cones.
B
C Forest floor: Few
plants poke through the
thick layer of needles that
fall to the shady forest
floor. Mites and other tiny
insects live in this litter.
Mosses carpet the ground
and sponge up water.
Fungi: Fungi send out
long feeder threads
(hyphae). These help break
down (decompose) debris.
Many trees need certain
D
fungi in order to grow
(see 3.08).
E Light openings: Bogs
and waterways create
openings in the forest.
Sunlight reaches through
them to bushes and trees
such as willows and
birches that can survive the
cold winters.
Mammals: Mammals
wear thick fur coats for
the very long winters.
Moose F1 , caribou, foxes,
grizzly bears, wolves,
wolverines, red squirrels
F2 , and others live in the
forest. Mink F3 , muskrats,
and beavers live at
streamside.
Birds: Woodpeckers,
wax-wings, finches, and
other year-round birds
feed on insects in summer,
berries and seeds in
winter. The crossbill G1
has a crossed beak
adapted for digging seeds
out of cones. On the
ground, spruce grouse
scratch for buds, seeds,
insects, and even pine
needles. The Northern
shrike hunts frogs, mice
and other birds, impaling
its prey on thorns or
barbed wire. Hawks and
owls hunt here, too.