Taiga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taiga
Jack London Lake in Kolyma, Russia
The taiga is found throughout the high northern latitudes, between the tundra and the temperate forest, from about 50°N to 70°N, but with considerable regional variation.
Ecology
Biome	Terrestrial subarctic humid
Geography
Countries	Russia Mongolia Japan Norway Sweden Iceland Finland United States Canada Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon (France)
Climate type	Dfc Dwc Dsc Dfd Dwd Dsd

The taiga is the largest land biome on planet Earth. People also call this giant natural area the boreal forest or the snow forest. It is a northern forest full of coniferous trees like pines, spruces, and larches. These evergreen woods cover huge spaces across the cold northern parts of the globe.

In North America, this forest covers most of inland Canada and Alaska. It also dips into parts of the northern contiguous United States. In Eurasia, the biome spans across Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It stretches through Karelia across Russia all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Much of Siberia belongs to this huge green belt. Smaller patches appear in northern Mongolia, northern Kazakhstan, and on Hokkaido in northern Japan.

The forest has not been around forever. It formed about 12,000 years ago during the Holocene epoch after the Late Pleistocene. Ancient glaciers like the Laurentide Ice Sheet in North America once covered these lands. The Scandinavian Ice Sheet covered parts of Northern Europe too. Before the trees grew, the dry mammoth steppe spread over these regions. As the ancient ice melted away, trees moved north and created the boreal forest.

What Is the Taiga Forest?

The heavily traversed Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York form the southernmost part of the Eastern forest-boreal transition ecoregion, constituting part of the world's taiga biome.

The word taiga comes from a Russian word for dense, swampy forests. Historically, people used this name across northern Eurasia. It likely traces back to ancient Turkic or Mongolic words for mountain forests. Today, scientists use both terms when talking about these vast northern ecosystems.

In North America, people often call the broad forest belt the boreal forest. They might use taiga only for the far northern edge near the tundra. In Russia and northern Europe, taiga usually describes the entire forest zone. Both names refer to the same amazing world of evergreens, snow, and rivers.

These forests grow in flat lowlands and on rolling hills across the north. Sometimes taiga climbs up cool hillsides toward high mountain peaks. Near tall peaks, the trees become small, twisted shapes called Krummholz. There, the taiga touches the windy alpine tundra. Lower down, the trees stand tall in deep valleys and wide river basins.

Climate and Geography of the Cold North

Siberian taiga

The taiga covers about 11.5% of the total land on Earth. That equals roughly 17 million square kilometers of wild territory. Only deserts and xeric shrublands cover more land area. The biggest parts of the forest spread through Russia and Canada. In Sweden, the biome matches the famous Norrland terrain.

Temperature and Winter Weather

White spruce taiga in the Alaska Range, Alaska, United States

Winters in the taiga are long, dark, and bitter cold. Only the polar ice caps and the open tundra have colder yearly temperatures. The average yearly temperature ranges from −5°C to 5°C. Extreme winter lows can drop far below −40°C in inland regions.

Parts of eastern Siberia and the Yukon experience temperatures down to −10°C on average. The town of Oymyakon in Russia holds record cold temperatures for the Northern Hemisphere. A typical winter day can hover near −20°C. In contrast, an average summer day can reach a pleasant 18°C.

Scientists place this region into the subarctic climate zone. In the Köppen climate classification, it uses codes like Dfc and Dwd. Summers are warm and humid, but they only last one to three months. Freezing winter weather dominates the landscape for five to seven long months.

Some places have continuous permafrost, where the ground stays permanently frozen deep down. Trees like the Siberian larch can grow there because their roots spread wide. In warmer spots, discontinuous permafrost appears in scattered patches beneath the surface.

The Short Growing Season

Boreal forest near Shovel Point in Tettegouche State Park, along the northern shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota.

Plants only have a limited window of time to grow each year. This period of warmth is called the growing season. Northern plants wake up earlier in spring than plants in warmer zones. A typical boreal growing season lasts about 80 to 150 days.

Near the coast of Scandinavia, ocean air keeps conditions milder for longer. The growing season there can reach 145 to 180 frost-free days. In Kenozersky National Park in Arkhangelsk Oblast, trees enjoy about 108 frost-free days. Farther north, the growing season shrinks down to only 50 to 70 days.

Because of high latitude, the sun stays low in the sky. Yet summer brings amazingly long days filled with natural light. Near the Arctic Circle, the sun can shine for 20 hours each day. People call this midsummer event the midnight sun. In midwinter, the sun barely rises, causing the dark polar night.

Rain, Snow, and Fog

Transitional ecotone between taiga and tundra visible on the shore of Lake Lovozero, Kola Peninsula, Russia

The taiga is fairly dry compared to lush tropical regions. Most areas receive 200 to 750 millimeters of precipitation each year. Most moisture falls as summer rain, but winter brings heavy blankets of snow. Deep snow can cover the forest ground for up to nine months.

Cool air means water evaporation happens very slowly across the forest. Dense fog often rolls in from icy seas, blocking bright sunlight from reaching trees. Because moisture stays trapped near the ground, lots of water remains available. This water helps sustain massive forests rather than dry grassy plains.

In hot southern zones, water evaporates faster through plant evapotranspiration. That dry process creates open Steppe landscapes instead of deep woods. Along coastal fjords near Narvik in Norway, rainfall exceeds 1,000 millimeters. Mild ocean winds allow lush, damp forests to thrive along the coastline.

The forest boundary changes based on summer warmth along an isotherm. An isotherm is a line on maps showing equal temperatures. Taiga typically grows south of the 10°C July isotherm line. Where rain is low, the southern forest fades into dry forest steppe.

Lakes, Rivers, and Ancient Glaciers

Late September in the fjords near Narvik, Norway. This oceanic part of the forest can see more than 1,000 mm (39 in) precipitation annually and has warmer winters than the vast inland taiga.

Huge ice sheets during the Wisconsin glaciation carved out the northern landscape. When the ice melted, it left round depressions across the land. These deep hollows filled with fresh water to form thousands of lakes. Water also gathered into wetlands called bogs and spongy muskeg.

Vast rivers flow through the boreal landscape toward the Arctic Ocean. Famous northern waterways include the Mackenzie River and the Yukon River in North America. In Siberia, giant rivers include the Ob River, Yenisei River, and Lena River. These mighty freshwater rivers carry melting snow across thousands of miles.

Soil and Ground Conditions

Yukon River, Canada. Several of the world's longest rivers go through the taiga, including Ob, Yenisei, Lena, and Mackenzie.

Taiga soil is young, rocky, and low in plant nutrients. The cold weather slows down the natural breakdown of fallen plant material. Dead leaves and thick green moss sit on the forest floor for years. Without fast decay, good nutrients do not return to the ground quickly.

Fallen needles from evergreen trees are full of natural plant acids. Rain washes these acids down into the dirt, washing away minerals. This process creates a pale, acidic dirt type called spodosol or podzol. Only tough lichens and small mosses can grow easily on this ground.

In rare spots, unusual sandy habitats appear among the trees. In Russia, the Tukulan sand dunes spread through the Central Yakutian Lowland. Most soils, however, remain damp, chilly, and covered by thick mats of vegetation.

Plant Life and Forest Structure

Tukulan sandy area in the taiga of the Central Yakutian Lowland

Long ago, the ancient Bering land bridge connected Asia with North America. Because plants crossed between continents, related species grow across the entire Circumboreal Region. Botanists group these plants into different families and each plant genus.

The forest has two main appearances depending on location and climate. The southern region is often a lush, closed-canopy forest. Trees there grow tall and close together, blocking out most direct sky. The northern region is an open lichen woodland where trees stand far apart.

Cone-Bearing Trees

Boreal forest near Lake Baikal in Russia

Evergreen trees rule the boreal biome because they handle harsh winter cold. Famous conifers include the spruce, fir, and tough northern pine. In eastern North America, forests fill with balsam fir (Abies balsamea). Further north, black spruce and tamarack larch (Larix laricina) take over.

Evergreen needles have a thick waxy skin that prevents water loss. Their deep green color helps trees absorb limited sunlight for photosynthesis. Conifers keep their leaves all winter, saving energy when warm spring arrives. Most conifers have sloping branches so heavy winter snow slides right off.

Larch trees, like the Dahurian larch, are special deciduous conifers. They turn golden yellow each autumn and drop all their soft needles. This adaptation protects Dahurian larches from the coldest winters in Siberia. In northern Europe, the Scots pine and Norway spruce form massive forests.

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

Taiga spruce forest in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Trees in this environment tend to grow closer to the trunk and not "bush out" in the normal manner of spruce trees.

Broadleaf trees also grow in the taiga, especially in sunny clearings. These trees include white birch, trembling aspen, fuzzy alder, and river willow. The European aspen (Populus tremula) and bright rowan trees grow across northern Eurasia. Along riverbanks, you can find the fragrant balsam poplar.

Further south, the woods blend into mixed temperate forest. In this border zone, trees like oak, maple, and elm appear. You can also spot the graceful lime tree growing beside tall pines. Where conditions dry out completely, forests open into wide grassy prairies.

Berries and Ground Plants

View of Nuorunen, the highest point of Karelia

The forest floor bursts with delicious wild berries during the summer. Kids exploring northern woods can spot wild strawberry and bright red cranberry. Tart bilberry, golden cloudberry, and red lingonberry provide sweet snacks for animals. Low bunchberry and tiny partridgeberry carpet shady patches beneath trees.

Colorful wildflowers bloom quickly along trails during the warm summer months. Bright pink fireweed and purple lupin flowers cover sunny ground after fires. Green ferns spread across damp soils near rocky streams and springs. Wild leeks, known as ramps, push up through the soil in spring.

Animal Life in the Boreal Forest

A Brown bear, Kamchatka peninsula. Brown bears are among the largest and most widespread taiga omnivores.

Animals that live in the taiga must survive severe cold and snow. Many creatures grow thick winter fur coats to stay warm outdoors. Others migrate south to warmer places when the temperature starts dropping. Many northern species sleep peacefully through the winter by going into hibernation.

Mammals Great and Small

Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

The taiga is home to massive plant-eating mammals with long legs. The giant moose wades through deep snow and eats willow twigs. Herds of caribou, known as reindeer in Europe, travel across open lands. Other deer species like the elk, roe deer, and maral roam southern woods.

The largest land animal in this entire biome is the wood bison. In Siberia, wild herds of hairy muskoxen endure bitter northern winds. Forest projects like Pleistocene Park in Russia have even reintroduced Przewalski's horse. Hunters might spot the agile snow sheep leaping along rocky mountain cliffs.

Furry rodents scurry under the snow, including the beaver and squirrel. Busy chipmunks, stocky marmots, and tiny lemmings make cozy underground burrows. Sharp quills protect the North American porcupine from forest predators. The snowshoe hare grows pure white fur in winter to hide in snow.

Fierce predators hunt throughout the forest all year long. The clever Canada lynx and the large Eurasian lynx stalk hares silently. Packs of timber wolfs and wild Mongolian wolfs chase large prey together. Hungry hunters include the coyote, nimble red fox, and small Arctic fox.

The powerful wolverine can travel for miles over crusted snow without sinking. Smaller hunters like the stoat, least weasel, Siberian weasel, and sable chase rodents. Tree-climbing hunters include the American marten and the dark-furred fisher. Swimming predators like the American mink and North American river otter catch fish.

Mighty bears rule the forest food chain as smart omnivores. The giant Brown bear, grizzly bear, and American black bear eat berries. In Asia, the Asiatic black bear and Ussuri brown bear explore dense woodlands. At the far northern edge, curious polar bears sometimes wander near coastal trees. In rare eastern forests, the elusive Siberian tiger and Amur leopard hunt.

Birds of the Woods

More than 300 different species of birds travel to the taiga each spring. Warblers like the black-throated green warbler build safe nests among branches. The white-throated sparrow and the Siberian thrush fill the summer air with songs. These travelers take advantage of billions of summer insects before they migrate.

Only about 30 hardy bird species remain in the forest through winter. Fierce hunters like the golden eagle and great gray owl watch for mice. Other birds of prey include the snowy owl, great horned owl, and barred owl. Huge sea hunters like Steller's sea eagle patrol coastal waterways for salmon.

Clever scavengers like the black crow and large raven search for food. Seed-eating birds survive the cold by cracking open hard evergreen cones. Colorful crossbills use crossed beaks to pry seeds from pine cones. Forest birds like the grouse and giant capercaillie feed on tough conifer needles.

Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish

The Funny River Fire in Alaska burned 193,597 acres (78,346 ha), mostly Black spruce taiga

Cold-blooded animals have a hard time surviving in freezing climates. Only a few hardy amphibians live here, including the remarkable wood frog. The wood frog survives winter by letting its body freeze almost solid. Other amphibians include the American toad, Canadian toad, and tiny boreal chorus frog.

Salamanders like the blue-spotted salamander and Siberian salamander hide under damp logs. The common European adder is one of the few northern venomous snakes. Harmless garter snakes, like the red-sided garter snake, hibernate together in huge underground dens.

Icy lakes and cold rivers are filled with strong freshwater fish. Anglers fish for sharp-toothed northern pike, tasty walleye, and the tiny lake chub. Colorful brook trout, silvery chum salmon, and giant Siberian taimen swim upstream. Boreal waters also hold Alaska blackfish, Arctic lamprey, and various grayling species.

Northern insects serve as important pollinators and food for other animals. Mosquitoes and blackflies hatch by the millions in spring bogs. Thousands of beetles and wasps break down rotting wood into healthy dirt.

The Natural Role of Wildfires

The Shanta Creek Fire began in a taiga area that had not had a major fire in over 130 years, and so was allowed to burn unchecked until it began to threaten populated areas.

Natural fire is a normal and healthy part of boreal forest life. Lightning storms start large blazes that sweep through dry brush and trees. A natural fire regime describes how often and how intensely fires burn an area. Many boreal fires become huge, burning through thousands of acres of forest.

Trees have clever ways to survive fires and grow back stronger. The tough jack pine and lodgepole pine have cones sealed with sticky resin. The intense heat of a fire melts the resin and opens the cones. Fresh seeds drop onto the cleared, sunlit ground to start new forests.

After a blaze, tasty mushrooms like morels pop up from the ash. Pioneer plants like the birch quickly sprout on open, sunny ground. Over time, spruce and fir trees slowly grow beneath the birch canopy. Without fires, the forest would become too thick, and old trees would choke.

Environmental Challenges and Protection

The response of six tree species common in Quebec's forests to 2°C and 4°C warming under different precipitation levels.

The boreal forest faces many modern environmental problems from human development. Expanding cities like Murmansk, Yakutsk, and Anchorage sit inside this wild zone. People cut down trees for commercial lumber to build houses and make paper. Mining, building roads, and drilling for energy also break up wild animal habitats.

Tiny insect pests can multiply rapidly and destroy millions of healthy trees. The mountain pine beetle and spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) attack northern woods. The hungry spruce budworm eats green needles, killing large patches of spruce trees. Warm winters allow more pest eggs to survive cold seasons without freezing.

Industrial pollution from factory smoke contains chemicals like sulphur dioxide. These air pollutants fall to earth as dangerous, acidic acid rain. Strong acid rain damages tender needles and harms tree growth over time. Keeping northern waters and mountain air clean helps keep the entire forest healthy.

A Changing Global Climate

Plesetsk Cosmodrome is situated in the taiga

The high north is warming faster than almost any other place on Earth. In places like Fairbanks, Alaska, warm summer seasons are lasting much longer now. Thawing permafrost causes soil to sink, making trees tilt into famous "drunken forests." Warmer weather can also bring dry spells that trigger bigger, hotter wildfires.

In warm southern zones, some evergreen forests are slowly drying out and dying. These dry border areas can transform into open shrubland or dry grassland. Meanwhile, in the far north, trees are slowly spreading into the warming tundra. Changes in snow cover alter the Earth's albedo, affecting how much sunlight reflects.

The taiga is a massive natural carbon sink that protects our planet. Ancient peatlands, bogs, and thick forest soils trap tons of carbon. In fact, boreal soils hold more carbon than all tropical rainforests combined. Protecting these northern woods helps keep dangerous carbon emissions safely locked underground.

How We Can Protect the Forest

Peat bog in Dalarna, Sweden. Bogs and peatland are widespread in the taiga. They are home to a unique flora, and store vast amounts of carbon. In western Eurasia, the Scots pine is common in the boreal forest.

Governments, scientists, and native communities work together to save northern wilderness areas. Canada has created giant protected reserves around wild rivers and mountain ranges. In northern Europe, national parks keep logging companies away from ancient, old-growth forests. Scientists use Landsat satellites to watch over forest health from high in space.

Kids and adults can help protect northern forests by saving paper and recycling. Supporting clean energy keeps harmful pollution out of our air and water. Protecting the snowy taiga ensures that caribou, bears, and owls have homes forever.

Images for kids

• 

  The taiga in the river valley near Verkhoyansk, Russia, at 67°N, experiences the coldest winter temperatures in the northern hemisphere, but the extreme continentality of the climate gives an average daily high of 22°C in July

• 

  Lakes and other water bodies are common in the taiga. The Helvetinjärvi National Park, Finland, is situated in the closed canopy taiga (mid-boreal to south-boreal) with mean annual temperature of 4°C.

• 

  Conifer cones and morels after fire in a boreal forest.

• 

  Moss (Ptilium crista-castrensis) cover on the floor of taiga

Taiga ecoregions

See also

In Spanish: Taiga para niños

• Birds of North American boreal forests
• Boreal Forest Conservation Framework
• Drunken trees – effect of global warming on the taiga
• Fire and carbon cycling in boreal forests
• Intact forest landscape
• Agafia Lykov
• Scandinavian and Russian taiga
• Success of fire suppression in northern forests
• Taiga Rescue Network (TRN)