What animals live in coniferous forests. Flora and vegetation of coniferous forests. Russian forest orderlies

Coniferous forests The Northern Continent represents the most extensive areas of continuous forest cover on Earth. Conifers do well in high latitudes because they are evergreen, and photosynthesis can begin immediately as soon as conditions become favorable for growth, without the need to grow leaves first, as is the case with deciduous forests. In this way, conifers compensate for the short growing season, which lasts from 50 to 80 days, depending on latitude. Seed maturation and reproduction are also related to climate. Coniferous trees, unlike deciduous trees, do not form fruiting organs, which are pollinated and ripen within one year. Fertilization in female bump may take a year or more to complete and may take up to three years until the bud develops and the seeds are ripe for propagation.
The result of the lack of leaf litter and the prevalence of cold climatic conditions that retard the natural decomposition of the carpet of fallen pine needles, a material that is difficult to decompose in any case, is only a very thin layer of soil and little or no undergrowth. The mammals that inhabit these areas are mostly herbivores and live on a diet of moss, pine needles, bark and cones. Insectivorous birds are rare compared to those that feed on the seeds and buds of conifers. Forest fires are infrequent in these areas, and usually occur in the spring, when there is little sap in the trees. At this time, vast areas can be devastated.
Re-occupancy begins deciduous trees- birch, alder and rowan, which only after some time are replaced by climax vegetation - spruce, larch, cedar * or pine.
The characteristic tall, pointed shape of conifers is ideal for supporting the weight of winter snow and allowing the snow to slide off quickly when it begins to melt in the spring. The shallow root system is perfectly adapted to the thin layer of soil that characterizes this habitat.
In the northern regions, where the underlying soil layers remain frozen all year round and are therefore impermeable to water, many rivers, streams and swamps arise with their own native flora of mosses and sedges. The forest becomes more and more sparse and mixes with the neighboring tundra. Large areas of tundra mosses and lichens grow at higher elevations. Near the rivers in the transition region, the forest remains dense and encroaches far to the north, into the tundra, along the river valleys. On the southern edge of the taiga belt, coniferous forests are gradually replaced by deciduous forests.
All over the world small areas coniferous forests are found outside their main latitudinal distribution, especially on mountain slopes, where altitudinal zonation creates climatic conditions, similar to the conditions formed near the poles.
During the Human Age, coniferous forests suffered significant damage due to clearing for Agriculture and industrial forestry. As a result, large areas of land were subject to wind and rain erosion, which destroyed the soil structure and, naturally, reduced its ability to retain moisture. Coniferous forests took some time to recover from the damage because the normal process of succession cannot take place immediately.

* It should be remembered that in the northern coniferous forests there is no true cedar (genus Cedrus). Under English word“cedar” can refer to juniper, Siberian cedar pine (most often called that), thuja and cypress. – V.P.

VEGETARIAN BEASTS

Evolution of the helmethorns

Animals that feed on woody vegetation are largest inhabitants in areas overgrown coniferous forest. In the summer they feed mostly on young shoots and needles, and subsist on a diet of bark, mosses and lichens for the rest of the year. Throughout the northern continent, the most numerous species are those descended from the gigantelopes of the African subcontinent. These northern animals, although heavier than their distant antelope ancestors, are not even close in size to the African giantelopes. Only shaggy forms from the Far North, living in the tundra, can compare with them in size.
The difference in size between the two different northern forms stems from two different periods of dispersal. The first of these took place about forty million years ago, before the giant mountain ranges were erected between Africa and Europe, and around the time that the rabbits drove the antelopes from their original home on the African plains. Gigantelopes, then still in the early stages of their evolution, were forced to move north into coniferous forests, where they later began to flourish and evolved into helmeted horns. Cornudens spp.
The second wave of migration took place closer to the present, about ten million years ago, when African giantelopes reached their current elephantine proportions. Erosion mountain range, which once separated the Indian subcontinent from the rest of Asia, opened new routes to the north, and led to the gradual settlement of the tundra and the evolution of the woolly giantelope Megalodorcas sp.
Soon after the appearance of these animals in coniferous forests, the jaws and horns of the ancestral forms of helmeted horns began to evolve in accordance with their new habitat. Like the now almost extinct ruminants, many of these animals did not have upper incisors. They plucked grass using the lower incisors and the bone plate in the upper jaw. But such a system is not very effective in tearing branches from forest trees. The first change that occurred was the growth of the horny plate on the head forward, forming a kind of beak. The lower lip became muscular and extended forward to align
with it, thereby extending the oral cavity forward some distance from the front teeth. Such a primitive structure is still found in some species, for example, in the helmeted helmet Cornudens horridus. In more advanced forms, however, lower jaw also stretched forward so that the front teeth were level with the horny beak. These adaptations are the result of evolutionary pressure to allow only those species that could successfully feed on the branches and bark of conifers and lichens to survive. The bizarre horny formations above the eyes are also used for protection.
The structure of the horns has evolved one step further in the water helmet Cornudens latirostris, which inhabits lakes and river banks. This creature has a horny plate extended forward in the form of a wide structure, similar to a rake, with the help of which this animal collects soft aquatic plants, which it searches for at the bottom of ponds and streams. On each leg it has two wide hooves, widely spread to the sides and connected by a membrane of skin, which protects the animal from getting stuck in soft mud and sand. In its way of life, the water helmet most likely resembles hadrosaurs - duck-billed dinosaurs of the last half of the Age of Reptiles.

As in any other habitat, the animals of the coniferous forest are included in a familiar plexus food chains predators and their prey, with carnivores forming the last link. Here, as in the temperate deciduous forests, the most ferocious and common hunters are the predatory rats. They hunt under trees in small flocks, tracking down rabbits or helmeted sheep, separating weak and aging individuals from the herd, and driving them to exhaustion. Predatory rats do this before attacking, then tearing apart the prey with their strong front teeth. Helmethorns have powerful horns, so if they are chased, it can be just as dangerous for the predator as for the one being chased.
A predator unique to coniferous forests is the pamtret Vulpemustela acer, a large animal similar to a weasel, one of the few representatives of true predators still living. Its size - up to two meters in length - makes it the most large predator, inhabiting these areas, and it may owe its survival to its short, muscular body and ability to easily run through sparse undergrowth, suddenly appearing in front of its prey. Pamtrets live in small family groups and usually hunt in pairs.
Not all predators are mammals; Birds also take their share of small animal populations. Bigbeak Pseudofraga sp., one of the largest birds of prey, has a wingspan of about a meter and lives in western forests Northern Continent. She descended from the starling, which evolved to fill the gap left when many ancient predator birds became extinct during the Age of Man. It has a rounded tail and wide, blunted wings, thanks to which it flies quickly and maneuverably between frequently growing trees. It has a straight, strong beak and strong claws, which it uses to grab prey. The closest living relative of the greatbeak, Parops
lepidorostris- a completely different creature. It is only ten centimeters long and feeds mainly on insects, which it pulls out of the bark of trees with its thin beak.
With so many predators in the coniferous forest, it is not surprising that small mammals must have many protective devices to ensure their survival. Spine-tailed squirrel Humisciurus spinacaudatus is a great example of their ingenuity. It has a long, wide and flat tail with spines developing on its underside, which lies on the ground at rest. However, when the animal is alarmed, it throws its tail over its back, and with a sharp increase in skin tension, it raises the spines. This becomes an almost insurmountable barrier, and can be used to repel attacks from any side.
The beaver was a large rodent that adapted a semi-aquatic lifestyle during the Age of Mammals, in part to protect itself from predators. After man, beaver Castor spp. became even better adapted to life in water. Its tail and hind legs are fused together into one large paddling surface, which, driven by the spine, produces powerful up and down paddling motions. Its ears, eyes and nose are set high up on its head and remain on the surface when the rest of the animal's body is submerged in water. Surprisingly, the paddle surface does not interfere with the animal’s movement on the ground, and is used as a grasping limb, allowing it to climb trees, expanding the range of possible sources of food and building material.

LIFE IN THE TREES

Birds and animals that feed on trees and on trees of coniferous forests

Throughout the Age of Mammals, rodents were one of the most successful groups of animals in coniferous forests. Their powerful teeth helped them cope with the tough plant material they found there, and their warm, fluffy coats helped them retain body heat during hibernation.*
Incisive tooth Tenebra vermiforme, rodent, relative of the moth squirrel from deciduous forests temperate zone, V highest degree adapted to life in coniferous forests. His huge incisors and vermiform body allow him to drill deep tunnels in a living tree, where in winter he is reliably protected from the cold. Although in some respects this animal is at an advanced stage of development, its parasitic lifestyle is rather more primitive. The basis of his diet is tree bark, which he peels off completely, leaving the tree bare. This, combined with the serious damage it causes by tunneling, destroys the tree within a few years.
Since chiseltooths inhabit only living trees, they must constantly move, and every spring, after hibernation, a new generation of young individuals migrate in search of new lands. They are very vulnerable during migration and many are predated by predators before they complete their journey. The balance between woodworm and predator is extremely fragile, and only a slight decrease in the number of predators is enough for an increase in the number of woodgnaws to occur, which could lead to the complete destruction of coniferous forest over large areas.
Not a single small rodent of any other species among the inhabitants of coniferous forests is so destructive. Many feed on shoots, bark and seeds found in cones. Many species live on the ground and feed from cones when they fall. Other species are lightly built and agile enough to climb branches where cones grow.
One large one, similar to vole rodent, travel Scandemys longicaudata, is unusual in that it has a prehensile tail. It is too heavy to reach the cones growing on the thinnest branches, and instead it feeds on them by hanging by its tail on a stronger branch growing nearby and reaching for them with its front paws. Like other rodents of approximately the same size, it collects more food than is necessary to satisfy its one-time needs, and stores the leftovers for hungry times. winter months. Its hibernation nest is a long hanging structure woven from grass, strips of bark and pine needles. Hanging from the end of a branch, it is large enough to accommodate the animal along with enough food for a successful winter.
Among the many seed-eating birds that live in coniferous forests, the largest is the common pine click beetle** Paraloxus targa. The two sexes of this bird differ greatly both in appearance and in lifestyle. The male has a more powerful build and is armed with a massive beak, which he uses to break Pine cones and get the seeds out of them. The female, smaller and duller in color, completely lacks the heavy beak of the male and is a scavenger, including carrion, insects, larvae and bird eggs in her diet. It is most likely that the ancestor of the common pine clicker was a bird similar in appearance to the modern female, and that the distinctive features of the male evolved primarily for mating purposes, and its feeding habits are a secondary adaptation.

Forests are rightly called the lungs of our planet. The shrubs and trees growing in them not only saturate the air with oxygen, but also serve as a home for a huge number of animals, birds and insects.

photo: Chris Upson

The territory extending to the south is occupied by vast taiga forests, covering the northern regions of the Earth. The length of this peculiar belt reaches 12,000 km. It affects Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Siberia. The so-called boreal forests consist mainly of evergreen trees (pines, spruces). Larches also grow there, shedding their needles before the onset of winter. The ground is covered with lichens, mosses and grasses. The undergrowth is quite sparse.

Coniferous forests, replete with clearings and clearings, are favorite places for hazel grouse and wood grouse. These bird species spend the predominant part of their lives on the ground. This is where they nest and raise their chicks. Bullfinches, tits and nutcrackers found shelter under the crowns of spruce trees. In the northern forests there are several species of woodpeckers (three-toed, black (yellow), small spotted, large spotted). There is a high probability of meeting with brown-headed chickadee, jock owl and hawk owl.

photo: Roger Wasley

The cold climate of the taiga affected the appearance of the crossbill. The conifer seed-eating bird has a unique beak, the crossed, hooked ends of which are ideally suited for extracting seeds from cones. You can see the crossbill outside the coniferous forest only when there is a shortage of food.

It is a member of the weasel family. The animal, reminiscent of a small bear, differs from the formidable owner of the taiga by the presence of a fluffy long tail. The owner of strong teeth and long claws goes out hunting both during the day and at night, preferring the most impenetrable thickets. There are often cases when a brave animal attacked bears and wolves and took their prey.

photo:Richard

Throughout the summer and early autumn, squirrels are busy collecting mushrooms, seeds and nuts. The accumulated reserves are stored in tree hollows or buried in the ground. Among the reptiles there are viviparous lizards, common snakes and common vipers.

The chipmunk has a slightly larger body than the squirrel. There are 5 black stripes along the back. The owner of well-developed cheek pouches liked the edges of coniferous forests, burnt areas, clearings and bush thickets, replete with dead wood. The agile animal seems designed for climbing trees. Jumps performed both downwards and upside down deserve special praise.

photo: Gregory Thiell

The species diversity of the taiga is much wider than that of the tundra. In addition to wolverines and chipmunks, there are also sables and foxes. The list of typical representatives included hares, hedgehogs and small rodents (including red-backed and red-gray voles). The group of ungulates is represented by roe deer and elk, reindeer and red deer. Beavers build their lodges in ponds. Interestingly, the species found in Eurasia are also characteristic of the North American taiga. Endemics include the skunk and the musk rat (muskrat). Wood bison graze in the reserves. Of the giants living in Eurasia, the greatest power is demonstrated by the bison, which several decades ago was on the verge of complete extinction.

Porcupine photo: Anne Elliott

The Great Eagle Owl is called a night hunter. The owner of excellent hearing and vision chose forests North America. The main part of the diet of the feathered predator consists of mice and small mammals. To the number exotic inhabitants forests can be classified as the porcupine, which lives in the forests of the USA and Canada. The list of food preferences of this animal included deciduous plants and bast (the tender pulp of tree trunks). Stiff long quills protect the porcupine from enemies.

IN mixed forests Badgers, hedgehogs, foxes, hares, squirrels, moose, and roe deer feel excellent. Some amateurs also often settle here deciduous forests, incl. and wild boars. Omnivores that hide from prying eyes prefer to feed at night.

Brown bear photo: Nikolay Zinoviev

The brown bear is assigned the title of the largest forest predator living in forest areas North America, Asia and Europe, including the Caucasus and Siberia. Despite this, clubfooted animals do not refuse other treats (nuts, berries, fish, etc.). Found in coniferous-deciduous forests and smaller predators (wolves, martens, ferrets). In burnt areas and old clearings, as well as on the edges of mixed forests, you can see a fox. The color of the medium-sized predator ranges from yellow-gray to reddish-orange. The tip of the tail and chest are painted white.

The white hare is a master of camouflage. In summer, its coat has a brown or reddish-brown tint. During the winter months, the animal dresses in a snow-white coat. The plant lover can be found in the forest areas of Asia, North America and Eastern Europe.

Hare photo: antonio

To life in mixed forests Badgers are also perfectly adapted. Medium-sized predators prefer to settle in copses and forest ravines. They also like forest edges. Burrows are used as housing. The raccoon dog moves on short legs. On her face there is a pattern resembling a black mask. The owner of fluffy and long hair settles in mixed forests. Her behavior clearly shows her love for gentle slopes, copses and swampy river valleys. Active at night, the animal not only runs fast, but also swims well. Its diet includes small rodents, insects, fish, berries and plants.

IN mixed forests significant populations of moles can be found. Sightless animals live underground. The food they eat are earthworms, insects and larvae.

Chaffinch photo: nataba.35photo.ru/

The bird fraternity is represented by nightingales, orioles, and song thrushes, which fill the forest thicket with incessant singing not only in spring, but also in early summer. In early spring, starlings also demonstrate their singing talents. Bright plumage - distinguishing feature finches. Birds that are ubiquitous in all types of forests include owls, magpies, cuckoos and woodpeckers. Wood grouse are not found in mixed forests. The vacated niche was occupied by black grouse. Nuthatches scurry up and down the trees, clinging to the trunks with their claws.

These birds most often build nests in hollows hollowed out by woodpeckers. The Rowan Thrush got its nickname from its love of rowan berries. Representatives of this species do not refuse the fruits of buckthorn, viburnum and hawthorn. In spring and summer, blackbirds feast on worms, shellfish and insects. Siskins can be seen in places where alder and birch grow. They do not fly to warm regions in the fall. They feed on seeds obtained from alder cones and birch catkins.

Buzzard photo: Sergey Ryzhkov

An attack by a goshawk is always unexpected. The predator does it on the sly. Not only black grouse, but also hazel grouse, birds sleeping on branches, squirrels dining on trees and even hares fall into his sharp claws. Rodent pests are successfully exterminated by such feathered predators as the kestrel, harrier, owl and buzzard.

For deciduous forests many animals found in mixed areas are typical: brown bears, forest cats, minks, squirrels, weasels, black polecats, pine martens, several varieties of dormouse. Among the feathered representatives, the most numerous are spotted and green woodpeckers, finches, wood larks, orioles, tits, nightingales, song and blackbirds, flycatchers, warblers, warblers, and cuckoos.

Cottonmouth photo: Ilya Gomyranov

From southern regions V broadleaf forests Some steppe inhabitants also penetrate (gray partridges, hamsters, brown hares). Reptiles are represented by viviparous and green lizards, common viper, copperhead, copperhead and spindle. Of the amphibians that have taken root, the tree frog, sharp-faced and grass frogs, newts.

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The fauna of coniferous forests, or taiga in our opinion, is rich and diverse, especially when compared with its closest neighbor, the tundra. Almost all species of coniferous forest animals live here in great abundance and diversity: wolverine, chipmunk, sable, and lynx. Hares and squirrels are numerous - various small rodents are innumerable. Ungulates are represented by red and reindeer, elk and roe deer. No place in the world is home to so many fur-bearing inhabitants, who are probably the most common animals in the coniferous forests of Russia. Interestingly, the North American taiga is characterized by the same species as Eurasia.

The inhabitants of the taiga, due to the fact that they live in a rather cold climate, are highly susceptible to the influence of the changing seasons. Of course, the colder the winter, the more beautiful the sable’s coat will be, but personally this brings little joy to him: the likelihood of being shot increases by orders of magnitude. But life in a modern forest is not conducive anyway good health– trees are cut down in the most unexpected places, and where yesterday you could have a hearty lunch, today there may be a bare wasteland. Apparently, in this regard, many animals living in coniferous forests have adapted to hibernate seasonally: now the main task remains to eat well in the summer, gain fat and get more comfortable for the winter. Brown bears They approach the choice of diet very responsibly, and it has a fair amount of variety. How do you like the combination of berries, nuts, worms, fish and small rodents? What do you dream about during hibernation?

Hello dear readers! I have prepared an article for you about coniferous forests. Here we will look at what coniferous forests are and learn a little about their flora and fauna, as well as about pressing problems. And so, let’s get started...The largest terrestrial biotope in the world - These are coniferous forests; they surround the northern part of the globe.

The evergreen trees of this huge zone, about 1,300 km wide, grow where the climate is too harsh for deciduous forest, but too soft for the tundra.

Coniferous forests occur naturally only in the northern hemisphere. They do not grow in the southern hemisphere: the continents here do not extend far enough south for there to be natural vegetation comparable to conifers. Tasmania, New Zealand and south South America covered with rainforests and temperate zones, in which coniferous trees are still found. If the forest consists of at least 80% coniferous trees, only then is it considered coniferous.

Forest belt.

A strip of coniferous forests stretches from Scandinavia through the former USSR and further east to northern China. The northern border of the forests extends slightly beyond the Arctic Circle, and the southern strip reaches the 50th parallel in China. Large areas of such forests occur in Georgia, the Pyrenees, the Alps and along the Himalaya mountain range.

The area of ​​primeval forests in North America extends from east to west, mainly between areas north of the 40th parallel and south of Hudson Bay, only slightly extending beyond the Arctic Circle in Alaska and Canada. There are also large areas of coniferous forests in the south - along the Rocky Mountains (see types of mountains) on the west coast and west of the prairies in the center of the continent.

In the north, coniferous forests border on the ice desert and tundra, and sandy deserts and steppes in the south (in Asia). The term "taiga" has different meanings. Very often it is used to describe a coniferous forest. Some believe that the taiga is a coniferous forest, while others believe that it is the boundary that separates the forest from the tundra (also called a lichen massif in which species such as Cladonia, Xantboria and Romalina grow).

This northern border of the forest is a woodland, often of a park type, with separate standing trees and the tundra along the edge of the forest itself. This area is an ideal habitat for wild animals.

Types of forests.

Types of natural coniferous forests are divided into montane type and boreal type. Mountain forest types can be found in mid-latitudes and tropical latitudes(For example, Rocky Mountains, Himalayas). Boreal forest types can be found in the moderately cold zone; these are subpolar forests with a predominance of coniferous species.

Asian and North American boreal forests contain a much greater diversity of conifers than European boreal forests.

The main groups of such forests are classified according to their needles. For example, spruce (Picea), fir (Abies), and juniper (Juniperus) have short and pointed needles, and all pines (Pinus) have tufts of long needles.

Cypress (Cbamaecyparis), cypress (Cupressus) and arborvitae (Thuja) have scale-like foliage.

Adaptation to cold.

Conifers are perfectly adapted to the harsh living conditions in the north, where 6-9 months of the year the temperature is below 6°C. The branches of coniferous trees are inclined so that the snow does not break off them, but slides down (in the north, snow falls from 380 to 635 mm per year). These trees have leaves in the form of scales or needles that are impregnated with resin, which prevents the cells from freezing.

The only deciduous conifers are Chinese false larch (Pseudolarix) and European larch (Lrix), they shed their needles annually.

Thanks to their gusty fibers, which allow trees to sway and bend without splintering, most conifers can withstand winds. For example, giant and evergreen sequoia(Sequoiadendron giganteum and Sequoia sempervirens), but they also have a fire-resistant bark that protects them from forest fires, which are quite often rampant.
Such bark is also characteristic of Banks pine (Pinus banksiana) and white-trunk pine (Pinus albicaulis).

Not all trees are protected from destructive fire. For some of them it may even be useful. For example, the cones of pines (Pinus attenuate) open only in fire. Sometimes they can sit for up to 30 years, and when a forest fire happens and heats them up, they burst and release seeds that sprout in the carbon-rich conflagration. Fast growing young shoots are colored green color dark forest floor. It turns out that trees that have dropped their cones may die, but new shoots will rise from the ashes.”

Due to the accumulation of resinous needles, the litter of coniferous forests is often acidic. This also happens due to a lack of decay and the return of nutrients to the cycle (this happens in sparse deciduous forests).

A number of plants grow from layers of pine needles - Soldanella spp and Hepatica. Large areas of land are covered with sphagnum (peat moss), and ferns and green mosses grow on the trunks of fallen trees.

Also, not only algae, mosses and ferns love old wood and lower pine branches, but these places are also favored by some types of flowering plants, including blueberries, blueberries and alpine clematis.

Also, wet coniferous forests are very attractive for mushrooms such as the common vesel. It is the unpleasant smell of these mushrooms that can be felt in most pine forests.

The yellow witch's broom is another interesting one forest plant unusual shape with brightly colored flowers.

Year-round growth.

Conifers are evergreen plants, which means they can grow all year round and participate in photosynthesis. Using, at the same time, the available minimum of light energy. Before deciduous trees, this is precisely their advantage.

Conifers, in addition, have superficial roots. This is an important factor considering that the deeper layers of the soil are permanently frozen. This is permafrost (more details in). Its age can be several thousand years, its thickness can reach 550 m. In Alaska, for example, 85% of the territory is covered with such a layer. Permafrost in Siberia occupies 10 million km 2, which is two-thirds of the area.

At first glance, the generally harsh coniferous forests are teeming with animals, but the diversity of their species is relatively small. They live here reindeer(or caribou) and numerous herds of elk. These species can also be found in Asia (about the part of the world Asia), Europe (about the part of the world Europe) and North America (about North America). These phytophagous animals are herbivores. Deer eat lichens in winter and grasses in summer; as for moose, they eat woody plants in winter and aquatic plants in summer.

The growth of lichens on the ground and on trees is facilitated by the relatively clean environment of the boreal forest, and this provides food for deer. An adult male caribou (deer), with good nutrition, can reach a height of up to 2.1 meters and a weight of 817 kg (antler weight 23 kg). The coniferous forests of both continents are also home to bears, lynxes, wolves (carnivores), beavers, lemmings and red squirrels (herbivores).

This large mammal like the puma or cougar, it lives only in North America. In the past, this species was mercilessly exterminated in the USA (read about the USA), this was due to the fact that a reward was assigned for the head of each animal. The coniferous forests of Asia have become the habitat of the Ussuri tiger. This species is now on the verge of extinction.

The most common and very small species of mammals that inhabit the coniferous forests of the planet is the common squirrel. It feeds on the seeds of pine cones.

Huge piles of empty pine cones indicate that there is a squirrel larder somewhere nearby.

Forest insects.

Coniferous forests are filled with clouds of insects in summer and spring. They spend winters in hibernation. Red forest ants build large anthills (up to 1 m high) from pine needles and bask on summer sun outside.

The butterfly mourning plant is found most often in the coniferous forests of the world. It's attractive and big butterfly. Its adults hibernate in winter and breed on willows. You can often see such butterflies flying in forest clearings and clearings.

Border areas of forests and open forests are preferred by nigella. Typically, such butterflies have dark wings with brownish-red splashes, this allows them to absorb scarce food. solar heat northern latitudes.

Some alpine butterflies are extremely inactive - they gather in “warm” caves facing south, and do not fly, but crawl along the ground so that they are not blown away from their habitats by the wind.

The litter of coniferous forests, in comparison with deciduous forests, is poor in insects. This can be explained by the fact that here, as a rule, it is gloomy and dark, there is not enough light and there is no layer of bushes. For many animals, insects are an important source of food. But dark places without a variety of wild plants from which to obtain food do not attract insects.

Therefore, insects here are represented only by beetles, the larvae of which develop in the rotting wood of fallen trees.

Forest birds.

Owls and woodpeckers find shelter in the hollows of old pine trees. Woodpeckers also find enough beetle larvae here to feed their families. The Icelandic goldeneye and Carolina duck live in North America and often nest in trees. The Icelandic goldeneye often occupies old woodpecker nests.

Birds prefer the forest canopy because this is often where the seed-containing cones of coniferous trees are located.

Spruce crossbills and various species of tits, which specialize in shelling seeds and cracking nuts, have a special beak shape. They often gather in small flocks and groups. Crossbills, when feeding their chicks, often regurgitate hundreds of seeds that they swallowed during devastating raids on the forest canopy.

Forest and man.

The coniferous forests of the Earth originally appeared as a result of natural evolutionary processes. Most areas of coniferous vegetation show signs of deforestation - forest clearing and felling. This is the result of intensive human use of these natural habitats.

This is done for a number of reasons: to obtain valuable timber, to clear land for arable land, to lay roads and arrange their infrastructure.

20% of the forest stand (standing forest) of the entire world was located in the territory of the former USSR. Siberia accounted for one fifth of the Earth's forest reserves. But, unfortunately, for last years Deforestation here was carried out at an alarming rate. This happened in connection with the extraction of gas and oil, as well as the harvesting of timber.

Although commercial forestry is widely practiced in some areas (the Alps, for example), not all cleared coniferous forests will be restored. But the highlands of North America and Europe (where coniferous forests had not previously grown) began to be replanted with conifers. Today there are substantial forest areas in these areas.

The main purpose of growing coniferous forests is to provide a stable source of lumber for the construction industry and wood for paper production.

Growing large areas of one type of tree goes against natural processes.

This gives rise to an environmental problem: pests such as woodworms, pine cutworms, and black rootworm cause devastating damage to forest plantations. Because their caterpillar larvae deprive trees of needles.

You have to pay for artificial plantings. This is fraught with the loss of other habitats and the associated decrease in the number of species of wild animals that previously lived in this area.

Caledonian pine forest – this is all that remains of Scotland's boreal forests. It is located on the west coast. Scots pine lives here - trees twisted by the wind and twisted with age.

New plantings, which are already several decades old, resemble an ancient forest. But it will take a long time before diversity and typical types of fauna and flora for such forests appear.

Man-made and natural coniferous forests differ from each other in many ways.

Acid rain is another problem of coniferous forests. Acid rain (more details) is caused by pollutants that are released into the atmosphere. The most destructive component of acid rain is sulfuric acid. It is formed when sulfur-containing pollutants (mainly products of coal combustion) combine with rainwater. This acid is destructive to pine needles!

That’s all for now 🙂 I really hope that my article helped you and gave you the answers you were looking for! All the best!

To the south of the tundra lie vast taiga forests, which stretch from Siberia through Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Canada to Alaska and, like a belt 12 thousand km long, cover the northernmost regions of the Earth. These boreal, or northern, coniferous forests contain evergreen trees such as spruce and pine, as well as larch trees that shed their needles for the winter.

The undergrowth here is not very dense. The ground is covered with moss, lichen and grass. Despite the rather cold climate, many animals find shelter here.

Animals of coniferous forests

Crossbill

The crossbill has adapted to life in the taiga in its own way. It feeds almost exclusively on the seeds of coniferous trees, which is reflected in the structure of its beak. The hooked ends of the crossbill's beak intersect, thanks to which it deftly extracts seeds from cones. Crossbills leave coniferous forests only when they lack food. They often fly long distances in search of new places rich in food.

Squirrel

All summer and early autumn Squirrels collect nuts, seeds, mushrooms and more. They carefully hide their reserves in hollow trees or bury them in the ground. Some squirrels let the mushrooms dry first to prevent them from rotting. Unfortunately, squirrels have a poor memory - they often forget where they hid their supplies and cannot find them later.

Wolverine

Wolverine belongs to the mustelidae family. In appearance, she resembles a small bear, but, unlike him, her tail is long and fluffy. This animal has long claws and strong teeth. Wolverine hunts in the densest forests day and night and even attacks wolves and bears to take their prey.

Porcupine

The North American porcupine lives in the forests of Canada and the United States. It feeds mainly foliage plants and the tender pulp of tree trunks (bast), which is located under the bark. Sometimes it completely gnaws off the trunk at the base of the tree, and the tree dies. The porcupine displays long, stiff quills to its enemies.

Great Eagle Owl

The Great Eagle Owl lives in the forests of North America. This is a nocturnal hunter who sees and hears very well. It feeds mainly on mice and other small mammals.