scuola energia e ambiente
Taiga
The strip nearest to the temperate zones, in Eurasia and in North America, is the taiga, also known as coniferous forest, of fir and larch trees. This area is characterized by a rather rigid climate in winter, when the temperatures can drop to even -30°C and cool summers, when a maximum temperature of 20°C may be reached. The evergreen conifers thrive in the forests of the cold temperate regions, the trees have a conical shape and the leaves are needle shaped and have an outer wax coating. Evergreen conifers do not let much light reach the underbrush where only evergreen stumped shrubs, moss and lichens grow. Many animals have a thick fur coat while others hibernate in order to escape the intense winter; to survive, squirrels collect abundant supplies of nuts and berries in autumn.
subjects dealt with in Taiga
Taiga biome
Between the broad-leaved forest and the tundra is the taiga or conifer forest, stretching from northern Europe to Siberia and…
Man and taiga
Man settled where the climate was milder and caused great agricultural changes (especially in central-northern Europe), sometimes dramatically decreasing conifer…
Saving the forest
Human intervention alters the natural replenishing cycles of the forest and its structure and composition in terms of species. Although…
Actions to undertake for the forest
We should remember the importance of paper recycling, infact, recycling 1000 k of newspapers: saves 17 trees eliminates 3 cubic…
special reports
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10 February 2014 / Ecosystems
Coral turns pale!
The delicate balance of the coral reef “When looking at a coral reef, we are fascinated by the enormous variety…
29 April 2013 / Ecosystems
Intruders in the Mediterranean
Mare Nostrum The Mediterranean Sea (Mare Nostrum, Latin for “Our Sea”) has always been considered of fundamental importance for the…
1 August 2012 / Ecosystems
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
Sustainable holidays Lately we have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when…
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8 July 2011 / Ecosystems
Who's coming to dinner
A shark in my hamburger Summer is finally here! As usual, we have waited for it all year long and…
8 April 2011 / Ecosystems
Protected areas
Taking a look at the past Protecting nature, at least as a general concept, has rather old origins; in fact…
15 March 2008 / Ecosystems
Biodiversity
Defining biodiversity Much is said about biodiversity and of the need to protect it. But what is biodiversity? And why…
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1 November 2007 / Ecosystems
The environment and health
Two faces of the same coin The topic of the relationship between the environment and health is very transversal, i.e.…
13 October 2007 / Ecosystems
Environmental risk in Nepal
Institutional management The government institution in charge of management of natural resources in Nepal, is the Ministry of Population and…
1 June 2007 / Ecosystems
Nepal’s natural resources
The country Morphological characteristics Nepal is a relatively small country with a total area of little less than 150,000 square…
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10 February 2014 / Ecosystems
Coral turns pale!
The delicate balance of the coral reef “When looking at a coral reef, we are fascinated by the enormous variety…
29 April 2013 / Ecosystems
Intruders in the Mediterranean
Mare Nostrum The Mediterranean Sea (Mare Nostrum, Latin for “Our Sea”) has always been considered of fundamental importance for the…
-
1 August 2012 / Ecosystems
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
Sustainable holidays Lately we have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when…
8 July 2011 / Ecosystems
Who's coming to dinner
A shark in my hamburger Summer is finally here! As usual, we have waited for it all year long and…
-
8 April 2011 / Ecosystems
Protected areas
Taking a look at the past Protecting nature, at least as a general concept, has rather old origins; in fact…
15 March 2008 / Ecosystems
Biodiversity
Defining biodiversity Much is said about biodiversity and of the need to protect it. But what is biodiversity? And why…
10 February 2014 / Ecosystems
Coral turns pale!
The delicate balance of the coral reef “When looking at a coral reef, we are fascinated by the enormous variety…
29 April 2013 / Ecosystems
Intruders in the Mediterranean
Mare Nostrum The Mediterranean Sea (Mare Nostrum, Latin for “Our Sea”) has always been considered of fundamental importance for the…
1 August 2012 / Ecosystems
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
Sustainable holidays Lately we have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when…
from the Multimedia section
curiosities
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A witness of the ancient times
Baltic amber is largely used to make jewels. Amber is a resin that took origin thousands of years ago from…
An underground hospital
In the Russia of the Ural mountains, amidst the woods of the taigs, there is a very peculiar hospital: it…
Flour and forest perfumes
Forest produce is also quite valuable and can be picked in any season: berries in summer, mushrooms in autumn and…
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A frozen mammoth
During the Pleistocene (approximately 1.5 million years ago), the tundra covered all central Europe and was inhabited by spectacular animals,…
Myths and legends of the forest
The dark and mysterious shadows of the forest are populated by fabulous creatures that have existed in men’s dreams for…
The forest has its own seasons
Even if the temperature of this ecosystem is stable all through the year, the trees change their leaves at particular…
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Resin from tree bark
Resin naturally forms underneath the bark of some trees, that are therefore called resinous trees. Resin, that can be easily…
Let’s save the baby seals
In Canada, Norway and Greenland, baby seals are killed for their skin and fur, to be sold all over the…
Lemmings
One of the most typical animals of the tundra is the lemming, a small rodent. Lemmings reproduce very quickly and…
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A witness of the ancient times
Baltic amber is largely used to make jewels. Amber is a resin that took origin thousands of years ago from…
An underground hospital
In the Russia of the Ural mountains, amidst the woods of the taigs, there is a very peculiar hospital: it…
-
Flour and forest perfumes
Forest produce is also quite valuable and can be picked in any season: berries in summer, mushrooms in autumn and…
A frozen mammoth
During the Pleistocene (approximately 1.5 million years ago), the tundra covered all central Europe and was inhabited by spectacular animals,…
-
Myths and legends of the forest
The dark and mysterious shadows of the forest are populated by fabulous creatures that have existed in men’s dreams for…
The forest has its own seasons
Even if the temperature of this ecosystem is stable all through the year, the trees change their leaves at particular…
A witness of the ancient times
Baltic amber is largely used to make jewels. Amber is a resin that took origin thousands of years ago from…
An underground hospital
In the Russia of the Ural mountains, amidst the woods of the taigs, there is a very peculiar hospital: it…
Flour and forest perfumes
Forest produce is also quite valuable and can be picked in any season: berries in summer, mushrooms in autumn and…