GCSE Revision - Ecosystems - Coniferous Forests

Coniferous Forest Facts

  • The Northern Coniferous Forest stretches in a great belt around the Northern Hemisphere and from Alaska, Canada, the USA, Scandinavia and Siberian Russia.

  • A few tree species exist which are mainly conifers such as Pine, Spruce, Fir and Larch.

  • The Northern Coniferous Forest is the world's main source of softwood timber and wood pulp.

  • The forests are mainly managed in a sustainable way

  • The Winters are very cold with temperatures well below zero with strong cold winters.

  • They have short warm summers but with long hours of daylight in summer.

  • They have low amounts of precipitation

How does the forest adapt to the climate?

  • Conical shape - so as to be stable in strong winds

  • Downward sloping Branches - so snow slides off easily

  • Needle Leaves - reduces water loss by transpiration

  • Evergreen - No need to renew leaves for the short growing season

  • Straight Trunk - Attempts to get as much light as possible for photosynthesis

  • Thick Bark - Gives protection from the cold

  • Cones - Protect the seeds from the very cold winters

  • Shallow roots - Soils are thin, the subsoil is frozen for much of the year and discourages root growth

  • Very little Biodiversity - Due to so few plants being able to survive the climate

You could draw a diagram like opposite and label it in the exam!

Soils in Coniferous Forests

  • The typical soils of the coniferous forests are Podsols

  • Podsol soils are thin, acidic in nature and are generally very infertile

  • Rainwater ar snow when it melts in spring wash the minerals in the soil away (leaching) which leaves the the upper lay sandy

  • Low temperatures mean that conifer needles on the surface take many years to decompose resulting in very little humus

  • The needles give off acid and in certain areas acid rain compounds the problem

Human Uses of Coniferous Forests

Softwood Conifers are the world's main source of commercial timber. Their use has many advantages:

  • Except in very cold areas, they grow quickly and can be harvested every 40 - 50 years

  • Many trees of the same type grow together

  • Frozen ground in winter makes access easier  for machinery and transport

  • The softwood has many different uses - paper, construction & furniture etc

  • It can be harvested like a crop using modern machinery and the new method of clearcutting

Mini Case Study - Kielder Forest

  • The Forest Covers 100 000 hectares

  • Over 1 million coniferous trees have been planted

  • Fast growing Sitka Spruce are the main crop

  • There are 300 000 visitors to the forest every year

  • Forest tracks, picnic sites, log cabins and caravan/camping sites are provided for visitors

  • Other visitor activities include walking, horse riding, cycling and orienteering

Acid Rain

The Causes and the effects

Over the past 50 years the world's coniferous forests have suffered from the problem of Acid Rain.
The main causes are

  • Sulphur dioxide from power stations and industry

  • Nitrogen Oxide from power stations and cars

These pollutants are carried across to areas such as Western Europe and affects forests in the ways you can see opposite.

Case Study - Managing Coniferous Forests in Canada

Key Facts

  • Over 25% of the world's coniferous trees are located in North America

  • They exist in three areas - The Northern Coniferous Forest, The Pacific Coast Forest and The Mountain Forest

  • There are 800 000 Canadians employed in the industry

  • Canada is the leading exporter of wood pulp in the world

  • Canada earns over $18 000m per year from forestry

  • 800 000 hectares a year of trees are removed each year and 725 000 destroyed by forest fire

  • Canadian Forestry is one of the most mechanised industries in the world

The impacts in Canada

  • Clear cutting is increasing soil erosion which damages the spawning grounds of salmon - This is affecting the health Grizzly Bears and the rest of the food chain

  •  Many of the indigenous Indians do not get jobs and turn to substance abuse - Their life expectancy is only 45 yrs against the Canadian average of 79 yrs

  • The Ancestral Lands of the Indians is being destroyed and there has been conflict and protests against the logging companies and Canadian government.

  • Most of the income from Forestry does not benefit the people living in the forest and countryside