Compare and contrast- Taiga and Tundra

Compare and contrast-

Taiga and tundra

Taiga

Tundra

Climate:

Taiga: Experiences a cold winter but fairly mild summer.

Location:

Taiga: The biome extends from North America to Asia and reaches Norway and Sweden, in Europe. The taiga is located directly below the tundra.

top: winter in the region

left: typical summer conditions in the taiga

Precipitation:

Tundra: Despite the fact that frost and ice is common in the tundra, there is actually very little precipitation. This is supported by the fact that there is about 6-10 inches of precipitation annually.

Both

top: winter in the tundra

bottom: milder summer conditions

Climate:

Tundra: Cold and harsh year-round but the summers are significantly warmer than the winter months. Due to the location of the biome, direct sunlight is present for a few weeks during the summer.

left: location of the biome

precipitation is not a regular occurrence in the tundra

Both biomes are located in North America, Asia and Europe. Both biomes are located at fairly high latitudes, in comparison to the other world biomes.

Both biomes experience cold winters and summer conditions are less extreme than the winter months.

Precipitation:

Taiga: Most of the precipitation in the taiga falls as snow in the winter and rain in the summer months. There is approximately 12-33 inches of precipitation each year.

snowfall during the winter

fireweed flowers

Plants:

Taiga: The taiga is home to thick forests, primarily coniferous trees (cone-bearing trees) such as pine, fir, and spruce. Some of the tallest redwood trees are found in this biome. There are also shrubs in this biome. Some milder regions in the biome are home to broadleaf trees, such as birch and aspen trees. It is to be noted that these plants typically grow at high elevations. This allows for the plants to receive an adequate amount of sunlight and have access to moist soil.

pine tree

Temperature:

Tundra: Temperatures in the tundra are more extreme than in the taiga. According to UCMP, the average winter temperature is -34°C while summers can go as high as 3 to 12°C.

Both biomes are home to lichens and moss. In both cases, only plants that can adapt to the harsh temperatures and weather conditions can survive.

redwood trees

Location:

Tundra: A band that stretches across northern North America, Asia, and Europe.

In both cases, most animals are either birds or mammals, as they are able to maintain an adequate internal temperature in relation to the environment. Both biomes are home to foxes, bears, wolves, hares and rodents.

top: the location of the tundra

Temperature:

Taiga: The temperature in this biome ranges between 5 and -5 °C, which is a lot milder than the tundra. It is not uncommon for summers to reach 10 °C. Winters typically reach -3°C.

Both biomes experience some sort of precipitation, however, the levels of precipitation vary dramatically.

moose

In both biomes there is a significant difference in summer and winter temperatures. Summer temperatures can go above 0°C while in the winter temperatures are typically below freezing.

plants in the tundra grow close to one another

Plant Adaptations:

Tundra: The plants in the tundra grow in close proximity to one another. They also grow fairly low to the ground and stay small in size. Many plants also have a somewhat fuzzy and waxy coating which helps protect the plants from the cold temperatures and winds. The coating also aids the plant in retaining heat. It also protects the seeds to increase the likelihood of reproduction. Given that the soil is not very deep, plants have adapted by having small roots. Majority of the plants are perennials, meaning that they grow for more than two consecutive years. In addition, the plants do not die in the winter and have long life cycles to compensate for the short growing seasons.

Animals:

Taiga: Moose and deer live in this biome. In addition, grizzly bears are extremely common. The large insect population attracts many birds and the bogs are an ideal nesting area for these birds.

Soil:

Tundra: Soil in the tundra is typically frozen, in the form of permafrost. During the summer months, part of the frozen subsoil melts and refreezes during winter, which tears and destroys plant roots.

deer

lichens and moss live in both biomes

grizzly bear

fox and hares can

survive in both regions

Plant Adaptations:

Taiga: As the name suggests, evergreen trees stay green year round. The green colour absorbs sunlight, which stimulates photosynthesis during the summer months. In addition, the leaves do not fall which saves a lot of energy. The soil in the taiga is not very fertile and the sun remains quite low, which would make it hard for new leaves to grow. The tree needles also have a chemical which prevents animals from eating the tree. The cone-like shape and structure of the trees prevents snow from piling up on the trees, which lowers the risk of broken branches.

permafrost covers most of the land in the tundra

Arctic poppy

Plants:

Tundra: Given that there are extremely cold temperatures in the tundra and limited predication, there are not many trees. Instead, only short grasses, shrubs, lichens and moss can survive these temperatures. Some examples include Arctic moss, Arctic willow, caribou moss, Labrador tea, Arctic poppy, and cotton grass.

Both regions have permafrost, to varying degrees, and lack extremely fertile soil.

the Arctic fox has short arms and legs compared to the rest of its body, to help retain as much heat as possible

Arctic willow

Animal Adaptations:

Tundra: Many of the animals have large bodies in comparison to their arms. They also tend to have relatively short legs and tails which help to retain heat and prevent heat loss. Most insects in this biome live in the soil, rocks, or plants, which provide them with shelter from the harsh elements of nature.

Soil:

Taiga: Soil in the taiga is highly acidic, low in nitrogen, and contains little nutrients, which means that plants must be able to adapt to these conditions. Low temperatures are to blame for the poor soil quality. The cold temperatures mean that that fallen leaves and moss are not decomposed, which creates spodosol. In addition, certain regions in the north are covered in permafrost.

evergreen trees have a number of adaptations which allow for them to survive in the rough conditions of the taiga

cotton grass

Both biomes have fairly short growing seasons in comparison to their winters.

this stonefly lives in the soil, which serves as a shield from the cold weather

the ground level in the taiga

tundra swan

Adaptations:

In both biomes a few animals, like bears, marmots, and Arctic squirrels, will hibernate for the winter, when temperatures are extremely low. Some animals, on the other hand, like lemmings and ermine will burrow to cope with the harsh climate. In order to keep warm, animals in the tundra and taiga have warm and thick feathers, fur, or outer layers. A number of birds have two coats of feathers to help keep them warm during the harsh winters. Most animals also have feet that are coated with fur. Some animals, like the ermine, change colour during the winter, in order to hide from predators. Its coat, which is brown during the summer, turns white during the colder months, to blend in with its surroundings.

Animals:

Tundra: Reindeer are a lot more common in the tundra than in the taiga. The Arctic fox, muskox and tundra swans also live in the tundra.

Season Length:

Taiga: In this biome there is a long winter and a fairly short growing season of about 3 months. Although this time is not very long compared to other biomes, it is enough for plants to grow. As mentioned previously, many plants are perennials, meaning that they survive the winter and simply continue growing during the summer.

muskox

Animal Adaptations:

Taiga: Some animals produce a layer of insulating feathers or fur to shield them from the cold, harsh winters. Many animal adaptations relate to both the tundra and taiga.

Arctic fox

Season Length:

Tundra: The growing season last around 50 to 60 days, or about 2 months. During this time the sun shines 24 hours a day, due to its location and Earth’s rotation. During the rest of the year the biome experiences winter-like conditions.

grizzly bears have incredibly thick fur to keep them warm during the cold months

Navjot Khaira