Weather Patterns
The Average temperature in the taiga is 0 degrees Celcius but it has a range of -52 - 21 degrees. All but 4 months of the year have temperature averages below 0 degrees.
The average precipitation is about 80 centimetres per year. This is mainly rain that falls in the summer months.
The taiga is a windy place due to the arctic to the north and its global position. It is a relatively dry place as well.
The average precipitation is about 80 centimetres per year. This is mainly rain that falls in the summer months.
The taiga is a windy place due to the arctic to the north and its global position. It is a relatively dry place as well.
Effects
Because the average temperature of the taiga is so cold, animals and plants must adapt to the harsh climate. Because only four months of the year have an average temperature above 0, it means that the growing season is tiny and the plants must race to grow. The average precipitation is fairly low, but because it doesn't get very hot in the taiga, most of the water stays in the taiga. The bitterly cold wind in the taiga means that all plants and animals must have sufficient insulation and adaptations to combat dehydration.
Vegetation
The vegetation in the taiga is mainly coniferous trees such as spruce, pine and larch species. This is because these trees can withstand low temperatures and low precipitation. There is also a few deciduous shrubs and grasses as well as lichen. Only plants that can survive without huge amounts of sunlight can survive in the taiga. This means that animals will have to adapt to be able to eat coniferous needles like the moose or hibernate or stock food for the winter.
Geography
In the taiga, there is permafrost below the soil as well as bed rock. Both of these factors makes water stay on the surface. This creates many lakes and also a lot of muskeg. Muskeg is wet spongy soil and is found abundantly in the taiga. Animals must be aware of this hazard because they can become trapped in the muddy soils and die.