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Biome:A regional ecosystem characterized by distinct types of vegetation, animals, and microbes that have developed under specific soil and climatic conditions.

Location:

The taiga can be found in areas in the Northern Hemisphere. Some areas where taiga can be found include: Scandinavia, western Russia, British Columbia in Canada, Northern areas in North America.

Climate: The taiga's climate is quite unlike any other biome. In the winter season, the taiga's temperatures can drop below -76°F (-60°C). However, in the summer season temperatures can jump above 104°F (40°C). Because of this extreme difference in seasonal temperature, plants and animals need to be able to adapt to such variations .

Soil:The soil of the taiga is similar to that of the tundra's. Because of the harsh temperatures during the winter, some parts of the taiga have permafrost, or a permanently frozen layer of soil. Water from precipitation and melting snow in warmer seasons cannot seep through the permafrost, so the taiga ground remains soft and damp in some parts.

Vegetation: Needleleaf, alder, coniferous trees, birch, broadleaf deciduous trees and shrubs, evergreen spruce, deciduous larch or tamarack fir, pine, boreal conifers, and aspen. In Scandinavia and western Russia the Scots pine is a common tree. In North America, only a few species of fir and spruce are dominant.

Animals:Animals need to be well adapted to survive in the taiga. With an extreme winter and a sizzling hot summer, animals must be specialized for all types of weather.

In early March, some animals, like the red squirrel and wolverine, begin to give birth to their young.