Northwestern Coniferous ForestNikki Barnes

Courtney HeltonNachaela Chaffin

Table of ContentsSlide 3- Introduction Slide 4- MapSlide 5- Definition Slide 6- GeographySlide 8- ZonesSlide 10- MeteorologySlide 13- Human

InfluenceSlide 15- Botany -Douglas Fir- Slide 18

-Willow- Slide 19

Slide 20- Zoology -Snow Leopard- Slide 21

-Red Fox- Slide 22

Northwestern Coniferous ForestIncludes area from coastal ranges of

Northern California to the southern part of Alaska

Stretches through Oregon, Washington, and Minnesota and other northwestern states

Map

Northwestern Coniferous Forest

Northwestern Coniferous ForestDefinition: a type of forest

characterized by cone-bearing, needle-leaved trees

GeographySandy and gravelly soil along river

beds Mountainous, uneven groundsRanges from 2000 to 12,000 feet in

elevationIncludes Rocky MountainsForest is divided into zones at different

elevations including many types of trees, plants, and animals

GeographyForest is divided into zones at

different elevations including many types of trees, plants, and animals

ZonesMountain Complex of Southern Rockies- reaches altitudes of 12,000 feet

Creosote Bush-greasewood Association- hot, dry, lower slopes below 6,000 feet

Pinyon-Juniper Association- between 5,000 to 7,000 feet

Ponderosa Pine Zone- found from 6,000 to 8,000 feet

ZonesDouglas-fir Zone- 7,500 to 9,000 feet

Spruce-fir Zone- between 8,500 and 11,500 feet

Alpine Tundra Zone- occurs above timberline

Subalpine Zone- found around 2,000 feet in elevation

MeteorologyPrecipitation varies from 50 inches

per year in southern portionRelatively dry summers

MeteorologyUp to 200 inches of precipitation on

mountain slopes Climate consists of long winters with

heavy snows and short, dry summers with cool temperatures

MeteorologyLower slopes of the eastern cascades

are especially dry, rainfall ranging from 10-40 inches a year and a long dry summer

Cold winters and cool summers are caused by arctic air masses resulting in extreme temperature variations

Most precipitation occurs during warm months

Human InfluenceClear-cut logging is the biggest threat

Clear-cutting accelerates soil erosion, degrades wild-life habitat, and leads to the loss of biodiversity

Human InfluenceLand is being cleared for ski slopes, landfills, housing, new roads, etc.

BotanyConiferous forest cover huge areas but

have fewer kinds of plants and animals than any other forest.

Many coniferous forests are enormous; they are some of the last wild places in the northern hemisphere.

Some of the coniferous forests in Canada are half frozen and the trees only grow for a few weeks a year.

BotanyBoth big leaf maple and red alder are

pioneer tree species on recently burned and heavily logged areas in the region.

Western Larch and Western White Pine are important successional species in this eastern extension.

The Creosote bush-greenwood association occupies the hot, dry lower.

Douglas Fir

• Shining green color

• Wood is very strong.

• Needles do not fall off easy.

• Usually grows between 40-60 feet in height but occasionally this tree can grow up to 250ft high.

• Leaves are between 1- 1 ½ inches in length.

Willow Tree There are about 300 different

types of willows. The longest willow grows over

120 feet high. They are planted in wet

regions so their roots can soak up the water to dry out the soil.

By providing shade, the willow protects the fields.

The twigs are used to make baskets and wicker furniture because they can bend so easily.

The willow bark provides a material that can be used to relive pain and fever.

Other Plant LifeService Berry Western WallflowerJeffery PineSnow BrushSquaw CarpetWaterleafPonderosa Pine White Fir

ZoologyBecause the plants grow so slowly,

animals need to roam over large areas to find enough food.

Snow LeopardSoft, grey coat with white

on the stomach and solid black or brown spots on his head and limbs.

Black streak down its back.

Lots of fur o their paws for protection from the cold and snow.

Head and body length= 47-59 inches and the tail is 31-39 inches long.

Lives mostly in the mountains and rocky places.

Red FoxHunt mostly at night and

remain active the year round. They often roam grassy

meadows and listen for squeaks of mice.

They sometimes stand on their hind legs to get better view in tall grass.

A fox may lie in wait and pounce on a ground squirrel or wood chuck.

Most commonly found in Canada and Northern North America.

Questions1. North Western Coniferous Forest range from ____________ to ______________.2. What kind of soil is in the Northwestern Coniferous Forest? 1. 2,000 to 12,000 feet 2. sandy and gravelly 3. Why do animals in the Coniferous Forest cover so much land to find food?4. Where do snow leopards live? 3. Plants grow so slowly because of weather 4. Mostly in mountains and rocky places

5. What are the two pioneer tree species in the Coniferous Forest? 6. How do people use the Willow tree? 5. big leaf maple and red alder 6. Used for basket making and wicker furniture and also in some medicines7. What is the climate like in the Northwestern Coniferous Forest? 8. When does precipitation occur most in the Coniferous Forest? 7. consists of long winters with heavy snows and short, dry summers with cool temperatures 8. during warm months