Temperate coniferous forest in Canada

Physical Environment: Precipitation is generally between 30 cm and 70 cm per year, often occurring in the form of snow. Temperatures are very cold, below freezing for long periods of time.  Location: The biome of coniferous forests, known commonly by its Russian name, taiga, lies north of the temperate-zone forests and grasslands. Vast tracts of taiga exist in North America and Russia, and mountain taiga exists at high elevations. In the southern hemisphere, little land area occurs at latitudes at which one would expect extensive taiga to exist.  Plant Life: Most of the trees are evergreens or conifers with tough needles, hence its similarity to temperate rain forest. In this biome, spruces, firs, and pines generally dominate, and the number of tree species is relatively low. Many of the conifers have conical shapes to reduce bough breakage from heavy loads of snow. As in tropical forests, the understory is sparse because the dense year-round canopies prevent sunlight from penetrating. Soils are poor because the fallen needles decay so slowly in the cold temperatures that a layer of needles builds up. This layer of needles acidifies the soil, further reducing the numbers of understory species.  Animal Life: Reptiles and amphibians are rare because of the low temperatures. Insects are strongly periodic but may often reach outbreak proportions in times of warm temperatures. Mammals that inhabit this biome such as bears, lynxes, moose, beavers, and squirrels are heavily furred.  Effects of Humans: Humans have not extensively settled these areas, but they have been quite heavily logged.