Forests are one of the most important sources of oxygen that humans need to survive and are also home to a wide variety of trees, plants and animals. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)About 31% of planet Earth's land surface is covered by forests.
Although many may think that the Amazon is the largest, there is one that surpasses it: the Amazon Boreal forest. With an area of almost 17 million square kilometers, this region, also known as the Siberian taigaextends mostly through Russia. However, it also includes areas from other areas North America, Europe and Asia.
Most of the boreal forest lies in Russia. Photo: Forests Forward
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This is the largest forest in the world
The boreal forest or Eurasian taiga With almost 17 million km2, it is considered the largest in the world. Some of the countries included in this region are Canada, Alaska, Sweden, Norway, Finland and especially Russia. According to the specialized nature portal Wilds, this area represents 27% of all forests in the world and 11% of the land in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is characterized by an extremely cold and humid climate; Therefore, summer usually lasts between 1 and 4 months, with an average temperature of 10°C. In winter, which is much longer, values are between –6°C and -50°C.
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It is also known as Siberian Taiga and is characterized by a cold climate. Photo: VIRGINIA Magazine
What species live in the boreal forest?
Due to its large size, the Boreal forest It represents a special diversity of animal species that have anatomical and behavioral adaptive characteristics. In this sense, mammals have the ability to retain body heat or hibernate in extreme conditions. The animals that can be found include brown bears, wolves, foxes, lynxes, wolverines, sables, otters, lemmings, elks, wild cats and northern lynxes.
There are also birds such as capercaillie, nutcrackers, hawk owls, Ural owls, nutcrackers, crossbills, rough-legged owls, finches and woodpeckers. They usually migrate to other areas in winter.
As for the flora, most of the trees and shrubs are evergreen, including conifers, firs, pines and thujas. These are characterized by the fact that they tolerate conditions with very low temperatures and little water. There is also a wide variety of berries such as blueberries, blackberries and cherries; or medicinal plants such as ginseng.
Some animals that live in the Eurasian taiga. Photo: Animal Spot
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The risks to the boreal forest
Despite the distance Boreal forest of civilization, like other green spaces, is threatened by climate change.
According to environmental organization Greenpeace, 50% of mammals living in the boreal forest are at risk as the area, which includes Canada, was recently hit by more than 100 wildfires.
“In interior Alaska, approximately three-quarters of the spruce-birch taiga has burned, and in other regions of North America, such as northern Saskatchewan, virtually all of the spruce taiga has burned,” explains the Wilds organization.
It is important to note that, according to the AFP agency, the boreal zone stores twice as much carbon as all tropical forests, such as the Amazon.