Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

My name is Ms. Harrison.

I'm so excited to be learning with you today.

Today's lesson is called Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in the taiga biome.

Grab everything you might need for today's lesson and let's begin our learning.

By the end of today's lesson, you will understand that compared to tropical rainforest, the taiga has low productivity, a lower rate of nutrient cycling, and supports lower levels of biodiversity.

Before we can begin this landing, we need to define the keywords that we'll be using throughout today's lesson.

The keywords are biodiversity, nutrients, and interdependent.

Biodiversity.

This is a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem.

Nutrients.

These are the chemical substances found in all biotic features which are important for survival.

Interdependent.

This is when two or more biotic features, like plants or animals, depend or rely on each other to survive.

Well done.

Now that we've defined these keywords, we can begin our learning.

The first question we are going to explore in today's lesson is what is biodiversity? Biodiversity is a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem.

Some ecosystems like tropical rainforest have extremely high biodiversity, while others like the taiga have much lower biodiversity.

The taiga is one of the least biodiverse forest biomes in earth.

It is home to around 20,000 plant species, which is relatively low compared to other biomes.

The number of animal species is also limited, with only large mammals such as moose and wolves adapt to survive in its harsh conditions.

The main reason for this low biodiversity are the extreme climate, nutrient-poor soil, and short growing seasons, all of which make it difficult for many species to thrive.

Only highly specialised plants and animals can survive in this challenging environment.

The taiga has a low biodiversity due to several challenging environmental factors that make survival difficult for many species.

One major factor is the cold climate.

The long, freezing winters create extreme conditions that many species cannot withstand.

Only specially adapted plants and animals can survive in the temperatures that drop well below freezing for much of the year.

Another key factor is the short growing season, which only lasts three to five months.

This means that plants have very little time to grow and reproduce before the harsh winter returns, limiting the variety of species that can thrive.

The poor soil quality also contributes to low biodiversity.

The soil in the taiga lacks essential nutrients, making it difficult for many plants to grow.

Since plants form the base of the food chain, fewer plants mean fewer herbivores, which in turn limits the number of predators that can survive in an ecosystem.

Finally, the limited food supply restricts the number of species that can live in the taiga.

Fewer plants to eat, herbivores struggle to find enough food, which means there are fewer prey animals to support larger predators.

These factors combine to create an environment where only the hardiest, most well-adapted species can survive, leading to the taiga's low biodiversity compared to other forest biomes.

In the taiga biome, plant and animal species are often interdependent, meaning they rely on each other for survival.

The interdependence is crucial for such a harsh environment where resources are limited and every species plays a role in maintaining the ecosystem.

One example of this interdependence is seed dispersal.

Many plants rely on animals to help spread their seeds.

Some seeds are eaten and later deposited in new areas, while others stick to animals' fur and are carried to different locations.

Without animals to move their seeds, some plants would struggle to reproduce and spread.

Sometimes this independence is even more specific.

Certain animals may rely on a single plant species as their primary food source.

If their plant were to disappear due to environmental changes, the animal population would decline as well, disrupting the food chain.

These close connections between species highlight the delicate balance of the taiga ecosystem.

If one species is affected by environmental change or human activity, it can have a knock-on effect throughout the ecosystem, making interdependence a key factor in the survival of taiga species.

Alex said, "I guess this means if one plant species dies out, it might mean that an animal may not have enough food to eat," and he's right.

What does interdependent mean in terms of taiga ecosystems? Is it A, all species in the rainforest compete for the same nutrients, B, different organisms rely on each other to survive, C, the taiga biome is independent of other biomes? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is B.

Different organisms rely on each other to survive.

Well done if you identify that correctly.

True or false? The taiga biome is highly biodiverse, with many different plant and animal species.

Pause the video here whilst you decide if this statement is true or false and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

This statement is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done.

The reason why this statement is false is because the taiga has low biodiversity because its cold climate, nutrient-poor soil, and short growing season limit the number of plant and animal species that can survive there.

Excellent work on this task.

I would now like you to explain the low biodiversity in the taiga biome.

Andeep has said he's going to start his answer with a definition of biodiversity.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Well done.

Let's check our answer.

Your answer may have included some or all of these points.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of plant and animal species in an ecosystem.

The taiga has a low biodiversity, with only around 20,000 plant species and a limited number of animal species such as moose, wolves, and lynx.

One reason for the low biodiversity is the cold climate.

As the taiga experiences long freezing winters with temperatures often dropping below minus 30 degrees, many species cannot withstand such extreme conditions, limiting the number of plants and animals that can survive in this biome.

Another factor is the short growing season, which lasts only three to five months in the summer.

This brief period gives plants little time to grow and reproduce, meaning fewer feud sources are available for herbivores, which in turn affects the entire food chain.

The poor soil quality also contributes to low biodiversity because is as thin and acidic and nutrient-poor.

This makes it difficult for many plant species to grow, as they cannot access the necessary nutrients, restricting variety of vegetation in the ecosystem.

Lastly, the limited food supply further reduces biodiversity as fewer plants mean fewer herbivores, such as deer and hares, which then leads to fewer predators, such as wolves and lynx.

Excellent work on this task.

I hope you managed to include some of those points in your answer.

You've done brilliantly.

We're now going to explore our second question of today's lesson.

What is nutrient cycling? The nutrient cycle is the process by which essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon are continuously reused within an ecosystem.

This cycle is vital for plant growth and maintaining the balance of life in a taiga biome.

Nutrients enter the ecosystem in two main ways.

Weathering of rocks release minerals into the soil, and some nutrients also come from the atmosphere.

Plants absorb these nutrients from the soil and use them for growth.

When animals eat plants or other animals that have eaten plants, they obtain the nutrients needed for survival.

When plants and animals die, their bodies contain valuable nutrients.

Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down this organic material, releasing nutrients back into the soil where the cycle begins again.

However, in the taiga, this process is much slow than in other ecosystems, due to several factors.

Cold temperatures slow down decomposition, meaning nutrients take longer to be released into the soil.

Acidic soil makes it harder for plants to absorb nutrients effectively, and low biodiversity means fewer decomposers, reducing the speed at which dead organic matter is broken down.

Because of these challenges, the nutrient cycle in the taiga is slow and inefficient, limiting plant growth and making the ecosystem highly dependent on recycling of scarce nutrients.

In a taiga biome, the biomass store is relatively large because of the vast number of coniferous trees, which store significant amounts of nutrients in their trunks and branches and needles.

Biomass refers to all living organisms in the ecosystem, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. Nutrients continuously cycle through this biomass as organisms grow, consume food, and eventually die.

Nutrients are gained when herbivores eat plants, absorbing the nutrients stored in their leaves, bark, and roots.

Predators consume herbivores, transferring its nutrients up the food chain.

However, nutrients are lost when plants or animals die.

In most ecosystems, decomposers quickly break down dead material, returning nutrients to the soil.

But in the taiga, the cold climates and acidic soil slow decomposition, meaning nutrients take longer to return to the ecosystem.

This makes the biomass store crucial for retaining nutrients and supporting the survival of species in this challenging environment.

In the taiga biome, the litter store is the largest nutrient store.

This layer consists of dead plant and animal material, including fallen leaves, needles, branches, and decomposing organisms. The litter store holds important nutrients which are gradually released back into the ecosystem as organic matter breaks down.

Additional nutrients also enter the store through rainfall, which can carry dissolved minerals from the atmosphere.

However, in the taiga, decomposition happens very slowly due to cold temperature and acidic soil, meaning nutrients remain locked in a litter layer for long periods.

This slows the nutrient cycle and limits the amount of nutrients available for plant growth, making the taiga a low-nutrient ecosystem where only specially adapted species can thrive.

The litter store in the taiga biome is large because organic matter decomposes very slowly.

This is mainly due to the cold temperatures and dry conditions, which slow down the breakdown of dead plant and animal material.

A key contributor to the litter store is the needle-shaped leaves from coniferous trees, which regularly fall to the ground.

Unlike broad leaves, these needles contain waxy coatings and are more resistant to decomposition.

Since decomposition is so slow, dead plant matter accumulates, leading to a thick litter layer.

This means nutrients remain locked in this litter layer for long periods instead of quickly returning to the soil.

As a result, the nutrient cycle in the taiga is slow, limiting the amount of nutrients available for plant growth.

How does biomass in the taiga contribute to the nutrient cycle? Is it A, it increases the soil's nutrient content through rapid decomposition, B, it absorbs carbon dioxide, preventing it from entering the atmosphere, C, it is the store of nutrients in living plants and animals? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C.

It is the store of nutrients in living plants and animals.

Well done if you identify that correctly.

What role does litter play in the nutrient cycle of the taiga? Is it A, it stores all nutrients in the soil and biomass, B, it returns nutrients to the soil through decomposition, C, it blankets the soil and prevents it from freezing, or D, it prevents the rapid growth of weeds in the taiga biome? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is B.

It returns nutrients to the soil through decomposition.

Well done.

The soil store in the taiga has the least amount of nutrients compared to the litter and biomass stores.

This is because of the cold conditions significantly slow down the activity of decomposers such as bacteria and fungi, meaning nutrients take a long time to return to the soil.

Some nutrients enter the soil through rainfall and snowfall, which deposit atmospheric nutrients like nitrogen.

However, this is not enough to make up the soil decomposition rate.

The soil in the taiga is thin, acidic, and nutrient-poor, mainly because needle leaves from coniferous trees make the soil more acidic when they decompose.

Permafrost in some areas prevents deep-rooted plants from accessing nutrients.

The slow nutrient cycle means plants must survive with very limited nutrient availability.

These poor soil conditions limit plant growth, which in turn affects the number of herbivores and predators that can survive in the taiga ecosystem.

Soil in the taiga biome loses nutrients in two main ways.

Plants take up nutrients from the soil through their roots, but this happens very slowly in the taiga because the cold conditions make plants slow-growing.

Since plant growth is limited, fewer nutrients cycle back into the soil when plants die.

When rain or snow melt moves through the soil, it washes nutrients deeper than the plant roots can reach.

This further reduces the availability of essential nutrients, making the soil even less fertile.

With thin, acidic, and nutrient-poor soil, the taiga struggles to support large numbers of plant and animal species, contributing to its low biodiversity.

The nutrient cycle in the taiga is highly sensitive, meaning any disruption can have significant and long-lasting consequences for the ecosystem.

This is because the cycle relies on delicate balance between plants, animals, and decomposers, and any interruption can cause cascading effects throughout the food web.

One major threat to this balance is deforestation.

When trees are cut down or removed, the organic matter that normally falls to the forest floor such as leaves, branches, and decomposing plants is no longer replenishing the litter layer.

This decreases the amount of nutrients available in the soil, making it even more difficult for new plants to grow.

The absence of organic material also reduces the nutrient cycling that takes place through the decomposition, which is already slow in the taiga due to the cold temperatures and poor soil quality.

Additionally, without plant cover to shield the soil, the exposed ground becomes highly vulnerable to erosion.

Heavy rainfall or snowmelt, which occurs especially during the spring thaw, can wash away important nutrients that would otherwise remain in the soil.

This process, known as nutrient leaching, strips away the top soil, making it harder for plants to regrow and affecting the entire food chain.

The nutrient cycle and the taiga differs significantly from the cycle in the tropical rainforest due to the varying climatic conditions in each biome.

In a tropical rainforest, the cycle is rapid.

This is because the warm humid conditions promote fast decomposition of plant and animal matter.

With decomposition happening quickly, nutrients return to the soil almost immediately, allowing for rapid plant growth and high level of biodiversity.

In this environment, plants are able to take up nutrients almost as soon as they're available.

On the other hand, in the taiga, the nutrient cycle is much slower.

The cold, dry conditions significantly slow down decomposition.

As a result, dead plant and animal material remains in the environment for much longer, meaning nutrients release more slowly into the soil.

The slow decomposition process, combined with acidic soils and poor soil fertility, means that nutrients are not recycled quickly, limiting plant growth and contributing to the taiga's lower biodiversity.

How does precipitation affect the nutrient cycle in the taiga? There are two correct answers here.

Is it A, it prevents nutrients loss by causing evaporation, B, it adds nutrients like nitrogen and sulphur to the soil and litter, C, it slows down decomposition, which relies in dry conditions, or D, it washes nutrients out of the soil store? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answers are B, it adds nutrients like nitrogen and sulphur to the soil and litter, and D, it washes nutrients out of the soil store.

Excellent work.

True or false? Key factors in slowing down the nutrient cycle in the taiga compared to the tropical rainforest are cold temperatures and low rates of precipitation.

Pause the video here whilst you decide if this statement is true or false and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is true.

I would now like you to explain why this statement is true.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to continue.

Well done.

The reason why this statement is true is because decomposition needs warm temperatures and moist conditions to operate effectively, and while the tropical rainforest has perfect conditions for decomposition, the cold and dry taiga conditions mean the decomposition only happens very slowly.

The same is true for plant growth.

Trees grow slowly in cold, dry conditions, and so they take up nutrients slowly too.

Excellent work on this.

I hope you managed to explain that correctly.

I would now like you to complete the grid explaining how different stores gain and lose nutrients in the taiga's nutrient cycle.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

Let's check our answers.

Let's start with biomass.

The way they gain it is trees and plants absorb nutrients from the soil through their roots and from the atmosphere, for example, nitrogen and photosynthesis.

When plants lose leaves or when plants or animals die, the nutrients are lost from the biomass store and enter the litter store, where they decompose.

The litter.

The litter store gains nutrients from organic material falling onto it, including fallen leaves, needles, and dead plants and animals.

Rainwater also provides nutrients.

How they lose it, nutrients are released into the soil by decomposition, but the cold dry climate limits the process, and nutrients build up in the litter.

Rainwater can wash nutrients out of the litter store.

Soil.

Soil gains nutrients from the decomposition of dead organic material in the litter layer, which then enter the soil store.

Plants take up nutrients from the soil, and nutrients are also lost by leaching, when water carries them down beyond the plants can reach them.

Well done on this task.

I hope you managed to include some of those points in your answers.

You've done brilliantly.

We're now coming to our final question of today's lesson.

What is a food web? A food web is a diagram that illustrates how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem.

It shows the complex interactions between different biotic features such as plants, herbivores and carnivores, and decomposers and how they're connected based on what they eat.

Aisha said, "Nutrients that are being transferred are nitrogen and potassium.

Is that right?" She's exactly correct.

Well done, Aisha.

And Jacob said, "Biotic means living things like plants and animals!" That's correct.

A food web shows the relationship between the biotic components of an ecosystem, illustrating how energy and nutrients are transferred through different organisms. At the foundation of the food web are producers such as plants.

These organisms convert sunlight into the energy through the process of photosynthesis, forming the base of the food web and providing energy for all other organisms. Next, there are consumers, which include herbivores, animals that eat plants, carnivores, animals that eat other animals, and omnivores, animals that eat both plants and animals.

These consumers depend on plants or other animals for food.

Finally, decomposers such as fungi and bacteria play a vital role in breaking down dead organic matter.

This process recycles nutrients back into the soil, making them available again to producers and helping to maintain the health and balance the ecosystem.

Producers are at the bottom of the food web because they form the foundation of the ecosystem's energy flow.

These organisms, such as plants and algae, use sunlight to produce their own food through photosynthesis.

In the taiga biome, examples of the producers include blueberry bushes, which provide food for herbivores, and shrubs like dwarf birch, and mosses, including cushion moss also play a key role in the taiga as they help retain moisture and are important for the ecosystem, especially in the nutrient-poor soils of the taiga.

These producers are essential as they convert sunlight into usable energy for all other organisms in the food web.

Primary consumers, also known as herbivores, eat plants and gain energy from them.

In a taiga biome, examples of primary consumers include reindeer, deer, and snowshoe hares.

These herbivores feed on producers such as shrubs, mosses, and small plants like blueberry bushes.

By eating these plants, they obtain the energy stored in the plant tissues, which is essential for the survival, growth, and reproduction.

These primary consumers also play a vital role in transferring energy from producers to higher levels in the food web.

Secondary consumers are animals that either eat primary consumers, herbivores, or other animals.

They can be carnivores, only meat eaters, or omnivores, animals that eat both plants and animals.

In the taiga biome, examples of secondary consumers include snowy owls and wolves.

Snowy owls hunt and eat small mammals like snowshoe hares, while wolves primarily prey on reindeer and deer.

By eating these primary consumers, secondary consumers obtain their energy stored in their bodies, transferring energy up the food web.

The energy from the primary consumers is passed to the secondary consumer, which is vital for their survival and maintains the balance of the ecosystem.

Tertiary consumers, also known as apex predators, are at the top of the food web.

They're the top predators in their ecosystem and have no natural predators of their own.

In a taiga biome, examples of tertiary consumers include wolves and bears.

These animals typically hunt and eat secondary consumers such as smaller carnivores or herbivores.

For example, wolves may prey on deer or other smaller mammals, while bears may hunt for smaller mammals or fish.

The energy stored in the bodies of secondary consumers is transferred to the tertiary consumers.

As apex predators, these animals play a crucial role in controlling the populations of other species, helping to maintain the balance and health of the ecosystems. Decomposers, such as fungi, bacteria, and earthworms, play a critical role in breaking down dead plants and animals in the ecosystem.

When plants and animals die, decomposers break down their organic matter, releasing valuable nutrients back into the soil.

These nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, are then available for plants to absorb and use for growth.

This process helps maintain the health of the soil and ensures that the cycle of nutrients continues, supporting the growth of new plants and an entire ecosystem.

True or false? Decomposers in the taiga work quickly to break down dead material and release nutrients back into soil in the taiga.

Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This answer is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Fantastic.

The reason why the statement is false is because decomposers in the taiga work slowly due to the cold and dry climate, with low temperatures and dry conditions reducing the activity of fungi and bacteria, causing slower decomposition than in warmer ecosystems. Excellent work on this task.

I would like you to identify the correct order of the flow of energy in a taiga food web.

Is it A, primary consumers, secondary consumers, producers, B, secondary consumers to tertiary consumers to producers, or cc producers to primary consumers to secondary consumers to tertiary consumers? Pause the video here whilst you identify this correctly and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C, producers to primary consumers to secondary consumers to tertiary consumers.

Excellent work on this.

Some consumers are generalists, meaning they eat a wide range of producers or other consumers, creating many links in the food web.

For example, omnivores like bears might eat plants, fruits, and smaller animals, which allows them to be more flexible in their food sources and survive in various conditions.

Other consumers are specialists, meaning they depend on a more limited range of food or even just one species.

For instance, some animals might rely on specific plant species like snowshoe hares, feeding mainly on certain types of shrubs.

These specialised diets mean that these consumers are highly adapted to specific conditions, but they can also be more vulnerable to changes in the ecosystem, such as the loss of their primary food sources.

Alex says, "Does that mean that the food web shows which organisms are interdependent?" Yes, it does show which organisms are interdependent.

Let's take a closer look at the taiga food web.

At the bottom, we have producers, then primary consumers, then secondary consumers, then tertiary consumers.

What might happen to the number of snowshoe hares if there was more grass? Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

If there was more grass, the number of snowshoe hares might increase.

Snowshoe hares are herbivores, and they feed on grasses and other vegetation.

More grass would provide more food for them, supporting their population and potentially leading to more reproduction.

What might happen to the number of Canada lynx if the amount of grass was reduced? Pause here and press play when you're ready.

Excellent.

If the amount of grass was reduced, the number of snowshoe hares would likely decrease, since they rely on grass as a primary food source.

This in turn would affect the population of Canada lynx, which prey on snowshoe hares.

With fewer hares available as food, the lynx population would likely decline as well, demonstrating how the food web connects species.

There is also strong interdependence between abiotic, non-living, and biotic, living, components of the taiga ecosystem.

For example, coniferous trees have adapted to conserve water in the dry winter months by having waxy needles which reduce water loss.

As these trees decompose, they release acids into the soil, which gradually make it more acidic, affecting plant growth and soil quality.

The abiotic factor of the winter's low sunlight limits the growth of plants and reduces animal activity, as many species enter hibernation or migrate to survive the cold.

However, during summer when there is abundant daylight, plant growth accelerates and animals take advantage of the longer days to feed and reproduce.

This cycle of seasonal changes, with the interplay of sunlight and temperature, plays a crucial role in shaping the growth and survival of both plants and animals in a taiga.

The food web in the taiga is quite different from the one found in the tropical rainforests due to contrasting climates.

In a taiga, the cold climate limits plant growth, which reduces the number of species that can survive in the area.

This results in a simpler food web with fewer connections as there are fewer plants to support herbivores and fewer herbivores to support predators.

In contrast, the tropical rainforest has warm, wet climate that supports an incredible diversity of plant and animal life.

The abundance of plant species creates a much more complex and interconnected food web, with numerous species of herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers each playing a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem's balance.

The rich biodiversity in the tropical rainforests leads to a far more intricate and dynamic food web compared to the taiga.

True or false? In the taiga food web, plants and animals do not rely on each other for survival.

Pause the video here whilst you decide and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This answer is false.

I would now like you to explain why this answer is false.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The reason why this statement is false is because in the taiga food web, plants and animals are interdependent.

Plants provide food and shelter for herbivores, which are eaten by carnivores, while decomposers break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients for plant growth.

Excellent work on this task.

I hope you managed to explain that correctly.

I would now like you to explain why a taiga food web is less complex than a food web in the tropical rainforest.

I would also like you to refer to what you know about nutrient cycling in these two biomes in your answer.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

Let's check our answer.

Your answer might have included some of the following points.

Biodiversity is much higher in tropical rainforests than in the taiga because the warm, wet climate near the Equator allows plants to grow all year round.

In contrast, the taiga has a colder climate and fewer nutrients, so it can only support a small number of plant and animal species.

The long, harsh winters in the taiga also mean that plants and animals must adapt to survive, leading to fewer species overall.

In tropical rainforests, there are many different environments, or ecological niches, which help support a wide variety of species.

Excellent work on this task.

You've done brilliantly.

We've now come to the end of our learning about nutrient cycling and biodiversity in the taiga biome.

Before we end this lesson, let's summarise everything that we've learned about today.

The nutrient cycle and the taiga is significantly lower than in other biomes, mainly due to the region's cold temperatures and acidic soil.

These two factors create challenging conditions for the decomposition process.

Decomposers such as fungi and bacteria play a vital role in breaking down dead plant animal matter, releasing essential nutrients back into the soil.

However, in the taiga, the low temperatures slow down microbial activity and the acidic soil inhibits the efficient breakdown of organic matter.

As a result, nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which are necessary for plant growth, remain locked in the dead material for longer periods, preventing the rapid cycling that is seen in other ecosystems. The slowed nutrient cycle means that the taiga soil brings lower nutrients, making it difficult for plants to thrive.

The harsh conditions limit plant diversity and this in turn has a knock-on effect on the animals that depend on them for food.

Fewer plants mean fewer herbivores, which leads to fewer predators, creating a simpler food web with fewer connections between species.

Disruptions to nutrient cycles, such as deforestation, wildfires, or climate change, can further harm the cycle.

In comparison, tropical rainforests have much faster and more efficient nutrient cycle.

The warmer, wet climate encourages rapid decomposition, and the abundant plant life provides a constant source of nutrients.

As a result, the rainforest supports a highly diverse array of plants and animals, leading to a complex food web with many interconnected species.

The low nutrient levels and lower cycling of nutrients in the taiga create an ecosystem with fewer species and a simpler structure.

While this biome is home to some iconic species such as moose, wolves, and coniferous trees, the overall number of species is limited compared to more biodiverse biomes like the tropical rainforest.

This results in less complex food webs with fewer interdependencies between plants, herbivores and carnivores, and decomposers.

As a result, the taiga is more vulnerable to disturbances that can disrupt its delicate balance.

Fantastic.

You've done brilliantly in today's lesson, and I look forward to landing with you again very soon.