Starter quiz
- What is biodiversity?
- The total number of trees in a forest
- The speed at which plants grow
- The temperature of a habitat
- The number of different species in an ecosystem ✓
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- What is the taiga biome?
- A tropical rainforest
- A cold forest found in high latitudes ✓
- A hot desert
- A grassland
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- What type of trees dominate the taiga?
- Deciduous trees
- Mangrove trees
- Oak trees
- Evergreen coniferous trees ✓
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- Which of the following is a common climate characteristic of the taiga?
- Hot summers and warm winters
- Mild temperatures year-round
- Long, cold winters and short, cool summers ✓
- Heavy rainfall all year
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- How do animals in the taiga adapt to the cold?
- They only come out in summer
- They shrink in size
- They stop eating
- They grow thick fur or feathers ✓
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- Why is biodiversity lower in the taiga than in tropical rainforests?
- The soil is too rich
- The cold climate and short growing season limit species ✓
- There is too much sunlight
- Animals cannot survive in forests
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Exit quiz
- What is a major threat to biodiversity in the taiga?
- Rising sea levels
- Hurricanes
- Deforestation for logging and mining ✓
- Volcanic eruptions
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- How do evergreen trees in the taiga survive cold winters?
- They lose all their leaves in winter
- They have needle-like leaves to reduce water loss ✓
- They grow faster in winter
- They store water in large leaves
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- How can wildfires contribute to ecosystem renewal in the taiga?
- They destroy all plant and animal life permanently
- They clear old vegetation, allowing new plants to grow ✓
- They make the soil infertile and unsuitable for regrowth
- They prevent any trees from growing back
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- How does climate change threaten biodiversity in the taiga?
- It creates more rivers
- It disrupts ecosystems by making the taiga warmer ✓
- It increases food availability
- It brings more animals to the taiga
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The taiga is vulnerable to biodiversity loss.
- The taiga is experiencing a loss of biodiversity.
- Acid precipitation is contributing to a loss of biodiversity.
- Forest fires and pests and diseases are contributing to a loss of biodiversity.
Common misconception
All wildfires in the taiga are harmful and should be prevented.
Some wildfires are natural and necessary for ecosystem renewal, as they clear old vegetation and help new trees grow. However, climate change has made fires more intense and frequent.
Keywords
Biodiversity - a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem
Habitat - the natural place where a plant or animal lives and grows
Climate change - long-term changes in temperature, weather patterns and atmospheric conditions resulting from human activities like burning fossil fuels
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