Coniferous+Evergreen+Animal+Adaptations

Adaptations in the Evergreen Coniferous forest are usually to compensate for three things: Loss of heat, low food supply, and adaptations to travel over snow and ice. Bears are one of the most dominant animals in the forest. They also require a fair amount of food intake because of their size. In the winter, food is scarce and the weather is harsh. Bears adapt to these conditions by hibernating, usually during the months between October and April. C1. During this time period bears enter a deep sleep, which uses way less energy, and consequently, food, than otherwise.

 Winter months in the evergreen coniferous forest also bring snowfall. On average, they get 12-33 inches of precipitation a year. C2. Much of this comes in winter, as snow. Animals such as the Lynx have learned to adapt to snowy and icy conditions by growing very large feet, which act as snowshoes in the winter. C3. This allows them to travel on top of the snow easier due to the increased surface area on their feet.

 As in any major ecosystem, food is an essential part of what makes an ecosystem “tick”. Animals in the evergreen coniferous often adapt to be able to track and eat as much food as possible. Wolves are a great example of this. Wolves have adapted to hear within a six-mile radius, a trait which helps them maintain their food supply as one of the apex predators of the forest C4.  A lynx paw vs a bobcat paw C5.

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