Coniferous+Evergreen+Producers+and+Consumers

List of at least 3 primary producers (plants or plant types) and their descriptions found in that ecosystem. A description of at least 3 consumers (animal life) found in the ecosystem with descriptions. Identify those animals as either herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores (need one of each).

Producers (B1) 1) Fern -  Ferns are very common to the coniferous evergreen region and in this region, they are small shrub-like plants; however in other biomes ferns can also appear as trees and vines. Ferns are any nonflowering vascular plants that possess true roots, stems, and complex leaf systems. Ferns reproduce through Spores which leads to very widespread reproduction making them one of the more common plants of the area. There are roughly 10,000 Fern species in total, yet only about 400 of these species consist in the coniferous evergreen biome. B7.  Image of a fern B7

2) Black Spruce Tree - The Black Spruce tree or the //Picea mariana //is a slow growing tree which grows on average 15-50 feet tall with a diameter of 6-20 inches. It is a member of the coniferous evergreen species and its leaves are made up of many small blue-green pine needles along all sides of its branches. It is most commonly found in colder climates and grow commonly in bogs and marshes. Black Spruce forests often attract lots of wildlife due too all of the insects that live in these poorly drained areas. B8. B9. B10. Image of Black Spruce Tree B8.

3) Fireweed - The Fireweed //(Chamerion// angustifolium//)// is a plant native to the Coniferous Forest region of North America, although it can be found as far south as New Mexico it is much more common in northern climates. Fireweeds are tall bright pink-purple wildflowers which can grow abundantly and cover full fields. It is a member of the Evening Primrose family, which contains over 200 species. The Fireweed grows typically from 4 to 6 feet high, yet on some occasions grow up to roughly 9 feet. Fireweeds have very small seeds which lead to its ability to be carried and moved so easily, for this reason, fireweeds are so widespread across North America and are often the first plant to grow in a recently devastated environment. B11. B12. Image of Fireweed B12.

Consumers 1) Herbivore. Ground Squirrel -  Ground squirrels are small mammals that live primarily in coniferous evergreens which are located along a band across Canada and the top of Asia. They live in shallow burrows that are typically connected with other ground squirrels in a complex system of tunnels that form a colony. They use their dens to take shelter from predators and is also used to store food, raise young, and rest in. They avoid open woods and prefer dense woods that have good spots to take shelter from. They have a diet that consists of seeds, grains, nuts, and sometimes mushrooms that they can find in their burrows. B2. B3.   Image of a ground squirrel B3.

2) Omnivore. Racoon -  Racoons live all throughout America and top parts of Asia and Europe in Coniferous evergreen forest. They take shelter in old trees and burrows and sometimes found in Urban homes. They are a very adaptive when it comes to scavenging for food and taking shelter, this is the main cause of why they are widespread across the world. The majority of the Raccoons diet consists of sweet foods like fruits and invertebrates and will sometimes include trash if they live in urban areas. They are most active at night and tend to sleep most of the time during the winter. B4.  Image of Raccoons in a tree B4.

3) Carnivore. Northwestern Wolves -  Northwestern wolves are common to all parts of the northern hemisphere but typically in the remote wilderness. They usually hunt large prey such as moose, goats, sheep, and deer, they like to attack the weakest or sickest in the herd, they will sometimes attack domestic animals. They live in packs of 10-20 and are lead by a leader who is called the alpha male. Every pack guards themselves against intruders and will sometime kill other wolves that are not in their pack. They are nocturnal animals which means that they sleep during the day and hunt during the night. B5. B6.  Image of a pack of wolves B5.

Back Home Page Forward