Coniferous+Evergreen+Plant+Adaptations

Plant life in evergreen coniferous forests has kept up with the harsh conditions of the northerly territories where this biome is found through several important natural adaptations as well as countless smaller ones over the course of millions of years. One adaptation that has enabled conifers to survive in relatively cold climates is the tendency to carry out photosynthesis effectively at lower temperatures than other tree types.

These trees' photosynthesis is also aided by the needle-like foliage characteristic of conifer trees, which empower these trees to begin photosynthesis as soon as conditions are opportune (D1). While a standard tree species would not be able to take advantage of the short warm season at northern latitudes while waiting for its leaves to flush, conifer needles take little time to develop and photosynthesize more effectively in climates with short summers.

Conifers have also adapted to the threat of wildfire in two ways based on two different types of wildfires. For low-intensity ground fires, the trees have adapted thick bark at the trunk to protect the base of the tree and a high crown to allow the tree to survive the fire. Conversely, for high-intensity crown fires, the trees developed flammable dead branches that remain on the trees and act as fire ladders as well as serotinous cones, meaning the cones release seeds in response to an environmental trigger such as a fire. These adaptations are to increase the chance of survival of the trees in the vicinity as well as potential trees in the form of seeds (D2.).



D1. D2.

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