Question
Explain four ways in which trees in the coniferous forests have adapted to the environmental conditions of the region.
Answer
- The trees have a conical shape and flexible branches to allow snow to slide off easily thus minimizing damage to the trees.
- Most trees are evergreen so as to have maximum utilization of sunlight during
the short growing season.
- Needle-like leaves help to reduce the loss of water from the trees in winter
when there is no moisture to be absorbed from the soil.
- The tree trunks are flexible to enable them to sway without breaking during
the strong winter winds.
- The leaves have a tough waxy skin which protects them from the winter cold.
- The trees have a widely spread root system for utilizing moisture from the
topsoil since most of the time the subsoil is frozen.
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