Acid Rain
The main environmental threat in the Taiga biome is acid rain. Acid Rain is formed when pollutants such as: nitrogen oxide, burning gasses, and sulfur dioxide are released into the air and mix with water vapor forming a cloud. When the toxic cloud gains weight, precipitation falls and acid rain has been formed. The results are devastating; ruining plants, killing animals, and devastating the land. This is an threat to the Taiga Biome due to pollution in Scandanavia and Russia, two of main areas that have died off due to acid rain in the region. This disrupts the cycle of matter by killing many plants by to acid rain, then there is less energy in the ecosystem, and less food eaten by consumers. One way this environmental issue is being dealt with is planting more trees in the ecosystem to absorb the harmful greenhouse gases.
Deforestation.
Logging threatens the magnificent spruce trees everywhere is the Taiga biome, especially in Russia. These trees are valued for their strong wood fibers, which are used in making high quality paper products. Unless more paper and wood companies start producing recycled goods, spruce trees may be gone before we know it.
The lack of coniferous trees in the taiga biome can also prevent animals from finding enough food to survive there. There are some issues with some of the insects living in these regions causing plagues among the trees. They can leave the trees brittle, prevent them from growing, and deplete them on the nutrients necessary for survival. Balsam Fir trees are often cut down to be used as lumber. They are used to make logs for cabins, pulpwood, and even Christmas trees for the holidays. However, if they are cut away in too large of numbers then the Taiga biome isn’t going to have that careful balance that it really needs for all living there to thrive. Any threat to one part of the Taiga biome causes problems to the whole biome. For example, if any plot of land is clear-cut in the Taiga, the soil will wash away in a heavy rain because there are no plants to anchor it down. Once the soil has been eroded away, it takes many years for the soil to form again. Therefore, the land in that area will remain without plants until more soil can form.
The lack of coniferous trees in the taiga biome can also prevent animals from finding enough food to survive there. There are some issues with some of the insects living in these regions causing plagues among the trees. They can leave the trees brittle, prevent them from growing, and deplete them on the nutrients necessary for survival. Balsam Fir trees are often cut down to be used as lumber. They are used to make logs for cabins, pulpwood, and even Christmas trees for the holidays. However, if they are cut away in too large of numbers then the Taiga biome isn’t going to have that careful balance that it really needs for all living there to thrive. Any threat to one part of the Taiga biome causes problems to the whole biome. For example, if any plot of land is clear-cut in the Taiga, the soil will wash away in a heavy rain because there are no plants to anchor it down. Once the soil has been eroded away, it takes many years for the soil to form again. Therefore, the land in that area will remain without plants until more soil can form.
Global Warming
Trees, by absorbing carbon dioxide, help limit harmful greenhouse gases. Carbon Dioxide is help limit harmful greenhouse gases one of the most dominating greenhouse gases on earth. If trees in the Taiga are destroyed, more amounts of carbon dioxide will escape into the atmosphere. As gas levels go up, the earth's temperature will also rise, causing catastrophic events all over the world.