The Green Ring of the Snowy Boreal Forests
In The Green Ring of the Snowy Boreal Forests, narrator Sir David Attenborough highlights the distinct barrier between frozen land and forest. As spring creeps north, snowy boreal forests form a ring of green around the Earth. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
Lesson Express
Q: In summer, the Sun doesn’t set in the tundra. Why isn’t this enough sunlight to allow trees to grow?
A: The Sun’s rays are glancing, so not enough of their energy reaches the ground.
Q: Describe the boreal forest (taiga).
A: It starts with the tree-line, where stunted shrubs begin to grow; its forest is made up of conifers; it supports little animal life; it is covered in snow in winter but is green in spring and summer.
Q: Why is the boreal forest important?
A: It contains one-third of Earth’s trees; it produces enough oxygen to change the composition of the atmosphere.
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In Conifer Take Over the Arctic, narrator Sir David Attenborough takes us on a climb up the largest living things on Earth. View the taiga from space to see just how green and extensive this region is. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In Conifer Take Over the Arctic, narrator Sir David Attenborough takes us on a climb up the largest living things on Earth. View the taiga from space to see just how green and extensive this region is. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.