The snowshoe hare is one of the many endemic species of the boreal forest. This species is an important food source for many of the boreal forest's predators such as lynx, foxes, martens, and some avian predators. Due to being found only in the Boreal Forest, the snowshoe hare has adapted to this environment by changing its color twice a year, white for the winter and brown while in the summer. Without this animal, many species would not have their food source which would affect their population negatively.
Non-Native Species
Due to the economic importance of timber forest products from boreal forests, invasive insects that can cause tree mortality as well as deformation is a great concern. Most of the invasive insects found in the North American boreal forest originate from Europe which are mainly defoliator species such as the European Sawfly that attack birch and alder. Defoliators cause declines in leaf productivity and leaf death, which end up weakening the tree and in some cases, lead to tree death and species replacement.
Keystone Species
The American Black Bear is another species endemic to the Boreal Forest. The black bear is able to adapt to the cold weather of the forest to the warmer weather during the summer. It is able to adapt to the forest due to its thick fur and sharp claws, essential for hunting and climbing. The black bear is an omnivore and about 75% of their diet is vegetation.
Non native plants are appearing in parts of the North American boreal forest at an increasingly large number. Over 60 exotic plant species have established in the boreal area of Alaska and has increased to 179 species These plants are usually produce large amounts of seeds and show high competitive abilities. However, very few have been considered invasive The red clover is shown to invade clearcuts, yet there is no indication of negative effects to the productivity of the forest.
The Scots Pine, one of the largest and long-lived tree in the Boreal forest is a keystone specie and without it, many organisms would be drastically affected. The Scots pine plays a critical role as it has relationships with many plants, insects, birds and animals. Some organisms live on the pine itself such as epiphytic lichens and mosses. These grow on the bark and branches of the pine, but do not take any nourishment from the tree. Many of the lichens add to the fertility of the forest through their ability to absorb, or fix, nitrogen from the air. The Scots pine has special associations with fungi, whereby the hyphae of the fungi wrap around the root tips of the tree, and exchanges nutrients.Through this, both the tree and the fungi benefit in that they are able to grow better.They also play a huge role in the development of the hummocks. Some insects live on the tree itself which form a food source for birds such as treecreeper. Wood ants create mounds out of fallen pine needles from this tree which can contain as many as half a million individuals. Mammals associated with the pinewoods such as squirrels and mice rely on this species for their food source. Without it, many animals would not be able to get to their food or resource from this tree and the number of species will diminish.
Pioneer Species
Primary Succession Primary succession in the Boreal Forest begins in barren areas, such as on bare rock exposed by a retreating glacier. The first inhabitants are lichens or plant which are those that can survive in the environment. Over hundreds of years the “pioneer species” convert the rock into soil that can support simple plants such as grasses and trees. These grasses further modify the soil, which is then colonized by other types of plants. Secondary Succession The boreal forest in Canada experienced a forest fire in the year 1992. This caused secondary succession as it destroyed existing forest cover and organic soil layers. However, seeds would be carried and the vegetation would be restored.
Ecosystem Services
The boreal forest provides many ecosystem services from climate regulation as it captures carbon, to water filtration and waste treatment. One of the most important services is that it is a sink and reservoir of atmospheric carbon. The forests store 67 billion tonnes of carbon in Canada alone. The boreal forest provides strong ecosystems that provides habitat for 23 species that are at risk. The forest also filter billions of liters of water, restore nutrients, produce oxygen, produce soils, and control flooding and erosion.