Question

Temperate evergreen forests: 1) are not as dense as tropical evergreen forests, and 2) include
coniferous trees in the highlands. Explain the climatic conditions which lead to these 2
characteristics of temperate evergreen forests.​

Answer 1

Answer:

Temperate needle leaf or coniferous forests are also known as taiga. These forests occur in temperate areas (mostly northern hemisphere, parts of New Zealand), with precipitation both as snow and rain (variable). 

In India these forests are distributed between 1700-3000 meter altitude in the Himalayas. Winters are chilly, while summers are pleasant there. Marshes have cotton grass and Sphagnum. Vegetation consists of Gymnosperms with cone-shaped canopy. They have needle shaped leaves, which persists on plants for 2-7 years. The trees are evergreen. Temperate broad leaf or deciduous forests occur in Western Himalayas at an altitude of 1500-2400 meters. Upto 4 strata occur in forests. Tree canopy is dense. Herbaceous layer is poorly developed. Indian temperate broad leaved forests are dominated by Oaks like Quercus semecarpifolia (brown oak of Himalayas), Q. tilonaj (Tilonaj Oak), Q. lanuginose and Q. leucotrichophora.