In terms of human impacts of this ecosystem, it is a
relatively good status. This is mostly due to the isolated nature of the taiga, as well
as the extreme temperatures that render the lands virtually uninhabitable by
most. However, there are some negative impacts on the taiga due to humans; these
dangers range from logging to poaching. Traditionally, boreal forests are the
world’s largest source of wood and timber products, given the massive amounts
of coniferous trees that occupy the
expanse of Russian land. Additionally, timber exportation and clear-cutting
proves to be a major source of profit for locals, considering the lack of
cities and towns and emphasis on natural products. Even though clear-cutting is most efficient for this region, it strips the animals from their lands and
displaces habitats. Additionally, other threats to this region include
extraction for oil and gas, as well as forest fires. However, there is much
debate over the phenomenon of firest fires in the taiga: some scientists claim
that the fires are devastating to the local flora and fauna and seek to massacre
the vegetation, while others prove that forest fires are a naturally occuring
facet that balance the boundaries of the habitats with current ecological
impacts (see chart on existence of forest fires below).
A critical threat to the taiga is poaching of animals for
skins and bones to sell in international markets. This most directly affects the
Siberian tiger, for these tigers only live in the Primorski Krai and Khabarovsk
Krai regions of eastern Siberia. Sadly, there are only 200-300 still in
existence today, which proves the devastating effect of poaching on the tiger
population. For many Siberians, poaching these animals proves to be quite
lucrative, since it is estimated that for each pelt sold, one can gain up to $5,000. Thus, the selling of animal pelts and
bones provides a solid way for many people to gain a profit, especially in Siberia
where the jobs are more precarious than in wealthy, major urban centers.
 |
| Courtesy of "Extent, Distribution and Ecological Role of Fire in Russian Forests" |
