Evergreen coniferous forests of the northern hemisphere with a growing season of less than 6 months and a mean day temperature above 10 degrees celsius for 1-4 months.

The taiga is populated, similar as the tundra, by relatively few species, which often are distributed over the complete area and can be found in addition in montane forests. Apart from the dominating spruce, further pinaceae are growing, as well as birches, alders, poplars, willows and many dwarf shrubs like bilberries or cowberries.