Which biome features cold, dark winters and warm, humid summers with near 24-hour summer daylight?

Which biome features cold, dark winters and warm, humid summers with near 24-hour summer daylight?

• A. Desert
• B. Rainforest
• C. Taiga
• D. Tundra

Answer: (D)

In climates near the poles, daylight swings dramatically with the seasons. The biome that matches cold, dark winters and a brief, warm, and relatively humid summer with near-24-hour daylight is the boreal forest, or taiga. Winters are long and harsh, but summers bring a burst of warmth and lots of daylight, enough to support coniferous trees and a short growing season, often with frequent rain or humidity. The tundra also has long summer days, but its summers are cool and not truly warm or humid, and trees are absent due to permafrost. Deserts and rainforests don’t fit this combination either—deserts are dry with extreme conditions, and rainforests stay warm and humid year-round without cold winters.

In climates near the poles, daylight swings dramatically with the seasons. The biome that matches cold, dark winters and a brief, warm, and relatively humid summer with near-24-hour daylight is the boreal forest, or taiga. Winters are long and harsh, but summers bring a burst of warmth and lots of daylight, enough to support coniferous trees and a short growing season, often with frequent rain or humidity. The tundra also has long summer days, but its summers are cool and not truly warm or humid, and trees are absent due to permafrost. Deserts and rainforests don’t fit this combination either—deserts are dry with extreme conditions, and rainforests stay warm and humid year-round without cold winters.