Larix laricina

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/larix-laricina

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Larix laricina
2. What is the diet?Autotrophic; synthesizes nutrients via photosynthesis
3. What is a tamarack tree?The tamarack, also called eastern larch, is a special tree that drops its needles each year like leaves. It is a conifer that is unique because it is deciduous. It grows in cold, wet places like Canada and parts of the United States.
4. Why does the tamarack shed its needles?The tamarack sheds its needles to save water and recover nutrients before the cold winter. By dropping the needles, it can keep its leaves healthy when the ground is frozen and dry.

Circumboreal Distribution: A plant or animal species found in regions surrounding the Arctic Circle.
Hydric Soils: Soils that are saturated with water for long periods, characteristic of wetlands.
Abscission: The natural separation of a plant part, such as a leaf or fruit, from the rest of the plant.