Final answer:
The biome with much of Canada covered in fir and spruce forests and experiencing long, cold winters is the boreal forest, also known as taiga. It is characterized by cold-tolerant evergreen conifers, short summers, and long winters with significant snowfall.
Step-by-step explanation:
The biome you are asking about, characterized by much of Canada being covered in fir and spruce forests and having cold, long winters, is known as the boreal forest, or taiga. This biome is dominant in subarctic regions, stretching across Canada, Alaska, Russia, and northern Europe. The boreal forest consists of evergreen, coniferous trees such as spruce, fir, and pine, which have adapted to the harsh climate with needle-shaped leaves.
The boreal forest is adapted to an environment with cold, dry winters and short, cool, wet summers, with annual precipitation ranging from 40 cm to 100 cm, predominantly in the form of snow. The low temperatures lead to minimal evaporation, maintaining the moisture content within the biome.
Inhabitants of this biome include a range of mammals such as rodents, rabbits, minks, raccoons, bears, moose, and caribou (which are present mainly in winter). Additionally, this biome sees various bird species during the summer and supports plant life like mosses and lichens aside from the predominant conifers.