INVESTIGATION of HEATING and COOLING of the EARTH’S SURFACE with a FOCUS on the TUNDRA BIOME CHILLIN’ and GRILLIN’ in the TUNDRA BIOME

Heat A form of energy associated with the motion of atoms or molecules. Transferred from higher temperature objects to objects at a lower temperature.

Radiation Energy transferred in theEnergy transferred in the form of rays or waves or particles. Heat From the Sun You can feel the sun warm yourYou can feel the sun warm your skin on a sunny day. This is because the energyThis is because the energy causes the particles in your skin to move faster = more heat energy move faster = more heat energy.

As Earth rotates, the portion of the globe facing the sun warms as it absorbs more solar radiation than it emits. Earth constantly emits some of the absorbed energy as infrared radiation. This emission of heat cools the dark side of the planet.

The Earth’s rotation, Earth’s axial tilt, and distance from the equator cause variations in the heating and cooling of Earth. The heating of Earth’s surface and atmosphere by the sun causes convection cycles in the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds and ocean currents. These physical features interact to form the climate of each of the six important land biomes.

Latitude lines measure distance from the equator. These lines run parallel to the equator and are labeled in degrees north or degrees south.

Earth’s temperature varies with latitude. At higher latitudes, solar radiation is less intense. The same thing happens to the sun’s energy when it reaches the south pole at an angle.

The total energy received each day at the top of the atmosphere depends on latitude. The highest daily amounts of incoming energy (pale pink) occur at high latitudes in the summer, when days are long, rather than at the equator.

Longitude lines run vertically from the north pole to the south pole The line that runs through Greenwich, England, is labeled 0 degrees longitude and is called the prime meridian. Lines east of the prime meridian are numbered from 1 to 179 degrees east, while lines west of the prime meridian are numbered from 1 to 179 degrees west. The 0- and 180-degree lines are not labeled east or west.

Climate is defined as the long- term average of a region’s weather. Climate depends on many factors: latitude precipitation elevation topography distance from large bodies of water

Scientists divide the planet into climate regions called biomes. An example of a biome is the desert.

A tundra is a vast, treeless plain in the arctic region. Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes.

Map of Tundra Distribution Alpine Tundra Map Arctic/Polar Tundra Map

It’s freezing for almost all of the year. The average temperature per year is 16 degrees F. Summer temperatures get up to 45 degrees F. (last 6-10 weeks) Lowest temperature it can get is 10 degrees F below degrees F.

1.Extremely cold climate 2.Low biotic diversity 3.Simple vegetation structure 4.Limitation of drainage 5.Short season of growth and reproduction 6.Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material 7.Large population movement back and forth

Temperature: Average Yearly Temperature:16° F Average Winter Temperature: -10° F Summer Temperatures: ° F Precipitation: Annual precipitation, including melting snow, is 18 inches Solar Insolation: Tundra does not have traditional seasons, only a lengthy winter and a brief mild season. Limiting Factors: Plant growth is hampered by the layer of permafrost, or permanently frozen subsoil. About the Tundra…

It’s located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow. Growing season is approximately 180 days. Night time temperature is usually below freezing. Unlike the Arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained. Plants similar to the Arctic include: tussock grasses, dwarf trees, & heaths Animals include: Mountain goats, elk, sheep, butterflies, & grasshoppers

Arctic tundras lie near the Arctic Ocean. They include Greenland, northern parts of Alaska, Canada, Europe and Russia.

The frigid cold and deep snow makes life in the tundra very difficult. Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the summer. Some have grown thick fur which turns white in the winter. Mammals and birds have additional insulation from fat. Others find a place to hibernate during the winter months because food is not abundant. Reptiles & amphibians are few or absent because of extremely cold temperature.

Animal Life – lower diversity due to extreme conditions Result: Residents adapt to environment Morphological adaptations large, compact bodies thick Insulating cover of feathers or fur pelage (fur, hair, or wool) and plumage that turns white in winter, brown in summer Physiological adaptations ability to accumulate thick deposits of fat during the short growing season Fat acts as insulation; store of energy for use during the winter, when animal species remain active. Population adaptations cyclical fluctuations in population size Predator populations and plant populations respond in kind to the peaks and crashes of the herbivore populations. Tundra Species Diversity

About 1700 types of plants in the arctic tundra Vegetation: Grasses, mosses, lichens, sedges, shrubs, trees include birches and willows Mammals: Caribou, arctic foxes and hares, polar bears, lemmings, porcupines, mountain goats and elk in the alpine tundra Birds: Snowy owls, falcons, snow geese, tundra swans, ptarmigans, ravens Species Diversity

ARCTIC ANIMALS

The frigid cold and deep snow makes life in the tundra very difficult. Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the summer. Some have grown thick fur which turns white in the winter. Mammals and birds have additional insulation from fat. Others find a place to hibernate during the winter months b/c food is not abundant. Reptiles & amphibians are few or absent b/c of extremely cold temp. Thick fur and amazing stamina. They know how to adapt to the frigid conditions in the tundra. Dogs curl themselves up to protect from the harsh wind. The dogs must mush and work as a team in order to survive.

Fauna Adaptations The most common adaption is a thick layer of fur or feathers to hold the heat close to their bodies. Some of the animals fur turns white during the winter to hide in the snow and protect them from predators. Many large animals have compact body shapes that help them retain more heat than if their bodies were long and thin. Many animals avoid the cold by migrating and some animals build up a layer of fat over the summer, which provide energy and food while also keeping them warm during the harsh winters. Some may burrow into the snow to avoid harsh, frigid tempertures and winds.

FLOWERS OF THE TUNDRA