Tundra

A cold biome of the far north; the ground is frozen even in summer There are two seasons in the tundra. They are winter and summer.

Tundra Facts The tundra is the coldest and the driest of all the biomes on Earth. This biome lies above the Arctic Ocean in the world's highest northern latitudes. The tundra covers about one fifth of the land surface found on Earth. These low swampy plains are found in Northern Europe, Siberia, Northern most part of North America, and a few places in the southern hemisphere. All locations reach low temperatures that can freeze on any night, even in the tropical locations. The summers in the tundra are short. The tundra experiences 24 hour long days.

Tundra Facts The arctic tundra is a harsh, cold environment in the Northern Hemisphere within the Arctic Circle. There are strong winds, up to 100 miles per hour. In the tundra it is very cold: the average winter temperature is -13°F, and in the summer it is rarely over 50°F. The summer time only lasts six to eight weeks. In the winter it is dark most of the time, and even in the summer it is usually cloudy and overcast; therefore plants get little sunlight.

Tundra Facts The tundra is also unusually dry; it gets an average of just 11.8 inches of rainfall per year. The growing season is very short. There is also a major lack of nutrients. A cool fact about the tundra is that nearly 75 % of it is covered in permafrost. There are many cracks on the surface because of the earth freezing and thawing. This frozen soil prevents water from sinking into the ground, causing many lakes, streams, bogs, and fens (wetlands with a constant high water level) during the summer.

There is very little evaporation. This causes the moisture to be absorbed into the ground which is called permafrost. The permafrost lies six inches below the ground. The permafrost prevents drainage of excess moisture. Trees and plants have a hard time growing in these conditions. The growing season is short and can last up to 60 days.

Plants of the Tundra Vegetation or plants are in abundance in the tundra. Some of the major ones are the lichen which grows on rocks and is made of fungus and algae living and growing together. Other types are the dwarf willow that are small tundra shrubs and the cushion plants that grow in low, tight clumps to protect them from the cold. Plants in the tundra biome have many adaptations such as being small and able to grow close to the ground to protect from the cold and harsh temperatures. Also they absorb more heat from the sunshine than they get from other plants.

Plants Probably the most unique thing about the arctic moss Calliergon giganteum is that it grows in freshwater arctic lakes and in fens (wetlands with a constant high water level).

Plants Arctic willow or rock willow can be found in the North American tundra. The North American tundra consists of Northern Alaska and Northern Canada.

Plants Bearberry is a low growing evergreen. It has a stem that rises 2-8" off the ground and is covered in a thick bark and fine silky hairs. On the stem are many oval-shaped, leathery leaves. Since bearberry is a low growing plant it can stay out of the wind chill. It's fine silky hairs also help to keep it warm. Leathery leaves are also an adaptation to the cold of the tundra. Bearberry is a very useful plant. All parts of it can be used in some way. The fruit can be eaten and cooked with other foods. The roots can be made into a tea that can treat a constant cough.

Animals of the Tundra Many of the animals in the tundra biome are mostly vegetarians. This helps the animals to get more food with there being so many plants. Since the weather in the tundra is cold and dry, the animals of the biome have special adaptations so that they can live in their areas and provide for their needs.

Arctic Fox The arctic fox is a canine carnivore who lives in the arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. The arctic fox can grow up to cm long ( /4 in.) with a tail of 35 cm long (13 3/4 in). The arctic fox is one of six of the tundra animals that eat birds, lemmings, marine life, and any leftover animals. This mammal has well furred paws, small rounded ears, and white fur. Every May or June they have a litter of 4-11 puppies.

Caribou The musk ox and the caribou live in Northern Canada, Greenland, Northern Europe and Asia, Scandinavia, Siberia, and Alaska. Both the caribou and the musk ox are herbivores that belong to the deer family. Both eat plants like grass, low shrubs, and lichen. The caribou can grow up to m with a tail of cm. The musk ox grows up to m, their tails 9-10 cm. The musk ox has long shaggy hair that keeps them warm in the subzero temperature. The caribou has short hair that can either be black, brown, gray, or off-white. The caribou migrate many hundreds of miles in between their breeding. When they do breed, the females produce one to two young. However, the musk ox only has one young at a time.

Grey Wolf The grey wolf is another canine carnivore, but he lives in eastern Europe, east India, Russia, Canada, and some of the northern United States. They also live in the high mountains of the western population of Mexico. The grey wolf has a body size of m (3 1/4-4 1/2 ft.) and a tail that is cm long (11 3/4-18 3/4 in). Due to their large size, the grey wolf hunts and feeds on the larger animals that inhabit the tundra. Like the arctic fox, the grey wolf has a litter of 3-8 puppies in May or June.

Polar Bear Another animal in the tundra would be the polar bear. They belong to the group of mammals called the carnivore. They love to eat fresh meat, such as salmon, seals, and birds. They will also eat berries and eggs. They can smell their food even when it is 20 miles away. After eating 90 pounds of food a day, they can still be hungry. Polar bears have distinct white fur that helps them blend into their snowy surroundings.

Other Animals of the Tundra Musk oxen, migrating caribou, arctic foxes, weasels, snowshoe hares, owls, hawks, various rodents, occasional polar bear.