The Tundra
The Tundra is the coldest of all of the biomes. The word Tundra means treeless plain. The ground is always frozen in the Tundra. The permanently frozen ground in the Tundra is called the permafrost, the Tundra is cold all year. Summer is very brief with some milder temperatures when the sun shines which is almost 24 hours a day. The Tundra has been called "the land of the midnight sun". One fifth of the Earth is a Tundra biome.
Location: The arctic Tundra is located in the Northern Hemisphere near the north pole. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra. (There is also a Tundra in alpine mountain tops which is called the Alpine Tundra.)
Weather: The average rainfall in the Tundra ranges from 15 to 25 cm or 6 to 10 in. It never gets any warmer than 4°C-10°C or 45°F or 50° F and the wind tends to blow most of the time.
Seasons: Summers are very short and cool, lasting only about 6 to 10 weeks and the winters are very long and very cold. In the winter, there is minimal daylight as the sun barely rises. Summer and winter are the Tundra’s 2 main seasons.
Animals: The animals that live in the Tundra have adapted by having extra layers of fat and long fur. Some of the animals will migrate or hibernate for the long winters. There are both herbivores (lemmings, caribou, squirrels) and carnivores (arctic foxes, wolves, polar bears) and there are insects (mosquitoes, flies, moths, bees) and birds that migrate (ravens, falcons, loons) to name a few. There are very few reptiles or amphibians in the Tundra due to the extreme cold.
Plants: Trees do not grow in the Tundra. Plants grow and reproduce in the top layer of soil which is just above the permafrost layer. Plants only grow for the short summer season which is about 50 or 60 days when there is also lots of surface water. After that, they become dormant. The plants do not have deep root systems and most of the plants that grow in the tundra are low growing. Plants in the tundra include low shrubs, flowers, lichens, sedges, mosses, grasses and liverworts. Plants adapt in the Tundra by grouping together to survive the strong winds and cold temperatures.
Location: The arctic Tundra is located in the Northern Hemisphere near the north pole. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra. (There is also a Tundra in alpine mountain tops which is called the Alpine Tundra.)
Weather: The average rainfall in the Tundra ranges from 15 to 25 cm or 6 to 10 in. It never gets any warmer than 4°C-10°C or 45°F or 50° F and the wind tends to blow most of the time.
Seasons: Summers are very short and cool, lasting only about 6 to 10 weeks and the winters are very long and very cold. In the winter, there is minimal daylight as the sun barely rises. Summer and winter are the Tundra’s 2 main seasons.
Animals: The animals that live in the Tundra have adapted by having extra layers of fat and long fur. Some of the animals will migrate or hibernate for the long winters. There are both herbivores (lemmings, caribou, squirrels) and carnivores (arctic foxes, wolves, polar bears) and there are insects (mosquitoes, flies, moths, bees) and birds that migrate (ravens, falcons, loons) to name a few. There are very few reptiles or amphibians in the Tundra due to the extreme cold.
Plants: Trees do not grow in the Tundra. Plants grow and reproduce in the top layer of soil which is just above the permafrost layer. Plants only grow for the short summer season which is about 50 or 60 days when there is also lots of surface water. After that, they become dormant. The plants do not have deep root systems and most of the plants that grow in the tundra are low growing. Plants in the tundra include low shrubs, flowers, lichens, sedges, mosses, grasses and liverworts. Plants adapt in the Tundra by grouping together to survive the strong winds and cold temperatures.
Plant and Animal Adaptations
Plants and animals living in the Tundra must be able to adapt to extreme cold, brisk winds, very short growing seasons and the rather harsh conditions found in this biome. They have to have special adaptations to allow them to live in extreme conditions and low temperatures. Most animal and plant life in this biome have insulation in the way of hair, fuzz, fur or feathers. (The Tundra can also be found in the Alpine regions at high altitudes on mountains where trees don’t grow).
Plant Adaptations in the Tundra Biome
Plants in the Tundra have adapted in a variety of ways. They grow close together, low to the ground and they remain small. Many plants in the biome have a wax type of fuzzy, hairy coating on them which helps to shield them from the cold and the wind. This coating also helps them to retain heat and moisture and it protects the plant seeds to allow for reproduction. Plants found here will typically have small leaves which helps the plants to retain moisture. Only the top layer of soil thaws out in the Tundra, below that is the permafrost, therefore the plants have very shallow root systems. Plants like lichens and moss can survive on bare rock with a bit of moisture. Most of the plants in the Tundra Biome are perennials and don’t die off in the winter, they have long life cycles to help with the short growing season.
Examples of Plants found in the Tundra:
Tundra means treeless, therefore most of the plants in the tundra are low growing plants. Arctic Moss, Arctic Willow, Caribou Moss, Labrador Tea, Arctic Poppy, Cotton Grass, Lichens and Moss.
Plant Adaptations in the Tundra Biome
Plants in the Tundra have adapted in a variety of ways. They grow close together, low to the ground and they remain small. Many plants in the biome have a wax type of fuzzy, hairy coating on them which helps to shield them from the cold and the wind. This coating also helps them to retain heat and moisture and it protects the plant seeds to allow for reproduction. Plants found here will typically have small leaves which helps the plants to retain moisture. Only the top layer of soil thaws out in the Tundra, below that is the permafrost, therefore the plants have very shallow root systems. Plants like lichens and moss can survive on bare rock with a bit of moisture. Most of the plants in the Tundra Biome are perennials and don’t die off in the winter, they have long life cycles to help with the short growing season.
Examples of Plants found in the Tundra:
Tundra means treeless, therefore most of the plants in the tundra are low growing plants. Arctic Moss, Arctic Willow, Caribou Moss, Labrador Tea, Arctic Poppy, Cotton Grass, Lichens and Moss.
Animal Adaptations in the Tundra Biome
Animals have many adaptations to survive in this harsh environment. Animals need shelter and insulation in the Tundra. The animals here tend to have thicker and warmer feathers and fur. Many of them have larger bodies and shorter arms, legs and tails which helps them retain their heat better and prevent heat loss. Many of the birds of the tundra have two coats of feathers to help keep them warm. Many animals of the Tundra have feet that are lined with fur to help keep them warm. Some of the animals of the Tundra (bears, marmot, arctic squirrels) will hibernate for the winter and others will burrow (lemmings, ermine). Many of the insects of the Tundra will spend their entire life buried in the soil, rocks or plants which acts as a shelter for them.
Examples of Animals found in the Tundra: Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Caribou, Moose, Wolverine, Lynx, Arctic Foxes, Red Foxes, Musk Oxen, Ptarmigans, Ermine, Snowy Owl.
Animals have many adaptations to survive in this harsh environment. Animals need shelter and insulation in the Tundra. The animals here tend to have thicker and warmer feathers and fur. Many of them have larger bodies and shorter arms, legs and tails which helps them retain their heat better and prevent heat loss. Many of the birds of the tundra have two coats of feathers to help keep them warm. Many animals of the Tundra have feet that are lined with fur to help keep them warm. Some of the animals of the Tundra (bears, marmot, arctic squirrels) will hibernate for the winter and others will burrow (lemmings, ermine). Many of the insects of the Tundra will spend their entire life buried in the soil, rocks or plants which acts as a shelter for them.
Examples of Animals found in the Tundra: Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Caribou, Moose, Wolverine, Lynx, Arctic Foxes, Red Foxes, Musk Oxen, Ptarmigans, Ermine, Snowy Owl.