Description
Characteristics:
Extremely cold climate
Low biotic diversity
Simple vegetation structure
Limitation of drainage
Short season of growth and reproduction
Energy and nutrients in the form of dead
organic material
Large population oscillations
The average precipitation is about 18 inches per
year. The majority of precipitation is snow.
In the summer is when the most rain will fall, yet
on occasion it will snow.
The tundra does not contain traditional seasons,
mainly just winter and summer.
N 66° 53' 39.161"
Permacrest grows in the tundra. It is able to survive because of its thick,
deep roots. It has long, tall stems..Its leaves are purple and yellow. Its
roots are covered by two layers, permafrost and hard soil.
Yodaberg is a plant that grows in the tundra. It has rubber like stems to
keep its structure. The red color in the very middle of the plant helps to
attract more sunlight, to help it grow. It grows closer to the ground so it
is able to avoid harsh winds.
Gripbear is another plant that grows in the tundra, it grows dark berries
to attract sunlight. The berries are firmly attached to the plant to keep
from blowing off. The roots spread out far underground so they are able
to find water.
The Calliergonn Giganteum adapted well to the tundra because it can
grow underwater which protects it from cold, dry winds. When it is not
growing, it stores nutrients from photosynthesizing.
Labrador Tea also grows in the tundra. It has adapted well, because only
bugs will feed off of it, no animals, as it is known to be slightly
poisonous.
1. Caribou-The caribou migrate in the seasons search of food. In the winter they
live in forests on the edge of the Arctic. In spring thousands head for the tundra
where the calves are born.
2. Snow Goose- They feed on the roots and leaves of grasses, sedges, willows and
other plants. During the Arctic summer when there are many hours of daylight,
they are constantly eating.
3. Musk Ox-A musk oxen's coat keeps it snug and warm. For winter they grow
thick undercoats of soft brown fleece, and thick overcoats of shaggy, long
straight hair that hangs down to the ground. In May they shed large amounts of
fur.
4. Snowy Owl-They have thick layers with feathers on top. They have strong feet
and curved claws that help them hold on to prey. They are well camouflaged in
winter
5. Artic Hare-The claws on the front feet of the Arctic hare are long. The strong
claws are used for digging in hard-packed snow. The Arctic hare's coat grows
longer and thicker for the winter. They have a short thick undercoat protected
by a longer top coat. The white fur makes the hare difficult to spot in the snow.
It has small ears which lose less body heat than larger ears. To keep warm and
conserve energy, a hare will tuck in its tail, paws and ears and sit still for hours.
6. Artic Lemming-When there are too many lemmings in one area and not enough
to eat, they migrate to find food. Many drown by running into the rivers and
lakes. Lemmings eat plants, roots, berries and lichens. They gather seeds to eat
in the wintertime.
Polar Bears
~Feed off ringed seals
~Eat whale, walrus and bird eggs.
~Eat, on average 100 pounds per meal
Timber Wolf
~Feed on moose, caribou, bison and mountain sheep.
~Breed from late March and April
~Live in packs, an alpha male & female leading the pack
Arctic Foxes
~They eat Arctic ground squirrels, hares, ringed seal pups, & dead beluga whales.
~They also eat berries, and eggs, which classifies them to also be omnivores.
Wolverines
~They normally hunt small animals such as rabbits and mice but also eat dead elk and
deer.
~They sometimes eat berries and plants in the summer
Grizzly Bear
~Top Carnivore of the tundra
~Eats a variety of plants and berries
~They move south in the winter to hibernate and give bearth
Polar Bears
Grizzly Bear
Timberwolf
Wolverines
Arctic Fox
Snowy Owl, Lemming, Caribou, Snow Goose,
Musk Ox
Calliergon Gigantium, Labrador Tea, Permacrest,
Yodaberg, Gripbear
The wolves are
chasing the
Caribou
Benefits that come from a Tundra are the oil
resources that are mined there. (zinc, aluminum
and gold). Many animals also live in the Tundra,
which makes it a beautiful place to visit. During
the summer, the tundra will receive up to 24
hours of sunlight each day. Pingos are large rock
forms that grow on top of little puddles and grow
taller over time, they’re known to be one-of-akind shapes. Because there are no trees in the
tundra, if you visit, you can see about 400
different varieties of reindeer mosses, sedges and
many other types of flowers.
• Oil spills can kill wildlife and significantly damage tundra ecosystems.
• Buildings and roads put heat and pressure on the permafrost, causing it to melt.