Polar Grasslands
Anneliese S.
Dan H.
Climate Characteristics
 Average
Winter Temperature: -28° C
 Average Summer Temperature: 312° C
 Small temperature range due to
extremely cold temperatures
throughout the year
http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/bio/biosphere/topics/biomes/biomes_map_final.gif
Climate Characteristics

Annual Precipitation: 15-25cm
-Including melting snow

Limiting Factors:
-Wind: 30-60 mph
-Winter throughout most of the year
-Permafrost (frozen ground throughout the
year)
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/tundra-landscapes/beechey.html
Flora and Fauna

Flora (plants)
– Grasses, sedges, heather, mosses, and
lichens.

Fauna (animals)
– Seals, penguins, arctic foxes, caribou,
snowshoe rabbit, and polar bears.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/enlarge/polarbeartundr
a.html
Adaptation

Plant adaptation
– Can survive in high winds, freezing
temperatures, and little sunlight.

Animal adaptation
– Paws
– White Fur
– Thick fat, fur, or blubber
Biodiversity
 Very
low biodiversity
 1,700 species of plants
 Only 48 land mammals.
 Many insects and birds migrate
annually.
Biomass Pyramid
References




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Regents of the University of California. (2008) The Tundra Biome.
Retrieved October 17, 2008 from University of California Berkeley
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php
Rob Nelson. (2003) Arctic Tundra. Retrieved October 17, 2008
from The Wild Classroom.
http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/arctictundra.html
Madhavi Ghare.(2008) Tundra Climate Facts. Retrieved October
17, 2008 from Buzzle. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tundraclimate-facts.html
“How are the biomes distributed?”
(http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/bio/biosphere/topics/biomes/biomes_
map.html)
“Beechey Island”
(http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/enlarge
/beechey.html)
“Tundra with Polar Bear”
(http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/enlarge
/polarbeartundra.html)