what is tundra like?
DESCRIPTION
Three Types Arctic tundra occurs in the far Northern Hemisphere, north of the taiga belt; Antarctic tundra on subantarctic islands, including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Kerguelen Islands Alpine---mountainsTRANSCRIPT
What is Tundra Like? Three Types Arctic tundra occurs in the far
Northern Hemisphere, north of the taiga belt; Antarctic tundra on
subantarctic islands, including South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands and the Kerguelen Islands Alpine---mountains What
does Tundra Look Like?
These pictures were taken in northern Finland, in an area known as
Lapland. Characteristics of Tundra
-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 How cold is cold? The
tundra biome is at the top of the world -- around the North Pole!
Below a thin layer of tundra soil (active zone) is its permafrost,
a permanently frozen layer of ground. During the brief summers, the
top section of the soil may thaw just long enough to allow plants
and microorganisms to grow and reproduce. Where is Tundra? The
tundra is located at the top of the world, near the North Pole.
covers a fifth of the earth's surface. There is another region
called alpine tundra, which is found on the tops of tall, cold
mountains. Tundra Facts Animals are adapted to handle cold winters
and to breed and raise young quickly in the very short and cool
summers.The soil is often frozen. Permafrost, or permanent ice,
usually exists within a meter of the surface. Water is unavailable
during most of the year. Annual precipitation is very low, usually
less than 10 inches (25 centimeters). Is Tundra like a Desert?
Compare rainfall amounts Carbon Balance Tundra Animals
http://bioexpedition.com/tundra-biome-video/
Adapt to cold temperatures Migrate Change color due to season
Wildlife in Tundra Polar Bears, Musk Ox, snowshoe hare, Arctic
Wolf
Flies are scarce but butterflies, beetles, and grasshoppers are
abundant. Alpine Wildlife Alpine animal life includes the mountain
goat, big-horned sheep, pika, marmot, and the ptarmigan, a
grouselike bird. Rock Ptarmigans The ground-dwelling rock
ptarmigans depend on camouflage for defense, and to achieve this in
the changing background of their northerly range, they adopt
different plumages. Caribou & Reindeer The caribou is the only
deer in which both sexes have antlers Some populations migrate
hundreds of miles between their breeding grounds on the tundra and
winter feeding grounds farther south.. Polar Bears Seals, fish,
seabirds, arctic hares, caribou, and musk oxen are the polar bear's
main prey, and in the summer it also eats berries and leaves of
tundra plants. Normally solitary animals outside the breeding
season, polar bears mate in midsummer. No more Polar Bears Global
warming is affecting the Polar Bears
habitat Sheet ice is melting before the bears can get to it to feed
on seals. Many polar bears have drowned seeking food. Sled Dogs
Sled dogs are a hearty breed of animals. They have very thick fur
and amazing stamina. A team of dogs can pull a sled and a person
for hundreds of miles. The Iditarod is the most popular sled dog
race. Taking place in early spring, the Iditarod starts in downtown
Anchorage, which is in the taiga. The race end and ends 1049 miles
later in the tundra of Nome, Alaska. Can you imagine traveling 1049
miles powered only by dogs! The race takes one to two weeks to
complete. . Snowy Owls The snowy owl is a large species with
distinctive, mainly white plumage; females have more dark, barred
markings than males. It usually hunts during the day and takes prey
up to the size of arctic hares and lemmings, as well as smaller
rodents and birds such as ducks and gulls. The snowy owl begins
nesting in mid-May. It makes a shallow scrape in the ground or on a
rock, lines it with moss and feathers and lays 4 to 10 eggs. Up to
15 eggs may be laid if food supplies are particularly good. The
male brings food to the female while she incubates the eggs for 32
or 33 days. Tundra Plants The tundra landscape is a stark and
barren place. The plants growing in the tundra are often small and
grow close to the ground During the short-growing season in the
summer, the tundra blooms with a variety of low-growing plants. So
what plant life is found there? Tundra Plant Adaptations
Where soil accumulates in pockets or cracks in rocks, small shrubs
may grow. The tundra landscape is often covered with rocks. The
constant freezing and thawing in the tundra helps to break the
rocks into smaller pieces. Lichens Growing on the surface of this
rock is a lichen. Lichens are unusual organisms that often grow on
exposed rock surfaces. They are composed of a fungus and an algae
living and growing together. There are several varieties of lichen,
and in the autumn lichen turn various colors. Lichen is the
favorite food of caribou and musk oxen. Indicators of good air
quality; sensitive to air pollution. Tundra Plant Adaptation
Many plants, such as this one, have leaves that are dark red. Dark
leaves allow the plant to absorb more heat from the sun in the cold
tundra climate Cushion Plants Many tundra plants, such as this one,
are called cushion plants. That means they grow in a low, tight
clump and look like a little cushion. Cushion plants are more
common in the tundra where their growth habit helps protect them
from the cold. Coevolution Tundra birds help distribute seeds. When
they eat brightly colored berries, the birds carry seeds to other
places and leave the seeds to grow. Using the Wind Cotton grass has
seeds that are dispersed across the tundra when they are caught by
the wind. Destruction of Tundra--Fragile
Disruption of vegetative cover causes permafrost to melt deeply,
causing collapse of ground and loss of soil. Automobile tracks
cause deep gullies that persist for years. The tundra wildlife is
vulnerable to habitat destruction, Global Warming Global warming
can be drastic if the Arctic follows suit as melting Arctic tundra
will tumble vast carbon waste into Arctic Ocean through a large
number of rivers. Go to:(methane burning ice) Aurora Borealis An
aurora from the Latin word aurora, "sunrise" is a natural light
display in the sky particularly in the high latitude (Arctic and
Antarctic) regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged
particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere (thermosphere)
Extreme Climate Dangerous
The tundra has a very extreme climate. The intense cold presents
many problems if you are not prepared. Hypothermia is considered
severe when the body's core temperature drops below 90 degrees F,
and mild from normal body temperature to 90 degrees F. Frostbite
Frostbite is caused by exposure to severe cold. Frostbite occurs
more often when the wind is blowing, quickly taking heat from the
body. The ears, cheeks, nose, toes, and fingers are frostbitten the
most frequently.