Tundra

Tundra Biome
Ms. Graham
6th Grade Science
Tundra
• Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes.
• Tundra comes from the Finnish
word tunturia, meaning treeless plain.
• It is noted for its frost-molded
landscapes, extremely low temperatures,
little precipitation, poor nutrients, and
short growing seasons.
Tundra
• Dead organic material functions as a
nutrient pool.
• The two major nutrients are nitrogen and
phosphorus.
• Nitrogen is created by biological fixation,
and phosphorus is created by
precipitation.
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
Tundra
• Tundra is separated into

two types:
–arctic tundra
–alpine tundra
Artic Tundra
• Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling
the north pole and extending south to the coniferous forests
of the taiga.
• The arctic is known for its cold, desert-like conditions.
• The growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days.
• The average winter temperature is -34° C (-30° F), but the
average summer temperature is 3-12° C (37-54° F) which
enables this biome to sustain life. Rainfall may vary in
different regions of the arctic.
• Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 15 to 25 cm (6
to 10 inches).
Artic Tundra
• Soil is formed slowly.
• A layer of permanently frozen subsoil
called permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel
and finer material.
• When water saturates the upper surface, bogs and
ponds may form, providing moisture for plants.
• There are no deep root systems in the vegetation of
the arctic tundra, however, there are still a wide
variety of plants that are able to resist the cold
climate.
Artic Tundra
• There are about 1,700 kinds of plants
in the arctic and subarctic, and these
include:
• low shrubs, sedges, reindeer mosses,
liverworts, and grasses
• 400 varieties of flowers
• crustose and foliose lichen
Artic Tundra
• All of the plants are adapted to sweeping winds and
disturbances of the soil.
• Plants are short and group together to resist the cold
temperatures and are protected by the snow during
the winter.
• They can carry out photosynthesis at low
temperatures and low light intensities.
• The growing seasons are short and most plants
reproduce by budding and division.
Artic Tundra
• The fauna in the arctic is also diverse:
• Herbivorous mammals: lemmings, voles, caribou, arctic
hares and squirrels
• Carnivorous mammals: arctic foxes, wolves, and polar
bears
• Migratory birds: ravens, snow buntings, falcons, loons,
ravens, sandpipers, terns, snow birds, and various
species of gulls
• Insects: mosquitoes, flies, moths, grasshoppers,
blackflies and arctic bumble bees
• Fish: cod, flatfish, salmon, and trout
Artic Tundra
• Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed
and raise young quickly in the summer.
• Animals such as mammals and birds also have additional
insulation from fat.
• Many animals hibernate during the winter because food is
not abundant.
• Another alternative is to migrate south in the winter, like birds
do.
• Reptiles and amphibians are few or absent because of the
extremely cold temperatures.
• Because of constant immigration and emigration, the
population continually oscillates.
Alpine Tundra
• Alpine tundra is located on mountains
throughout the world at high altitude where
trees cannot grow.
• The growing season is approximately 180 days.
• The nighttime temperature is usually below
freezing.
• Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is
well drained.
Alpine Tundra
• The plants are very similar to those of
the arctic ones and include:
• tussock grasses
• dwarf trees
• small-leafed shrubs
• heaths
Alpine Tundra
• Animals living in the alpine tundra are
also well adapted:
• Mammals: pikas, marmots, mountain
goats, sheep, elk
• Birds: grouselike birds
• Insects: springtails, beetles,
grasshoppers, butterflies

Tundra

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Tundra

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Tundra

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Tundra Biome

• Extremely cold climate

• Tundra is separated into

You might also like