Tundra

All about tundra

In physical geography, tundra is a type of biome that is hindered by low temperatures and short growth seasons. The term “tundra” comes from Russia which in our language means ‘uplands’, “treeless plain track”. Tundra vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs, sedges and grasses, mosses and lichens

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Location

Tundra regions are found in the northern and southern hemispheres between the ice covered poles and the taiga or coniferous forests. In the not this time stretches across northern Canada and Alaska, Siberia and northern Scandinavia, on or close to the Artic circle.

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Climate

The tundra climate is a transitional climate between the sub article and ice capped climate.Polar climates like the tundra are categorised by very cold temperatures and generally dry conditions. Temperatures never rise above 10°C (15° F) during the summer.

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Wildlife

Tundra animals

Animals found in the tundra include the musk ox, the arctic hare, the polar bear, the arctic fox, caribou, and the snow owl. Many animals that live in the tundra, like the caribou and semipalmated plover migrate to warmer climates during the winter.Others, like the arctic ground squirrel, hibernate during the winter months there are very few reptiles and amphibians found in the tundra because the temperatures are so cold. Animals that live in the tundra must be able to adapt to very cold temperatures. They must also be able to raise their young ones during the very short summer months.

Endangered/extinct species

Many animal species have lost places they once called home, thereby threatening the ecological balance of the region. Some of the endangered or extinct animals of the tundra biome are the Arctic Fox, polar bears, Arctic peregrine falcon, wood bison, caribou, narwhal, musk ox, beluga whale, the pacific walrus and many more.

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Vegetation

The tundra is the simplest biome in terms of species composition and food chains. The vegetation here is very less. Some of the vegetation present here is lichens, mosses, sedges, perennial forbs, and dwarfed shrubs.