What Is The Tundra?
The Tundra is a biome that is often referred to as the Frozen Prairie or the Ice Desert. However, the word Tundra originates from ‘Tunturia’, the Finnish word for treeless plain. Regardless of where the name comes from, the idea of the Tundra is still the same.
The Tundra is a cold, barren plain with minimal plants and animals. The lack of life is due to the harsh abiotic factors. For example, the temperatures range from -20 degrees Fahrenheit and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In general, the Tundra only has two seasons: winter and summer. The summer is a short period of time with long days and large amounts of plant growth. Compared to the winter, the summer is very warm – but still cold. On average, the Tundra gets six to ten inches of precipitation, but the precipitation mostly consists of snow. Because of the harsh climate, the Tundra only has certain plants and animals that have adapted to the demanding conditions.
Plants and animals have to adapt to the harsh climate in the Tundra by growing extra fur or hairs, burrowing, and collecting and storing as much sunlight and water as possible. The summer is definitely a positive time for the Tundra creatures, because the extra warmth and sunlight allows for plants to have a successful growing season. Because the plants have a successful growing season, animals get plentiful meals to eat. Summer assists the food web in starting and continuing.
The Tundra also has supplies that help humans to thrive and have luxuries. Humans tend to harvest the natural resources that come from the Tundra such as berries and stems from plants. Humans also hunt the animals in the Tundra to receive materials from the animals. Lastly, humans drill for oil in the Tundra, because the Tundra is rich in oil. Humans have a large impact on the life in the Tundra.
There are two types of Tundra: The Arctic Tundra and the Alpine Tundra. In both types of Tundra, the abiotic factors are harsh, the biotic factors adapt to the harsh environment, and the humans nearby take advantage of the valuable Tundra resources. Still, the meaning of the Tundra is always the same: treeless plain.
The Tundra is a cold, barren plain with minimal plants and animals. The lack of life is due to the harsh abiotic factors. For example, the temperatures range from -20 degrees Fahrenheit and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In general, the Tundra only has two seasons: winter and summer. The summer is a short period of time with long days and large amounts of plant growth. Compared to the winter, the summer is very warm – but still cold. On average, the Tundra gets six to ten inches of precipitation, but the precipitation mostly consists of snow. Because of the harsh climate, the Tundra only has certain plants and animals that have adapted to the demanding conditions.
Plants and animals have to adapt to the harsh climate in the Tundra by growing extra fur or hairs, burrowing, and collecting and storing as much sunlight and water as possible. The summer is definitely a positive time for the Tundra creatures, because the extra warmth and sunlight allows for plants to have a successful growing season. Because the plants have a successful growing season, animals get plentiful meals to eat. Summer assists the food web in starting and continuing.
The Tundra also has supplies that help humans to thrive and have luxuries. Humans tend to harvest the natural resources that come from the Tundra such as berries and stems from plants. Humans also hunt the animals in the Tundra to receive materials from the animals. Lastly, humans drill for oil in the Tundra, because the Tundra is rich in oil. Humans have a large impact on the life in the Tundra.
There are two types of Tundra: The Arctic Tundra and the Alpine Tundra. In both types of Tundra, the abiotic factors are harsh, the biotic factors adapt to the harsh environment, and the humans nearby take advantage of the valuable Tundra resources. Still, the meaning of the Tundra is always the same: treeless plain.
What Plants Live In The Tundra?
A few of the plants that reside in the Tundra are the:
Arctic Moss
Arctic Willow
The Bearberry
Caribou Moss
Cotton Grass
Diamond-leaf Willow
Labrador Tea
Lichen
Pasque Flower
Tufted Saxifrage
Arctic Moss
Arctic Willow
The Bearberry
Caribou Moss
Cotton Grass
Diamond-leaf Willow
Labrador Tea
Lichen
Pasque Flower
Tufted Saxifrage
What Animals Live In The Tundra?
A few of the animals that reside in the Tundra are the:
Arctic Fox
Arctic Hare
Caribou
Ermine
Grizzly Bear
Harlequin Duck
Musk Ox
Polar Bear
Snowy Owl
Tundra Swan
Arctic Fox
Arctic Hare
Caribou
Ermine
Grizzly Bear
Harlequin Duck
Musk Ox
Polar Bear
Snowy Owl
Tundra Swan