The document describes two main types of tundra: Arctic tundra and alpine tundra. Arctic tundra is located mainly in the northern hemisphere around the Arctic circle, and experiences very cold winters below -30 degrees Celsius and short, cool summers between 3-12 degrees Celsius. Alpine tundra is located at high elevations worldwide, including mountain ranges in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. Both tundra types have low biodiversity and consist mainly of herbaceous plants like grasses, mosses, and lichens that can withstand cold and dry conditions. Common animal inhabitants include caribou, arctic foxes, lemmings, and

1. The Tundra biome
Tundra

2.  Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes. Tundra comes from the
Finnish word tunturi, meaning treeless plain. It is noted for its
frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little
precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. 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.

TUNDRA

3.  The tundra has two distinct seasons: a long winter
and a short summer. Being so far north, the tundra
has long nights in the winter and long days in the
summer.
The winter lasts around 8 months and is extremely
cold. In the middle of winter the sun may not rise for
weeks. The tundra is frozen and often covered with
snow during the winter and will reach temperatures
of -60 degrees F.
Tundra Seasons

4.  Temperatures usually range
between -40°C (-40 °F) and
18°C (64°F).

Temperature

5.  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

Characteristics of tundra

6.  Tundra is separated into two types:

Arctic tundra

Alpine tundra

Tundra types:

7.  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). Soil is formed slowly. 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. There are about 1,700 kinds of plants in the arctic and
subarctic,:

Arctic tundra

8.  Arctic Tundra
 North America - Northern Alaska, Canada,
Greenland

Northern Europe - Scandinavia
 Northern Asia - Siberia

Location

9.  Many large mammals, such as
caribou, polar bears, arctic foxes,
and musk ox, are found in this biome.
There are also several smaller mammals
which are prey to
the larger mammals.
Include lemmings
and arctic hare.

Animals

10.  Tundra predators also use this type of camouflage. The arctic fox
is a perfect example of this. Arctic foxes hunt small mammals.
They will also eat birds, insects, eggs, berries, reptiles, and
amphibians. By blending into their surroundings, it makes it
harder for prey to know they are coming!


11.  During the summer many birds,
such as loons, snow geese and terns,
come to the tundra to breed. In the winter the
birds migrate back to warmer places.

Migratory birds: ravens,
snow buntings, falcons, loons, sandpipers, terns,
snow birds, and various species
of gulls

BIRDS

12.  Most vegetation in the tundra tends to be herbaceous. Herbaceous plants
are ones without woody stems. Grasses and mosses are some of the
herbaceous plants that grow in the tundra. Examples of tundra plants
include reindeer moss, liverworts and lichens. Woody plants have a
hard time growing in the tundra because the growing season is
very short.

Plants

13.  The word Alpine refers to the alps – high mountain ranges in
Europe. Unlike Arctic Tundra, Alpine Tundra is not limited to the
polar region. It can be found anywhere in the world at high
altitudes – in high mountain regions.

The closer you are to the equator; you will find the Alpine
Tundra at higher altitudes. As you move up north, you will find
Alpine Tundra at lower altitudes till you reach the boundary
where it merges with Arctic Tundra. The Alps, the Pyrenees and
Scandes mountains in Europe, the Caucasus Mountains, the
Tibetan Plateau in Asia, etc., have Alpine Tundra.

Alpine Tundra

14.  North America - Alaska, Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico

Northern Europe - Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden

Asia - Southern Asia (Himalayan Mountains), and Japan (Mt.
Fuji)

Africa - Mt. Kilimanjaro

South America - Andes Mountains

Alpine Tundra Location

15.  Mammals: pikas, marmots, mountain goats,sheep, elk.

Birds: grouse like birds.

Insects: springtails, beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies.

ALPHIN ANIMALS birds insects

17.  Basis
 Arctic Tundra
 Alpine Tundra
 Location
 Arctic Tundra is only limited to the northern hemisphere, particularly in
the area surrounding the north pole.
 You can find Alpine tundra wherever there is a high altitude on Earth
 Temperatures
 Arctic Tundra has two seasons – summer and winter. Cooler summer
has 3 to 16 degrees Celsius, and winter is frigid, and the temperature
could go to -70 degrees Celsius.
 No extreme fluctuations in temperature during seasons. Although
winters are cold, moreover climatic conditions could drastically change
within days.

 Precipitation
 Low precipitation, around160-250mm, and mainly in the form of snow.
 Precipitation is higher in comparison to Arctic Tundra. It remains
around 850-1000mm.

18. TUNDRA Animals