In this ppt we have followed the under given points 1. Biome definition 2. Biome types 3. Tundra Biome definition 4. Tundra Biome characteristics 5.Types of Tundra Biome 6. Climate of Tundra Biome 7. Soil of Tundra Biome 8. Plants, their characteristics and their adaption. 9. Animals,their characteristics and adaptions 10. Food web, chain and energy pyramid of Tundra Biome 11. Human effect on Tundra region 12. Problems in Tundra region and 13. solution of tundra region.

1. TUNDRA BIOME

2. What are biomes?
Biomes are very large ecological areas on the earth’s
surface, with fauna and flora (animals and plants)
adapting to their environment. Biomes are often defined
by abiotic factors such as climate, relief, geology, soils
and vegetation etc.
According to I.G Simmons (1982) “the most extensive
ecosystem unit which it is convenient to designate is
called biome”.

3. Types of Biome
Tundra Biome
Alpine Tundra
Biome
Arctic Tundra
Biome
Temperate Biome
Taiga Biome
Deciduous Biome
Grassland Biome
Mediterranean Biome
Warm Temperate Biome
Tropical Biome
Tropical Forest Biome
Savana Biome
Desert Biome
Antarctic
Tundra Biome

4. Tundra Biome
Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes as it is situated near to the North
Pole. Tundra comes from the Finnish word ”Tunturia”, meaning
treeless plain. About 1/5 of the Earth is tundra. Tundra biome has about
400 varieties of flowers but only 48 different animals.

5. 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

6. Types of Tundra Biome
2. Alpine Tundra1. Arctic Tundra 3.Antarctic Tundra

7. Arctic Tundra
• Located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the
north pole and Extending south to the coniferous
forests of the taiga.
a) North America – which includes the
Northern Alaska, Canada and Greenland.
b) Northern Europe – which includes only the
Scandinavia.
c) Northern Asia which covers only the Siberia.

8. Types of Arctic Tundra
Middle Arctic
Tundra
High Arctic Tundra
Low Arctic Tundra

9. Low Arctic Tundra
Low artic tundra is the southern
most zone of arctic tundra which
includes most of northern Canada,
northern Alaska and southern
parts of Canadian islands.
High Arctic Tundra
It includes northern parts of
Canadian islands ( queen
Elizabeth island groups)
Middle Arctic Tundra
This zone is situated between low
arctic tundra and high arctic
tundra.
Low Arctic Tundra
High Arctic Tundra
Middle Arctic Tundra

10. Alpine Tundra
Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at
high altitude where trees cannot grow.
The Alpine Tundra is distributed in the following countries:
• North America - Alaska, Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico.
• Europe - Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden.
• Asia - Southern Asia (Himalayan Mountains), and Japan
(Mt. Fuji)
• Africa - Mt. Kilimanjaro South America - Andes Mountains.

11. Antarctic Tundra
• The Antarctica is centered around the South Pole.
• It includes parts of the Southern ocean, surrounding seas, ice shelves, continental
glaciers, plateaus and mountain ranges.
• The continent has about 90% of the world's total ice. It contains about 70% of the
world's fresh water resource.

12. Climate of Tundra Biome
The main seasons are winter and summer: Spring and Autumn are only
short periods between winter and summer.

13. Tundra Temperature
The winters are extremely
cold with temperatures
typically below -34° C.
The summers last only
about two months.
Average temperatures in the
summer ranges from 37°
to 60° F (3° to 16°C).

14. Tundra Rainfall/Precipitation
The tundra is basically like a
desert when it comes to
precipitation. Only about 6 –
10 inches of precipitation
(mostly snow) fall each year.
In spite of the low annual
rainfall, arctic lands may be
very wet underfoot because
the moisture evaporates
slowly and drainage
conditions are poor.

15. Air Pressure
Low air pressure can be observed in the Alpine tundra regions as the Alpine tundra is found at high
altitude mountain tops. But when it comes to Arctic tundra or the Antarctic tundra, high air pressure is
found near the Poles and the pressure decreases towards the Equator.
The interesting part of this biome is that it is quite windy, speed of the wind in the tundra biome is
almost 30 to 60 miles per hour.
Absolute humidity is very low, because of the low temperature.
Wind Speed
Humidity

16. Tundra Soil
During the short summers the top layer of soil
may thaw just long enough to let plants grow and
reproduce.
Below the soil is the tundra's permafrost, a
permanently frozen layer of earth.
The ground is always frozen beneath the top layer
of soil, so trees can't send their roots down.
In tundra, soil is very low in nutrients and
minerals except for when the soil can obtain
nutrients from animal droppings.
Soil profile of Tundra is not matured.

17. Soil Profile
The soil in the Tundra has a unique soil structure.
Active layer :- The active layer is the top layer
of soil that thaws during the summer and freezes
again during the winter.
Permafrost layer :- Permafrost is a layer of soil
that stays frozen all year round. Even during the
summer the lower layers of soil will remain frozen
and biologically inactive.
Talik :- A talik is a layer of year-round unfrozen
ground that lies in permafrost areas.

19. Plant Characteristics of Tundra
There are only about 1700 different species.
These are mostly shrubs, sedges, mosses, lichens
and grasses.
These plants experience brief periods of growth in
the summer when temperatures are warm enough for
vegetation to grow.
The growing season is approximately 180 days in
alpine arctic biome and <50 days growing.
Vegetation in arctic tundra regions is limited. Arctic
tundra plants must adapt to the cold, dark conditions
of the tundra as the sun does not rise during the
winter months.
Most of the plant’s height ranges between 5 cm to 8
cm.

20. Bearberry: The bearberry plant is a very small evergreen that can only
grow up to 10 inches off the ground. It's name actually matches its
description because bears eat the 3/8" diameter berries
Pasque Flower: The Pasque Flower is a low-growing plant, like most in
the Tundra, and grows about half a foot or less above the ground. Also,
this flower isn't important in any animals diet
Diamond-Leafed Willow: This particular Willow can grow up to 30ft. in
nearly all the biomes but the Tundra. In the Tundra, it only grows a few
inches and also lays low like the bearberry plant.
Labrador Tea: The Labrador Tea is a plant that mostly grows in the
Southern part of the Tundra and there can grow up to about 5 feet rich in
Vitamin C and save from many dieses .
Lichen: One of the most common plants in the Tundra are lichen.
Lichen is a decomposer made of plants and fungus working together. It
remains close to the ground and can have short roots. Lichen is eaten by
reindeer and caribou during the coldest of months.
TundraPlants

21. Caribou Moss: Despite the name, Caribou moss is a lichen. So it
can survive long periods of time without water and light, just like
other lichens.
Arctic Willow: The Arctic Willow, or the Rock Willow It has a
shallow root system and can be easily uprooted or have fatal root
damage. Also, the Arctic Willow is a delicacy to many herbivores
and insects
Arctic Poppy
The poppy adapted by adding the ability of the plant moving with the
sun and cupping the petals to increase the amount of sunlight going to
the middle of the flower
Cushion plants: The cushion plant is a small plant that grows in tight
clumps. They adapted to the Tundra environment in many ways that
help their survival in the cold, harsh Tundra winds.
Cotton: Surprisingly, there is cotton in the Tundra. It is spread from
the migratory birds that had seeds stuck to them, or just blown from
the wind, and spread to the Tundra or other northern biomes.
TundraPlants

22. Small leaves help the plants retain moisture others are dark coloured so the plants can absorb more solar heat.
Plants are often slow growing.
Plants are matted against the earth, this keeps them away from the harmful wind.
Some plants have hairs, which allow them to trap heat and diffuse the harmful solar radiation.
Some plants are succulents, storing water in their leaves (waxy leaves that prevent desiccations).
Some plants have cup-shaped flowers that face up to the sun, so the sun's rays are directed towards the
centre of the flower.
Only the top layer of soil thaws out so plants have shallow roots.
Plants Adaptation

24. This means that animal populations in the tundra
fluctuate with the seasons.
Animals breed and raise their young in the short
summer
They have an extra layer of fat to keep them
warm, and in winter their fur is longer and thicker.
There are few reptiles and amphibians in the
tundra because of the cold.
Animal Characteristics of Tundra

25. Arctic Fox is a quick maturing animal, and matures at about 1 year of age.
It can be about a foot long and weigh about 10 lbs. It is also a scavenger
that hunts for lemmings mostly, fish, and other small mammals
The Lemming can have a short nap then be up and about in the night for
hours. It is a herbivore and main predator is the Arctic Fox.
The Musk Ox used to be an animal found in the warmer biomes until
they were almost all killed, so they moved up to the Tundra where there
was less of a threat, and besides Polar Bears and Arctic Wolves, nothing
hunts them.
The Polar bear is one of the largest mammals in the world. Its weight
varies from 800lbs.-1200lbs. It doesn't just eat caribou but eats seabirds,
seals, fish, hares(rabbits), and musk oxen.
Reindeer/Caribou Caribou are pretty common in the Tundra. Their
colours vary from grey, black, brown, and sometimes white. Also, Caribou
is the only species of deer that both genders have horns, but the males
have larger horns then the females .
TundraAnimals

26. Sled Dogs are a hefty breed of wolves that have been domesticated and
can run for 100's of miles with you and goods on a sled.
Snowy Owl is a large species that eat lemmings and other small rodents
and birds like gulls or ducks. They are about 4 ft.
The Gyrfalcon is the largest falcon and comes with thick plumage to help it
survive in the harsh Tundra conditions. It mainly will eat smaller birds and
some mammals during the Winter
The Ruddy Turnstone changes colours in the Winter from brown or black
to almost a white. Their diet is mainly from the sea or sometimes insects.
At adult size, they can be about 10 inches in length
Rock Ptarmigan The Ptarmigan is a ground-dwelling animal mainly and will
depend on its camouflage for survival, with white plumage during winter
and darker colours during the summer. They will usually eat isects and
other plants during the Summer.
TundraAnimals

27. Large mammals are heavily insulated against the cold and migrate to warmer areas in the
winter.
Smaller mammals survive by burrowing and hibernating during the winter.
Animals will also tend to have shorter legs, tails, and ears, in order to reduce heat loss.
Animal Adaptation

28. Food Chain in Tundra Biome

29. Food Web in Tundra Biome

30. Ecological Pyramid And Energy Flow In Tundra Region

31. Endangered Animals
Polar Bear are endangered due to the small climate change, which is melting the snow. This has
endangered their habitat, and created a less amount of food. Their main prey is seals, which are
becoming fewer in numbers due to less ice.
Caribou: they are endangered from loss of their diet, rising temperatures, to be buried in thick layers
of snow. The amount of food in summer has also became less, which risks their chances of existence.
The humans activities in natural gas and oil, mining, road building, and hunting have caused to
killing of the Caribou which is making them endangered animals.
Arctic Fox: Two species of arctic fox are at risk of being endangered As the tundra warms, the Arctic
fox has seen its territory invaded by the larger red fox.

32. Eskimo Curlew
The Eskimo curlew is a 12-inch-long shorebird that nests in the Arctic tundra. Not
only is this bird on the endangered list, it might very well be extinct.
Arctic Peregrine Falcon
This bird was once on the endangered list, but as of 1994, the species has
been considered recovered. Conservations continue to monitor the species.
Endangered Animals

33. Human Activities in Tundra Biome

34. Farming
Hunting
Mining
Other Activities
Most farming is livestock-oriented. People in some far northern regions operate
sheep, cattle or reindeer farms, according to the Encarta Encyclopaedia. Such animals
eat small plants that grow in these areas. Encarta indicates that human activities can
easily damage the ecosystem of the tundra; it's important for farmers to avoid causing
excessive harm to Environment.
Both natives and foreigners conduct hunting activities in the tundra. They hunt caribou,
musk ox and other animals, according to the High Arctic Lodge . Some hunters are
drawn to the tundra to find species that seldom or never appear elsewhere in the
world.
Drilling and mining activities also occur in the tundra. Canada, Greenland and Russia
conduct mining for various resources, such as nickel, according to Think Quest. Canada
and the U.S. drill for oil in the tundra, as well, sometimes exporting it to other
countries.
People also visit the tundra as tourists and engage in activities such as mountain
climbing. Some scientists travel to tundra regions to study climate, wildlife and other
subjects. Workers construct buildings and infrastructure from time to time.
HumanActivities

35. Human Impacts on Antarctica
Threats to the Environment - Tourism
Antarctica doesn't have any "residents" everyone who goes is a visitor for a short
time. There are two groups of visitors who can have an impact on Antarctica, tourists
and those who go as part of a national Antarctic programmed.

36. Tourist numbers in Antarctica since 2002

37. How many tourists go to Antarctica as and where do they come from?
Antarctica Tourist Numbers 2016 - 2017
Seaborne, Airborne, Landed and Cruise
Country of Origin Numbers Percentage
United States 11,012 29.8
China 5,145 13.9
Australia 3,790 10.3
Germany 3,661 9.9
United Kingdom 3,308 9.0
France 1,788 4.8
Canada 1,218 3.3
Switzerland 951 2.6
Japan 617 1.7
Others 5,417 14.7
Totals 36,907 100.0

40. The Negative Impacts of Tourism
• Invasive species - accidentally bringing in insects or seeds on boots, clothes, in food,
cargo etc.
• Impact on breeding birds - being made anxious by an influx of people that may cause
them to abandon their nest or vacate an area all together if regularly disturbed. There are
many records of birds that previously nested around Antarctic bases no longer doing so
due to the constant activity around such places. The general voluntary code is that
visitors should not go closer than 5m to any wildlife.
• Erosion or disturbance of fragile environments - many feet walking over the same
piece of ground and routes will leave paths and other scars.
• Oil spills from ships and boats - there may be a spill due to hitting ice and rupturing a
holding tank, or if the vessel sinks, all the polluting fluids will eventually escape.
• Accidents- There have so far been no major pollution incidents or losses of life in
Antarctica as a result of accident.

41. The Mount Erebus air crash - On the 28th of November 1979 Flight TE901 left Auckland New Zealand for a sightseeing
flight over Antarctica
There have so far been no major pollution incidents or
losses of life in Antarctica as a result of ship borne
tourism, though there was a very close call in November
2007 with the holing and subsequent sinking by an
iceberg of the M/V Explorer in the Bransfield Strait

43. Environmental Problems and Threats of the Arctic Tundra
The melting of the permafrost as a
result of global warming is releasing
gases that have been trapped.
Ozone depletion at the North and
South Poles means stronger
ultraviolet rays can harm the
permafrost, and in turn the tundra
biome.
Air pollution can cause smog clouds
that contaminate lichen, a primary
food source for many animals.
The exploitation of oil, gas, and
minerals and the construction of
pipelines and roads can cause
physical disturbances and habitat
fragmentation.
Oil spills can kill wildlife and
severely damage fragile tundra
ecosystems.
Invasive species push aside native
vegetation and reduce diversity of
plant cover.

44. Direct changes on tundra because of global warming
Winter temperatures have increased.
Snow and sea ice coverage have shrunk.
unprecedented mass-melting.
glaciers are in retreat throughout the Arctic.
Deeper influence according to these changes
The permafrost is starting to melt
Pent-up carbon is already leaking into the air in the form of CO2 and
CH4 powerful greenhouse gases
They release CO2 and CH4 into the air as by products, gases that
warm the planet by trapping heat energy from the sun

46. Solution of the Problems
Switch to alternative energy uses to minimize human-made global warming.
Establish protected areas and park reserves to restrict human influence.
Limit road construction, mining activities, and the building of pipelines in tundra
habitat.
Limit tourism and respect local cultures.

47. The Tundra plays a large role in the temperature regulation of the
planet. As warm air rises from the tropical zone it is cooled in the
Tundra causing it to sink back down to the equator. This causes
weather and air currents. Without this system climate as we know it
would change drastically around the world. Areas that once could
support life may not anymore. It is also a winter home for many
species of birds. If they were to disappear from the food chain it
would cause devastating changes to other species dependent on the.
the tundra is a key factor in global biodiversity.
Importance of the Tundra