Arctic Tundra: The Frozen Desert

Arctic Tundra: The Frozen DesertStick Reves® Travel Agency

Joey Chin, Liem Tu, Andrew Weiss, Rachel GallagherPeriod 7

Arctic Tundra

Biome Features• Flat• Ground is permanently frozen • No trees• Some permafrost melts in summer

Climate

• Winter: cold and dark• Average temperature: -18 F• Avg. summer temp.: 12 F• Can reach up to 54 degrees Fahrenheit• Water forms lakes and marshes during

summer• Winds can reach 30 mph• Yearly precipitation 14-25 cm (6-10in.)

Plants

• Over 1700 species of plants• Examples: arctic willow, pasque flower,

bearberry, purple saxifrage, arctic poppy, cottongrass

• Shallow root systems prevents large plants

Animals

• Arctic Fox has short ears and with thick coat to keep warm

• Low amounts of biodiversity in tundra• Snowy owls• Mining and drilling threaten animals

Seasonal Information

• Visit in summer – 53 days of 24/7 sunshine• Don’t come in Winter – temperatures can

reach -50F

Unique features of the Biome

• During summer there is daylight 24 hours• Largest biome

Adaptations

• Animals, such as arctic foxes, breed and raise young quickly in the summer as an adaption to the long, cold winters. Most animals also are insulated with more fat.

• Arctic moss plants store nutrients when not growing so that new leaves can be made quickly in the Spring.

Tourism

• Polar bear swim (use extreme caution)• Building igloos• Observing wildlife

• Joey Chin, Liem Tu, Andrew Weiss, Rachel Gallagher

Sources

• “Biomes.” coft. Earth floor. N.d. web. 15 Dec. 2013 http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/tundra.html

• “Tundra Animals.” Tundra Animals. N.d. web. 15 Dec. 2013. http://www.tundraanimals.net/

• “Arctic Moss.” Tundra Plants. N.d. web. 15. Dec. 2013 http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tundra_plant_page.htm