Tundra Biome

 

 Tundra Taiga Temperate Grasslands Desert

Temperate/Deciduous Forest Tropical Grasslands (Savanna)

Semi-arid Desert Alpine Chaparrel Grasslands Rainforest

What primary factors determine the type of biome that can become established in a geographic location?

•Average Annual Temperatures•Latitude•Annual Precipitation•Altitude

The Tundra Biome 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.

Characteristics of Tundra include:

• Extremely cold climate• Even in the summer months, only about 24 to 36 inches of the ground thaws. Beneath

that, the ground remains frozen year round. This layer of frozen ground is known as permafrost.

• Low biotic diversity. • Simple vegetation structure. Most of the vegetation is a type of moss, lichen, or short

grass. There are very few shrubs and no trees because of the permafrost layer. • Limitation of drainage. Water pools up and has nowhere to go. It can’t filter into the soil

because of the permafrost. • Short season of growth and reproduction • The soil is very acidic. (thin and poor)• There are large wildlife population changes throughout the year. For example, in the

summer millions of waterfowl such as geese breed in the tundra. In the winter, these geese migrate south.

There are two types of tundra: Arctic tundra and Alpine tundra

Arctic Tundra

From: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php#arctic

Arctic tundra Climate

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. A layer of permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel and finer material. When water saturates the upper surface, bogs and ponds may form, providing moisture for plants.

Plants (Flora)

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. All of the plants are adapted to sweeping winds and disturbances of the soil. Plants are short and group together to resist the cold temperatures and are protected by the snow during the winter. They can carry out photosynthesis at low temperatures and low light intensities. The growing seasons are short and many plants reproduce by methods other than sexually by flowering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pp4hIg4JjQ

Drilling through permafrost with a jackhammer.

Collapsed permafrost in Sweden.

Areas like this in Alaska have both Arctic Tundra and Alpine Tundra

Animals (Fauna)

Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the summer. Animals such as mammals and birds also have additional insulation from fat. Many animals hibernate during the winter because food is not abundant. Another alternative is to migrate south in the winter, like birds do. Reptiles and amphibians are few or absent because of the extremely cold temperatures. Burrowing is not practical because of the permafrost. Because of constant immigration and emigration, the population continually goes up and down.

Dall Sheep Alaska

Caribou (Rangifer tarandus )

Both grizzlies and polar bears make seasonal visits to the tundra regions of Alaska in the summer months.

If you are going to visit the tundra in the summer, remember to pack lots of insect repellent. Biting insects like blackflies, gnats, and horseflies are found in swarms during the summer. Caribou can lose as much as a pint of blood per day from these menacing parasites.

REINDEER: Rangifer tarandus….wait a minute!

Aren’t caribou Rangifer tarandus? What does that mean???

Yes, they are the same animal with only slight regional differences.

Reindeer Migration

The Lapland Sami Reindeer people

Musk ox

Alpine Tundra

Alpine tundra Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow. The growing season is approximately 180 days. The nighttime temperature is usually below freezing. Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained.

The plants are very similar to those of the arctic ones and include:tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and heaths

Animals living in the alpine tundra are also well adapted:Mammals: pikas, marmots, mountain goats, sheep, elk Birds: grouselike birds Insects: springtails, beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAxtZBh3Zng

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mt. Ranier in Washington

Camel’s hump in Vermont

Rocky Mountain National Park

Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights are a spectacular vision one can only experience in the Taiga and Tundra biomes (in most cases).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcfWsj9OnsI

1. Which number identifies the location of arctic tundra?

1. Which number identifies the location of alpine tundra?

What primary factors determine the type of biome that can become established in a geographic location?•Average annual temperatures•Latitude•Annual Precipitation (MOST important)•Altitude

What are the dominant types of producers are found in the tundra biome?

Short grasses and woody shrubs. Many species of lichen.

Which animal adaptations would be the most useful in the tundra biome?

•Thick fur and fat/blubber•Ability to migrate from the tundra in winter.•Ability to eat rough foods like lichen or moss.•Ability to change color in winter (to white.)

How does the population of animals in the tundra differ between the short summer and the long winter months?Millions of migratory waterfowl (ducks, geese, swans, cranes, etc.) breed in the tundra in the summer.

The tundra and the desert biomes both receive about the same amount of annual precipitation. During the short summer, the tundra is dotted with thousands of small ponds and shallow, slow moving streams while the desert seldom holds little if any visible surface water. What is the best explanation for this?

Permafrost prevents the water from draining into the soil and the low angle of the sun results in very slow evaporation. Also, most of the tundra is relatively flat, so the water does not drain away.

How do the summer and winter months differ in terms of the amount of sunlight in the arctic tundra?

The further north one goes in latitude, the shorter the days during the winter. In the most northern areas of the tundra, the sun never rises above the horizon during certain winter months.

What is the primary reason animals migrate?

To find food. Geese might be able to survive the cold of the tundra, but they wouldn’t be able to find food.

In what ways are tundra plants adapted to the harsh life of the tundra?

•Able to grow in thin or poor soil.•Able to withstand extreme cold.•Short, which conserves food and helps protect against high winds. •“Hairy” leaves that hold warmth better.•Small leaves with a waxy coating to prevent water loss from transpiration.•Have shallow root systems. •Able to carry out photosynthesis under low light conditions.•Many capable of asexual reproduction (which is quicker than sexual reproduction.)

People living in the tundra rely very little (if at all) on gardening or gathering plants for food. Why?

The growing season is too short for growing most food plants.The soil is thin and has a low nutrient level.Not many tundra plants are edible to humans.

Mr. Moore and his family are planning a vacation to Denali National Park in Alaska this July. What kind of weather and other climactic conditions should they pack for during this time of the year?The weather will most likely be breezy and cool (temperatures in the low 60’s.) The ground will most likely be very soft and wet. The biting flies and mosquitoes will be swarming in great abundance.