THE TUNDRA

Location

Tundra biomes are most commonly found in the Northern hemisphere. Tundra covers approximately 20% of the Earth, situated at latitudes 55° to 70° North.

Tundra biomes appear in cold areas, and tundra are usually barren treeless places. Specific tundra areas are the Arctic, Antarctica, areas in Northern Canada, Greenland, and areas in Northern Russia.

Climate

Tundra is the coldest and driest biome in the world. In the winter -50˚ F and in the summer it rarely reaches over 50˚ F, just enough to thaw the surface. It hardly ever rains, and the rainfall can be about 10” every year. It is usually very cloudy, and so the tundra is not exposed to much sunlight.

AnimalsSome of the

CaribouScientific Name: Rangifer TarandusCommonly Called: Caribou, Reindeer.

Caribous are sturdy animals with short legs and unlike the deer species, both male and female

Caribous have antlers. Average adults weigh

up to 350-400 pounds, but even 700 lb is possible.

Caribous live in

Mountain

tundras, Arctic

tundras, and

some areas in

Northern

Russia and

Scandinavia.

They have adapted to the tundra very easily, as the way their body structures assist them in

cold climates and conditions. Their thick hooves give them support when walking on the snow, and they are great swimmer; they use

their legs as paddles. They are able to change their metabolic rate and descend into a semi-hibernation when they wish to.

Snowy OwlSnowy Owls are

regarded as one of

the most elegant,

beautiful, and strong

members of the owl

family. It got it’s

name from it’s

astonishingly white

feathers.

Different genders have different markings. Males are usually pure white all round, while females and some gray-brown lines on their wings.

These owls can

weigh up to 4-6

pounds, and

measure up to

21-26 inches in

length.

Snowy owls are one of the top predators. They feed on arctic foxes, lemmings, ermines, and voles.

ErmineScientific Name: Mustela ErmineaCommonly Called: Short tailed weasel, Stout, Royskatt

Ermines live in Northern Biomes,

like taigas or tundras. They are well adapted to

harsh conditions.

They can weigh between 3-15 ounces. Their height ranges

from 7-13 inches, and their tail grows 5 inches. Males are

longer than females.

Ermines are

carnivores. They

have 34 very sharp

teeth. Because of

these, they can eat

animals larger than

themselves. They

eat rabbits, insects,

rodents. In different

habitats they eat

birds, small

mammals, and

some amphibians.

Ermines are prey

to snowy owls,

lynx, hawks,

arctic foxes, and

other larger

mammals and

birds of prey.

Their coats change color with the

changing season to camouflage. During winters, their coats are white, like

snow, and during summers, they

have a new brown coat to match with

the new environment.

Ermines reproduce once a year. They can

have 3 – 13 babies each mating season. The

mothers are the sole responsibility for

raising the young.

PlantsSome of the

BearberriesBearberries have adapted well by growing fairly low to avoid wind chills. They are used to low sunlight and use very little energy compared to plants in the rainforest.

Bearberries are a low

growing evergreen. The

stem grows to about 2-

8” off the ground and is

blanketed with thick bark

and minute silky hairs.

The stem has many oval-

shaped leaves that grow

approximately 1” long.

The flowers have five

pale pink or white petals.

They bloom during

March and June. The fruit

is a small red berry that

is about 3/8”.

Bearberries are named after the liking that bears have for these fruits.

Arctic Moss Arctic Poppy

This moss does not need that much sunlight to survive. The Calliergon giganteum (arctic

moss) is an underwater plant that lives in bogs and damp areas. It is a bryophyte, and has tiny rootlets instead of roots. The leaves are

about one cell thick.

Amazingly, the barren tundra land has produced amazing yellow

flowers. This is an arctic poppy, and over the yeas of living in the tundra it has learned to adapt well. It can bloom for a short period of time in

the summer.

Factors of TundraAbiotic Biotic

• Temperature: -50˚ F to 50˚ F• Rainfall• Mineral composition • Season • Altitude • Cloud coverage• Angle of sunlight• Wind (strong in the tundra)• Permafrost (only top layer of soil thaws in summer; so trees cannot grow)• Rocks

• Plants like Arctic Mosses, bearberries, willows, etc.

• Animals in the tundra include Arctic Foxes, polar bears, lemmings, ermines, snowy owls, caribous, voles.

Resources

• Some resources include mining. There is a lot of mining in the tundra, and substances like coal and gold are found. The tundra is very rich in mineral resources.

• Oil drilling is very popular. The Tundra is full of oil, and oil drilling is done in the tundra a lot.

Benefits Limitations

Science has located where the oil and mining areas are, so as to find them quicker. Also, if they didn’t have science and just tried mining or drilling in random areas, a lot of the tundra would have been destroyed by now.

Unfortunately, science still doesn’t know how to restore the tundra areas once they have destroyed it. Many of the tundras are getting ruined and polluted, and science doesn’t know how to solve this problem.

How has Science Helped?

• Major human activities include oil drilling. When we drill for oil, we destroy the surrounding environment. Many plant life and animals are also killed, and habitats are ruined. This also effects the food chain.

• When mining, acids and other forms of pollution are wasted, and that also pollutes the surrounding environment. It pollutes the air considerably, as well as the land. The noise drives animals away from their habitats, and population decrease.

Affect of Human Activity

ENVIRONMENT

As mentioned before, when mining and oil drilling, there is tons of pollution. Dusts and toxic gases are released that cause air pollution. These dusts also settle on neighboring lakes, ponds, (there aren’t many) and this makes in inhabitable for fish, plants, and other water creatures. It also produces loud noises, which drive animals away from their homes. They do not have a habitat, and some die. In addition, when one animal is killed, the whole food chain is affected. One of the greatest threats are oil spillage. This can damage tundra to a great extent.

MONEY

When the oil is drilled, and the minerals are mined, they are sold and a lot of money is made. In addition, while working for the oil/minerals, workers are needed. This causes for people to be employed, and get paid. In conclusion, by drilling oil and mining, a lot of money is made for a variety of people.

SOCIAL (PEOPLE)

The oil drilled is used in many various ways, for cooking, cars, and without it the world would be really different. Minerals mined are also used for medicine, and this helps people’s health. A lot of cures have been made.

Interactions

BiblioGraphyPICTURES• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YZK1E_LNzfA/TATKBQxkH5I/AAAAAAAABB0/0nLf9YkQ0s4/s1600/Tundra.JPG

• http://www.petersonspointlake.com/photography/tundra_scape01.jpg

• http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/17/tundra-damage_4357.jpg

• http://www.ri.net/schools/West_Warwick/manateeproject/Tundra/images/Tundra%20yellow%20flower.jpg

• http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/Images/flower.jpg

• http://edu.glogster.com/media/4/18/28/65/18286549.jpg

• http://www.animalstown.com/animals/e/ermine/coloring-pages/ermine-coloring-page-1-s.jpg

• http://www.clipartreview.com/_gallery/_TN/r_213.gif

• http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hGIzWPci30k/SmZcsbEYUpI/AAAAAAAAALA/b4ipUrYNYG0/s400/lemming.png

• http://www.picturesof.net/_images/Bushy_Arctic_Fox_Royalty_Free_Clipart_Picture_090121-131413-864048.jpg

• http://www.justanimal.org/images/caribou-2.jpg

• http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/wilderness/birds/snowyowl.jpg

BiblioGraphyINFORMATION

• http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/impact/impact.tundra.environment.oil.html

• http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/tundra.html

• http://www.ehow.com/info_8005700_yellow-tundra-flower.html

• http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tundra.htm - Plants, Animals, Climate

• http://www.arkive.org/arctic-poppy/papaver-laestadianum/

•