where is the tundra located-text

7/17/2019 Where is the Tundra Located-Text

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Where is the Tundra Located?

The tundra is located at the top of the world, near the

North Pole. This enormous biome, extremely uniform inappearance, covers a fifth of the earth's surface.

The most distinctive characteristic of tundra soil is itspermafrost, a permanently frozen layer of ground. Duringthe brief summers, the top section of the soil may thaw out

allowing plants and microorganisms to grow and reproduce.owever, these plants and microorganisms become dormantduring the cold winter months. There is another region called alpine tundra, which is found

on the tops of tall, cold mountains.

Tundra Facts

The arctic tundra is at the top of the world !! around the

North Pole. "nimals are adapted to handle cold winters and to breedand raise young #uic$ly in the very short and cool summers.

Temperatures during the arctic winter can dip to !%& (!)*

+- The average temperature of the warmest month isbetween )& (*& + and / (& +. 0ometimes as few as)) days per year have a mean temperature higher than /

(& +. The average annual temperature is only *& to /& (!*/+ to !%+.

The soil is often frozen. Permafrost, or permanent ice,

usually exists within a meter of the surface. 1ater isunavailable during most of the year.

"nnual precipitation is very low, usually less than *& inches(/) centimeters.

During the short!growing season in the summer, the

tundra blooms with a variety of low!growing plants. 0o what

plant life is found there2



A Stark and Barren Place

The tundra landscape is a star$ and

barren place. The plants growing in thetundra are often small and grow close tothe ground.

In Between Rocks

Where soil accumulates in poc$ets or crac$s in

roc$s, small shrubs may grow.

The tundra landscape is often covered withroc$s, such as in this picture. The constantfreezing and thawing in the tundra helps to

brea$ the roc$s into smaller pieces.

Lichen

Growing on the surface of this roc$ is a lichen.3ichens are unusual organisms that often grow

on exposed roc$ surfaces. They are composed of a fungus and an algae living and growingtogether. There are several varieties of lichen,

and in the autumn lichen turn various colors.

3ichen is the favorite food of caribou and mus$ oxen.

Dark Red Leaves

Many plants, such as this one, have

leaves that are dar$ red. Dar$ leaves allowthe plant to absorb more heat from the sun

in the cold tundra climate.

Seeds

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/tundra/plants/5.htm







Tundra birds help distribute seeds. 1hen

they eat brightly colored berries, the birds

carry seeds to other places and leave the

seeds to grow.

otton Grass

otton grass has seeds that are dispersed across the

tundra when they are caught by the wind.

The frigid cold and deep snow ma$es life in the tundra very

difficult.

4very animal must adapt in order to survive. 0ome havegrown thic$ fur which turns white in the winter. 5thers find aplace to hibernate during the winter months.

G!r"alcon

lass# "ves6 7irds Diet# 7irds

$rder# alconiformes6 7irds of Prey

Si%e# )* ! % cm (/& ! /) in

Fa&il!# alconidae6 alconsonservation Status# Non!

threatened

Scienti"ic 'a&e# alcorusticolus

(a)itat# mountains, tundra

Ran*e# "rctic 4urope, "sia, North "merica, 8reenland,9celand

An impressive bird and the largest of the falcons, the

gyrfalcon has a stoc$ier build than the peregrine. Plumage




can be dar$, white or gray. :ost breed north of thetimberline and remain in the "rctic all year, but some

populations migrate south for the winter. 1hen hunting, thegyrfalcon flies swiftly near the ground. 9t can ma$e rapid

dives on prey, li$e the peregrine, but this is lesscharacteristic. 7irds are its main prey, although it feeds onsome mammals, particularly in winter. ;oc$ ptarmigan andwillow grouse ma$e up the bul$ of the gyrfalcon's diet, and

their numbers can affect its breeding rate. 9n years whenthese birds are abundant, gyrfalcons produce large clutches,but in years of scarcity they lay only a couple of eggs or donot breed at all. 8yrfalcons perform display flights when

courting. The female lays / to < eggs on a ledge or in an old

cliff nest. 0he incubates the clutch for /< to /= days, duringwhich her mate brings her food. 1hen the young hatch,

both parents bring food to them.

Rudd! Turnstone

lass# "ves6 7irds Diet# 9nsects, plants,crustaceans, mollus$s

$rder# +haradriiformes6 "u$s, 1aders, 3aris

Si%e# )od!#*> ! / cm (< ! = in

Fa&il!# 0colopacidae60andpipers

onservation Status# Non!threatened

Scienti"ic 'a&e# "renariainterpres

(a)itat# tundra

Ran*e# breeds in arctic coast marshes? winters on roc$yshores south of breeding range

In the breeding season, the turnstone has bold blac$,

white, and reddish!brown mar$ings, which become duller in

winter. 9nsects, particularly midges, and some plant materialare its main food in summer, but in winter it forages onseashores, turning over stones and other debris with its bill



to find mollus$s, crustaceans, and even carrion. 7reedingbirds arrive from wintering areas in late :ay or early @une.

The A eggs are laid in a grass!lined hollow on the groundand incubated by both parents for /* to.

Snow Buntin*

In breeding plumage, the male snow bunting is almost pure

white, except for his blac$ bac$, central tail and primary

wing feathers. 9n winter, his white plumage becomesmottled with rusty brown. The female has a gray!brownhead and bac$ in summer and is simply paler and duller in

winter. The snow bunting spends much of its time feeding onseeds and insects on the ground, where it can run #uic$lyand hop. The nest is made from dead grass, moss and

lichen and is concealed among stones. The female lays A to% eggs, which she incubates for *& to *) days. The malebird feeds his mate during the incubation period and helps

to feed the young

Snow! $wl

lass# "ves6 7irds Diet# 0mall mammals

$rder# 0trigiformes6 5wls

Si%e# )/ ! %) cm (/& *B/ ! /) *B/ in

Fa&il!# 0trigidae6 5wlsonservation Status# Non!threatened

Scienti"ic 'a&e# Nycteascandiaca

(a)itat# tundra, marshes,coasts

Ran*e# +ircumpolar6 arctic +anada, 8reenland, Northern4urasia



The snowy owl is a large species with distinctive,

mainly white plumage? females have more dar$, barred

mar$ings than males. 9t usually hunts during the day and

ta$es prey up to the size of arctic hares and lemmings, aswell as smaller rodents and birds such as duc$s and gulls.

The snowy owl begins nesting in mid!:ay. 9t ma$es ashallow scrape in the ground or on a roc$, lines it with mossand feathers and lays A to *& eggs. Cp to *) eggs may be

laid if food supplies are particularly good. The male bringsfood to the female while she incubates the eggs for / or days

Tundra Swan

lass# "ves6 7irds Diet# "#uatic plants

$rder# "nseriformes6 Duc$s,8eese,0wans

Si%e# **A ! *A& cm (A) ! )) in

Fa&il!# "natidae6 Duc$s,

8eese, 0wans

onservation Status# Non!

threatened

Scienti"ic 'a&e# +ygnuscolumbianus

(a)itat# tundra, swamps andmarshes

Ran*e# olarctic

Bewic$'s swan and the whistling swan are sometimes

treated as / separate species, but are so ali$e that they arenow generally regarded as conspecific. 7oth breed in the far

north of their range and migrate enormous distances towinter in 4urope, +hina, @apan and the C0". :ales andfemales loo$ ali$e !! the female is sometimes slightlysmaller !! and uveniles have mottled grayish plumage. The

swans feed in shallow water on a#uatic vegetation. Thebonds between mates are strong and permanent and areformed and maintained by mutual displays. The female lays

her clutch of to ) eggs in a nest of sedge and moss lined



with down, usually near water. 0he incubates them for ) toA& days. The cygnets must ma$e the long migration south

when only >& to =& days old.

Arctic Fo+

lass# :ammalia6:ammals

Diet# 7irds, rodents

$rder# +arnivora6 +arnivores

Si%e# )od!#A% ! %> cm (*> ! /% BA in, tail6 up to ) cm

(* BA in

Fa&il!# +anidae6 Dogs,oxes


Scienti"ic 'a&e# "lopex

lagopus(a)itat# tundra, open woodland

Ran*e# "rctic regions of 4urope, "sia and North "merica

$ne of the few truly arctic mammals, the arctic fox has

well!furred feet and small, rounded ears. 9t feeds onground!dwelling birds, lemmings and other small rodents

and also eats the leftovers from polar bear $ills and carrion,such as stranded marine animals.

7urrows, usually in the side of a hill or cliff, provide shelter,

but arctic foxes do not hibernate and can withstandtemperatures as low as !)& degrees + (!)> degrees . "litter of A to ** young is born in :ay or @une after a

gestation of )* to )< days. They are cared for by bothparents.



ari)ou

lass# :ammalia6

:ammalsDiet# 3ichen

$rder# "rtiodactyla6 4ven!toed Cngulates

Si%e# )od!#*./ ! /./ m (A ! < *BA ft, tail6 *& ! /* cm (A !> *BA in

Fa&il!# +ervidae6 Deeronservation Status# Non!

threatened

Scienti"ic 'a&e# ;angifertarandus

(a)itat# tundra

Ran*e# Northern 4urope and "sia6 0candinavia to 0iberia?"las$a, +anada, 8reenland

$nce divided into several species, all caribou and reindeer,

including the domesticated reindeer, are now consideredraces of a single species. The races vary in coloration fromalmost blac$ to brown, gray and almost white.

The caribou is the only deer inwhich both sexes have antlers,although those of the female are

smaller.The antlers are uni#ue inthat the lowest, forward!pointingtine is itself branched.

emales are gregarious and gatherin herds with their young, but adultmales are often solitary. 9n autumn,

males fight to gather harems of ) toA& or so females. The femaleproduces *, occasionally /, youngafter a gestation of about /A& days.

Eoung caribou are able to run with the herd within a few

hours of birth.



0ome populations migratehundreds of miles between

their breeding grounds on the tundraand winter feeding grounds farther

south. 8rass and other tundra plantsare their main food in summer, but inwinter caribou feed mainly on lichens, scraping away thesnow with their hoofs to expose the plants.

Musk $+

lass# :ammalia6 :ammals Diet# 8rass, moss, lichen,leaves

$rder# "rtiodactyla6 4ven!toed Cngulates

Si%e# )od!#*.= ! /. m (% *BA ! < *B/ ft, tail6 = ! *& cm (*B/ ! A in

Fa&il!# 7ovidae6 7ovidsonservation Status# Non!threatened

Scienti"ic 'a&e# 5vibos

moschatus(a)itat# tundra

Ran*e# Northern +anada, 8reenland

In prehistoric times, the mus$ ox was found throughout

northern 4urope, 0iberia, and North "merica. 9t was largelyexterminated, surviving only in northern +anada and

8reenland? however, it has now been successfullyreintroduced in Norway and "las$a. 9t is the only species inits genus.

The mus$ ox is superbly e#uipped for life in harsh arctic

conditions, for it has a dense undercoat which neither coldnor water can penetrate and an outer coat of long, coarsehair that reaches almost to the ground and protects it from

snow and rain. The broad hoofs prevent it from sin$ing insoft snow. 7oth sexes have heavy horns that almost meet atthe base, forming a broad frontal plate. acial glands in the

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/tundra/plants/index.htm




bull emit a strong, mus$y odor in the rutting season, hencethe animal's name.

:us$ oxen are gregarious,

living in herds of as many as*&&. 9n the mating season,

young bulls are driven out byold, master bulls and formsmall bachelor groups or

remain solitary. The femaleproduces * young after agestation of > months. 1hen

threatened, mus$ oxen form a circle, facing outward with

horns lowered, with the young in the middle? this is aneffective defense against wolves, their natural enemies, but

not against humans with guns. :us$ oxen feed mainly ongrass, but they also eat mosses, lichens, andleaves and will dig through snow for food.

'orwa! Le&&in*

lass# :ammalia6 :ammals Diet# 8rass

$rder# ;odentia6 ;odents

Si%e# )od!#* ! *) cm () ! % in, tail6 / cm (BA in

Fa&il!# :icrotinae6 Foles and3emmings


Scienti"ic 'a&e# 3emmuslemmus (a)itat# tundra, grassland

Ran*e# 0candinavia

The boldly patterned Norway lemming is active day and

night, alternating periods of activity with short spells of rest.8rasses, shrubs and particularly mosses ma$e up its diet? in

winter it clears runways under the snow on the ground





surface in its search for food. These lemmings start to breedin spring, under the snow, and may produce as many as

eight litters of % young each throughout the summer.

3emmings are fabled for their dramatic populationexplosions, which occur approximately every three or four

years. 9t is still not $nown what causes these, but a fine,warm spring following two or three years of low populationusually triggers an explosion that year or the next. "s local

populations swell, lemmings are forced into surroundingareas. 8radually more and more are driven out, down themountains and into the valleys. :any are eaten by

predators, and more lose their lives crossing rivers and

la$es. 3emmings do not deliberately commit suicide.

Polar Bearlass# :ammalia6:ammals

Diet# 3arge and small mammals,fish, birds, berries, leaves

$rder# +arnivora6 +arnivores

Si%e# )od!#*/./ ! /.) m (< *BA ! > *BA ft, tail6 <.) ! */.)

cm ( ! ) in

Fa&il!# Crsidae6 7ears onservation Status# Fulnerable

Scienti"ic 'a&e#Thalarctos maritimus

(a)itat# coasts, ice floes

Ran*e# "rctic 5cean to southern limits of ice floes

A huge bear with an unmista$able creamy!white

coat, the polar bear is surprisingly fast and can

easily outrun a caribou over a short distance. 9t wandersover a larger area than any other bear and, of course,swims well.

0eals, fish, seabirds, arctic hares,caribou, and mus$ oxen are thepolar bear's main prey, and in the

summer it also eats berries and



leaves of tundra plants.

Normally solitary animals outside the

breeding season, polar bears mate inmidsummer. " litter of * to A young isborn after a gestation of about = months,and the young bears remain with their

mother for about a year. Thus femalesbreed only every other year.

Sled Do*s

Sled dogs are a hearty breed of animals. They have very

thic$ fur and amazing stamina.

" team of dogs can pull a sled and a person for hundreds of

miles.

The 9ditarod ,e+ternal link-. isthe most popular sled dog

race. Ta$ing place in earlyspring, the 9ditarod starts indowntown "nchorage, which

is in the taiga. The race endand ends *&A= miles later inthe tundra of Nome, "las$a.

+an you imagine traveling*&A= miles powered only by dogs- The race ta$es one to twowee$s to complete.

These smart dogs $now how toadapt to the frigid conditions inthe taiga and tundra. ere the

dogs curl themselves up toprotect from the harsh wind.

The dogs must mush and wor$as a team in order to survive.

http://www.iditarod.com/

http://www.iditarod.com/



What Does the Tundra Look Like?

These pictures were ta$en in northern inland, in an area

$nown as 3apland. "ll these photographs were ta$en by

@anne 0in$$onen. 1e than$ him for letting us use hispictures.

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

where is the tundra located-text

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