TUNDRA

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TUNDRA
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WHAT IS TUNDRA?
A tundra is a vast, treeless plain in the arctic
region.
Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes.
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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

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LOCATION
There are two kinds of tundras, Arctic and
alpine. Arctic tundras lie near the Arctic Ocean.
They include Greenland, northern parts of Alaska,
Canada, Europe and Russia. The Alpine tundra is
located at the top of mountains across the world.
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LOCATION
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ALPINE TUNDRA
Its located on mountains throughout the world at
high altitude where trees cannot grow. Growing
season is approximately 180 days. Night time
temperature is usually below freezing. Unlike the
Arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well
drained. Plants similar to the Arctic include
tussock grasses, dwarf trees, heaths Animals
include Mountain goats, elk, sheep, butterflies,
grasshoppers
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TUNDRA'S CLIMATE
Its freezing for almost all of the year. The
average temperature per year is 16 degrees
F. Summer temperatures get up to 45 degrees F.
(last 6-10 weeks) Lowest temperature it can get
is 10 degrees F below 0- 20 degrees F.
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PRECIPITATION
Most of the precipitation that falls is snow. In
summer it falls as rain with occasional
snow. Average precipitation per season is 4.5 in.
Average precipitation per year is 18 inches.
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NATURAL RESOURCES
FRESHWATER
OIL
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FLORA (PLANT LIFE)
The plants growing in the tundra are often small
and grow close to the ground. This helps resist
cold temp. and snow during the winter. Due to
permafrost, there are no deep root system in the
plant life of the arctic tundra. (1,700 different
kinds of plants) They carry out photosynthesis at
low temperatures. Plants are more likely to
reproduce vegetatively by division and budding
than by flower pollination sexually, due to the
short growing season.
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CUSHION PLANTS
Theyre called cushion plants b/c they grow in a
low tight clump and look like a little
cushion. Theyre more common in the tundra where
their growth habitat helps protect them from the
cold.
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FAUNA (ANIMAL LIFE)
The frigid cold and deep snow makes life in the
tundra very difficult. Animals are adapted to
handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise
young quickly in the summer. Some have grown
thick fur which turns white in the winter.
Mammals and birds have additional insulation
from fat. Others find a place to hibernate during
the winter months b/c food is not
abundant. Reptiles amphibians are few or absent
b/c of extremely cold temp.
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POLAR BEAR
Classified as Mammals Theyre fast can outrun a
caribou over a short distance. Swims extremely
well. Diet large and small mammals, fish, birds,
berries, leaves Carnivores Habitat coasts, ice
floes Range Arctic Ocean to southern limits of
ice floes
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SLED DOGS
Thick fur and amazing stamina They know how to
adapt to the frigid conditions in the
tundra. Dogs curl themselves up to protect from
the harsh wind. The dogs must mush and work as a
team in order to survive.
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HUMAN POPULATION
The extremely cold weather keeps the human
population to a minimum.
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ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS
President Bush and Congress have tried to push
the keys to Alaskas Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge to the oil industry. They tried to dig
into the Arctic to try and get the oil. The
Senate rejected this amendment.
Why shouldn't we dig?
Theres approx. 16 billion of barrels, but only
3.2 billion would be recovered. It would take 10
years for the oil to reach the pump. The refuge
would produce less than 2 of the oil Americans
are expected to use.The small amount of oil would
come at an enormous, and irreversible cost. The
oil isnt concentrated in a single, large
reservoir. Its spread across the coastal plain
in more than 30 small deposits. This would
require vast networks of roads pipelines that
would fragment the habitat, disturbing and
displacing wildlife.
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IMPORTANCE OF TUNDRA
The tundra is a major balance in our ecosystem
and it must be there for many species to sustain
life. If humanity interferes with the tundra
,the world as we know it may be in route for a
disastrous change for the worst.
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COMPETITION IN TUNDRA
Many animals compete for the plant lichen. Lichen
is the favorite food of caribou and musk
oxen. Lichen are homes for spiders, mites, lice,
and other insects.
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SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM
LICHEN
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LICHEN

• Lichens are a successful alliance between a
  fungus and an algae. Each doing what it does
  best, and thriving as a result of a natural
  cooperation. They live as one organism, both
  inhabiting the same body.

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THE FUNGUS MEETS AN ALGAE
Friend algae cell is prepared to greet Mr. Fungus
Mr. Fungus is ready o greet our friend the algae.
The lichen is created between the fungus and the
algae
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LICHEN
The Lichen is created between the fungus and the
algae.
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SPECIES DIVERSITY
The animals present are not very diverse, but pop
up all over the different tundra locations
throughout the globe. Very few plants can adapt
to tundra due to the fact that the soil is poor
and not deep. That leads to a very short season
of reproduction and growth. Many organisms derive
their energy from one of the most abundant
sources--dead organic material.
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CONCLUSION
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
mbgnet.mobot.org mgd.nacse.org realscience.breeksc
hool.org blueplanetbiomes.com
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME