Arctic&Tundra&&

&By&Dominic&and&Doran&&

The&Tundra&location:&

 The tundra is the youngest biome formed 100,000 years ago and is named from Finnish tunturi that means treeless plain.

  There are two types of tundra  alpine and arctic that covers 20% of the worlds

landmass

�  The arctic tundra circumnavigates the North pole and is found across northern Alaska, Canada, and Siberia at latitudes 55° to 70° North

Arctic&Tundra&

Tundra&view&from&the&North&Pole&

�  Extremely cold and dry climate �  Winter average temperature is -30° F �  During short summer the temperature is from 37-54° F �  The ground is permanently frozen 10 inches

to 3 feet (25 to 100 cm) down so that trees can't grow there (permafrost) The layer above the permafrost melts each very short summer. �  Global warming is currently melting the

permafrost and every year several feet of tundra are lost!

Climate:&

�  There&are&only&1,700&species&of&animals&and&plants.&

�  48&species&of&land&mammals&such&as&&shrews,&hares,&

rodents,&wolves,&foxes,&bears&and&deer.&

�  Polar&bear&&�  Ermine&&

�  Musk&Ox&&

�  Arctic&Fox&&

Life&in&tundra:&

Is&a&carnivore&and&mostly&eats&rodents.&The&ermine&

weghs&3&–&15&ounces&and&it&can&grow&to&5&inches&tall.&

Their&fur&changes&color&in&the&seasons.&In&the&winter&the&

ermine&sheds&its&light&brown&fur&from&hunting&in&the&

summer&to&white&for&hunting&in&the&winter.&

Ermine&

�  The&polar&bear&is&a&vicious&carnivore&that&mostly&eats&

seals.&It&makes&dens&from&snow&by&digging&in&the&side&

of&the&snow&hills.&The&polar&bears&have&about&2&–&3&

cubs.&

�  They&are&threatened&species&because&of&global&warming.&

Polar&bear&

�  The&Musk&Ox&is&&hoofed&animal&and&their&fur&keeps&

them&warm&in&harsh&cold.&The&musk&oxes&live&in&herds.&

�  It&can&weigh&up&to:&396&–&880&Pounds&and&can&reach&

the&length&of&7ft.&

�  The&herds&usually&consist&from&10&to&20&members.&

Musk&Ox&

�  The&arctic&fox&is&a&scavenger&and&does&not&have&a&hard&time&with&finding&food&as&it&blends&in&the&landscape.&

�  It&makes&its&burrows&in&sides&of&snow&hills&and&have&1U2&

cubs.&

�  It&is&10U16&inches&long&and&weighs&about&6U12&pounds.&

Arctic&fox&

&There&are&no&&large&trees&and&the&plants&are&mostly&

shrubs,&sedges,&mosses,&lichens&and&grasses&including&

400&species&of&flowers&&

�  Arctic&moss&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

�  Arctic&willow&&

�  Bearberry&&�  Diamond&leaf&willow&

Tundra&Plants&

Short&Summer&makes&life&possible&

�  &Native&people&who&live&in&the&&&

arctic&tundra&in&North&America&are&called&Inuit&and&

they&speak&Eskimo&language.&They&live&there&since&&

�  20,&000&thousand&years!&They&hunt&and&in&a&winter&live&

in&houses&made&of&snow&and&ice&called&&igloo.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Inuit&