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$ly in the very short and cool summers.
Temperatures during the arctic winter can dip to !%& (!)*
+- The average temperature of the warmest month isbetween )& (*& + and / (& +. 0ometimes as few as)) days per year have a mean temperature higher than /
(& +. The average annual temperature is only *& to /& (!*/+ to !%+.
The soil is often frozen. Permafrost, or permanent ice,
usually exists within a meter of the surface. 1ater isunavailable during most of the year.
"nnual precipitation is very low, usually less than *& inches(/) centimeters.
During the short!growing season in the summer, the
tundra blooms with a variety of low!growing plants. 0o what
plant life is found there2
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A Stark and Barren Place
The tundra landscape is a star$ 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
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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
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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$ings, which become duller in
winter. 9nsects, particularly midges, and some plant materialare its main food in summer, but in winter it forages onseashores, turning over stones and other debris with its bill
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to find mollus$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
$rder# 0trigiformes6 5wls
Si%e# )/ ! %) cm (/& *B/ ! /) *B/ in
Fa&il!# 0trigidae6 5wlsonservation Status# Non!threatened
Scienti"ic 'a&e# Nycteascandiaca
(a)itat# tundra, marshes,coasts
Ran*e# +ircumpolar6 arctic +anada, 8reenland, Northern4urasia
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The snowy owl is a large species with distinctive,
mainly white plumage? females have more dar$, 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$e !! the female is sometimes slightlysmaller !! and uveniles have mottled grayish plumage. The
swans feed in shallow water on a#uatic vegetation. Thebonds between mates are strong and permanent and areformed and maintained by mutual displays. The female lays
her clutch of to ) eggs in a nest of sedge and moss lined
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with down, usually near water. 0he incubates them for ) toA& days. The cygnets must ma$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
onservation Status# Non!threatened
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.
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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.
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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$ing insoft snow. 7oth sexes have heavy horns that almost meet atthe base, forming a broad frontal plate. acial glands in the
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bull emit a strong, mus$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
$rder# ;odentia6 ;odents
Si%e# )od!#* ! *) cm () ! % in, tail6 / cm (BA in
Fa&il!# :icrotinae6 Foles and3emmings
onservation Status# Non!threatened
Scienti"ic 'a&e# 3emmuslemmus (a)itat# tundra, grassland
Ran*e# 0candinavia
The boldly patterned Norway lemming is active day and
night, alternating periods of activity with short spells of rest.8rasses, shrubs and particularly mosses ma$e up its diet? in
winter it clears runways under the snow on the ground
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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
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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.
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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.