The Intrepid Tundra

By:Jake SBrynne HKyle W

Map of Artic Tundra

Unique Features• Bring your warm clothes because this is the coldest

biome of them all

• Plants only grow 50-60 days/year making a spectacular array of colors when these flowers open up

• There are no deep-root growing systems for vegetation, but about 1,700 kinds of plants are able to resist the cold climate

Climate• Temperatures:

Summer- (37-54F)Winter- (-30F)

• 6-10 inches per year(Seattleites love the minimal rain!)

Why Hawaii, when you can taste the crisp air?

Seasonal Information

In summer, sun is present almost 24 hours

Summer time temperatures range from 3-12 degrees C.

In winter, sun is rare, some weeks sun doesn’t even rise

Winter temperatures range from -28 to extreme -70 degrees C.

Animals of the Arctic Tundra Arctic Fox

Caribou

Polar Bear

Arctic Hare

Snowy Owl

Many of these animals will leave during the winter, and come back during the summer to hunt because of the lack of predetors.

Plants and Animals

Animals

arctic foxes, arctic hares, caribou, ermine, lemmings, musk oxen, polar bears, porcupines, Arctic shrews, squirrels, voles, weasels, wolves, reindeer

Plants

low shrubs, sedges, reindeer mosses, liverworts, and grasses

400 varieties of flowers

Adaptation

Plants that have adapted to the Arctic Tundra

Arctic Lupine-short plants which grow in clumps to be protected from the wind

Arctic Poppy- utilize the short growing season to grow quickly

Arctic Fox- has thick long fur, and the winter coat is white to blend in with the snow while the summer coat is brown to blend in with its surroundings

Polar bear- Small ears which prevent heat loss through the ears as well as 4.5 inches of blubber to keep them warm

Features

o The ground beneath the surface of the tundra is frozen all year. This is called permafrost.

o The top few inches of soil thaw in the summer, creating an active layer where plants can grow

o Frosted landscapes

Big Issue

Permafrost Melt

Potential to release equivalent of 39% of total annual human emission

This may be your last chance to view ice on such a large scale. Can you pass up the opportunity?

Tourist Activities

Cruises are a popular form of tourism in the artic tundra, along with Denali National Park in Alaska.

Sources

http://arctic.fws.gov/permpics.htm

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_have_polar_bears_adapted_to_life_in_the_Arctic

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/animals/environments/arctic_alpine_tundra.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/global-warming-permafrost-thaw-siberia_n_2196876.html

http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/arctictundra.html