Transcript THE TUNDRA - Ector County ISD

THE TUNDRA
Arctic and Alpine
By Ryanne Mora
What is Tundra?
- Comes from the Finnish word meaning barren or treeless land
- Extreme cold temperatures and frozen, treeless landscapes
characterize the tundra biome
- Considered the be coldest of all the biomes
- There are two types:
Arctic
Alpine
Geographical Information
The arctic tundra is at the top of
the world around the North Pole.
While alpine tundra is at the tops
of cold mountains.
Geographical information- Arctic Tundra
• Lies between the North Pole and taiga or coniferous forests
• The youngest biome in the world
• In North America, it occurs in Greenland and North Alaska
• In Europe, it is found in Scandinavia
• In Asia, it is found in Siberia
Geographical information – Alpine Tundra
• Can be found at very high frozen mountain regions
• In North America, it is found in Mexico, U.S.A., and Alaska
• In South America, can be found in Andes Mountains
• In northern Europe, can be found in Sweden, Russia,
Norway, and Finland
• In Asia, found in Himalayan Mountains and Mt. Fuji
• In Africa, can be found in Mt. Kilimanjaro
Climate of the Arctic Tundra
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Very windy blowing at 30-60 miles/hr
Growing season ranges from 60 to 90 days
Average winter temperature is -30ºF
Average summer temperature s is 37-54ºF
Yearly precipitation including snow is 15 to 25 cm
Permafrost exists – a layer of permanently frozen subsoil
Permafrost
polygons melting
away
Climate of the Alpine Tundra
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The growing season is 180 days
Nighttime temperature is below freezing
Soil is well-drained
Temperate and tropical regions exist only at high
elevations
Plants
Arctic
Plants that survive are resilient and roots are close to the
surface
• consists of shrubbery, lichen, moss, and flowers.
Moss
Arctic Tundra Plants
Rock Willow
• Rock willow likes cold
climates, which makes the
tundra a perfect place for it.
Bearberry
• Is a very useful plant.
All parts of it can be
used in some way. The
fruit can be eaten and
cooked with other foods.
Arctic Tundra Plants
Caribou Moss
• Grows in arctic and northern
regions around the world.
• It can survive for long periods
of time without water.
Alpine Tundra Plants
Because trees cannot grow at high altitudes most of the alpine
tundra plants
• consist of shrubbery and small leafy plants
Alpine Phacelia
Alpine Tundra Plants
Wild Potatoes
• These Potatoes can have four
different colored skins, reddishbrown, brown, white or pink. It
can be cultivated and eaten.
Pygmy Bitteroot
• Is a low growing
perennial with long,
skinny, fat leaves that
are about 4 inches
long.
Arctic Animals
Arctic Fox
Caribou
Grizzly bear
Arctic Animals
Snowy owl
Ermine
Alpine Animals
Vicuña
Snow leopard
Alpaca
Alpine Animals
Chinchilla
Mountain goat
Summary
Characteristics of Tundra
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Extremely cold climate
Low biotic diversity
Simple vegetation structure
Limitation of drainage
Short season of growth and reproduction
Large population oscillations
Conclusion
Arctic tundra
Alpine tundra
• Is not a useless and cold wasteland
• Its nature makes the environment very fragile
• Many plants and animals have made their home
incredibly to its short summer and cold, long winters