Transcript The Arctic Tundra

The Arctic Tundra
The arctic tundra is characterized
by...
-Extremely cold temperatures
-Frozen topsoil called permafrost
-Small amounts of large plants
-Harsh winds
-Short summers and long winters
-Animals that adapt to the seasonal changes
-Little precipitation
It is located in Siberia, Canada, and other regions in the Arctic
Circle
Polar Bear (Ursus Martimus)
Snowy Owl (Nyctea Scandiaca)
Arctic Hare (Lepus Arcticus)
Lemming (Lemmus Sibricus)
Caribou (Rangifer Tarandus)
Arctic Fox (Vulpes Lagopus)
Arctic Wolf (Canis Lupus Arctos)
Plant
s
 Arctic Moss
 Lichen
 Cotton grass
 Fly agaric (mushroom)
Example Food Chain
Polar Bear: Tertiary Consumer
Arctic Fox: Secondary Consumer
Arctic Hare: Primary Consumer
Arctic Moss: Producer
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
Biotic
Plants’ size and growth
Animals’ fur color
Caribou’s hollow winter hair
Abiotic
The permafrost and the limited
amount of energy from the sun
restricts it.
The extreme temperatures cause
them to change seasonally in order
for the animals to survive.
The rivers in the tundra make it
necessary for them to be able to swim
and float
If decomposers (mushrooms) were removed…
Dead animals and
waste will take
longer to break
down (if at all)
Animals will get sick from
drinking water
contaminated by dead
bodies
Nitrogen and carbon would
build up in one stage (very
few chemicals would be
returned to the atmosphere)
If the plants were removed…
1. Primary consumers (arctic hares, lemmings, caribou) would starve
2. Higher-level consumers (arctic foxes, arctic wolves, snowy owls)
would starve
3. After the initial consumer deaths, decomposers (mushrooms)
would have nothing left to break down, and would eventually die as
well
…thus the whole ecosystem would
collapse.
Carbon Cycle within the Tundra
Producers (grasses, mosses,
lichen) absorb carbon through
photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere
Decomposers release carbon
back into the atmosphere
through cellular respiration
C
Producers are eaten by
consumers (hares,
caribou, lemmings)
Consumers’ dead bodies are
broken down by decomposers
(fly agaric)
Water Cycle within the Tundra
Bodies of water are formed
(permafrost prevents easy
draining and water seepage)
Precipitation
(usually snow)
H2O
Condensation in the
atmosphere (clouds)
Evaporation and
transpiration
Nitrogen Cycle within the Tundra
Nitrogen in the
atmosphere
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil
convert nitrogen to ammonia
through nitrogen fixation
Decomposers
(bacteria,
mushrooms) break
down nitrates in the
soil and return it to
the atmosphere
through denitrification
Consumers die
Plants (grasses,
mosses, lichen)
use ammonia
N2
Plants are eaten by
consumers (hares caribou,
lemmings) and the
nutrients are utilized for
amino acids, nucleic
acids, and proteins
Ammonia is converted to
nitrate through nitrification
Plants (grasses,
mosses, lichen)
consume nitrate
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Diverse animal and plant species throughout the biome
Plants are adapted to winds and soil disturbances (permafrost)
Plants still carry out photosynthesis in cold tundra climate
Animals hibernate during the winter (and other adaptions)
Weaknesses
Limitation of drainage
Bitter and harsh winds
Has very little precipitation
Significant population growth and
loss throughout the year
(immigration and migration)
Mosses and lichens flourish in the weather conditions
Coldest biome, which prevents the
growth of large plants
Has rapid plant growth
Has a short growing season
The End
Kat Bragat
Rohith Hegde
Eric Simon
Claire Meiers