Tundra is the coldest of all the biome’s. Tundra comes from the Finnish word, meaning treeless plain. It is noted for its frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. Dead organic material functions as a nutrient pool.
The two major nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen is created by biological fixation, and phosphorus is created by precipitation. Tundra is separated into two types: arctic tundra and alpine tundra. The characteristics of the tundra are as follows: 1. Extremely cold climate 2.
Low biotic diversity 3. Simple vegetation structure 4. Limitation of drainage 5. Short season of growth and reproduction 6. Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material 7. Large population oscillations Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the North Pole and extending south to the Coniferous forests of the Taiga.
The arctic is known for its cold, desert-like conditions. The growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days. The average winter temperature is -34^0 C (-30^0 F), but the average summer temperature is 3-12^0 C (37-54^0 F), which enables this biome to sustain life. Rainfall may vary in different regions of the arctic. Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches). Soil is formed slowly.
A layer of permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel and finer material. When water floods the upper surface, bogs and ponds may form, providing moisture for plants. There are no deep root systems in the vegetation of the arctic tundra; however, there are still a wide variety of plants that are able to resist the cold climate. There are about 1, 700 kinds of plants in the arctic and sub arctic, and these include low shrubs, sedges, reindeer mosses, liverworts, and grasses. All of the plants are adapted to sweeping winds and instability of the soil. Plants are short and group together to resist the cold temperatures and are protected by the snow during the winter.
They can carry out photosynthesis at low temperatures and low light intensities. The growing seasons are short and most plants reproduce by budding and division rather than sexually by flowering. The fauna in the arctic is also diverse consisting of Herbivorous mammals, Carnivorous mammals, Migratory birds, and insects. Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the summer. Animals such as mammals and birds also have additional insulation from fat. Many animals hibernate during the winter because food is not abundant.
Another alternative is to migrate south in the winter, like birds do. Reptiles and amphibians are few or absent because of the extremely cold temperatures. Because of constant immigration and migration, the population continually fluctuates. Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow. The growing season is approximately 180 days. The nighttime temperature is usually below freezing.
Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained. The plants are very similar to those of the arctic ones and include Tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and heaths. Animals living in the alpine tundra are also well adapted such as picks, marmots, mountain goats, sheep, elk, grouse like birds, springtails, beetles, grasshoppers, and butterflies.