What's nearby?
The glaciers in the Tundra are wonderful areas of interest that really provide peace of mind with awe and silence striking the hearts of the people that look at them. The Tundra biomes are so isolated to prevent you from leaving the constant fun that the nearest biome presents itself in an oceanic environment that’s almost freezing! The next closest biomes are the Taiga biomes, as illustrated in the map above, and you wouldn’t want to visit those, those are boring. In short, if you want to visit the Tundra, you probably won’t be leaving.
The Tundra is light blue, the Taiga is dark green, and the ocean is well, blue.
The Tundra is light blue, the Taiga is dark green, and the ocean is well, blue.
Interesting Places? Interesting People?
Large areas of the tundra are still home to native peoples, include the Sami in Sapmi, north of the Nordic countries, and the Nenets and Nganasan in northern Russia. Travel to the tundra can be difficult, and there are few permanent places of interest in this part of the world – however, many interesting attractions can be found just by exploring!
Some Activities... For The Brave?
There are many wonderful activities that will excite the hearts of those who dive into the land of the Tundra such as skiing, snowboarding, and even ice-skating! Enjoy camping in a cabin with your significant other in the freezing cold and warm each-other up with a nice hot cup of chocolate! Get cozy by the fire, if you can make one, and stimulate your special senses by absorbing the crystal white, blanketed environment of the Tundra. Other recreational activities that are only for those that are brave-hearted include pin the tail on the polar bear and glacier slides! There’s even rumors only for the people that have experienced tragic, life-threatening events, of a game that thrills even the most seasoned murderers. The game known as nerve tests the will of those who play it by recording how long they can last in the frozen glacial pools without dying. How fun!
Warning
Yes, the tundra is a beautiful site to see however there are some precautions you have to take. The temperature in this biome is obviously extremely cold in comparison to other regions. Unfortunately, global warming is changing the temperature by rising and in return, melting the ice. Also the tundra has many attributes that aren't friendly to most animals which leads to the low diversity of species in the biome itself. With the low vegetation production and the limitation of drainage, the types of animals living here may not be suited for this biome in the years to come. Animals usually have to hibernate every year due to the scarcity of food. The polar bear is a largely recognized species that is endangered in the tundra. Also, some species of the snow fox are endangered. They are either hunted for their pelts or their environments deteriorate due to global warming. If ever you had a chance to visit the tundra, be mindful of the surrounding species, the little vegetation present, and the endangered animals inhabiting the tundra today.
Weather Report/ Geographical Species!
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The average summer temperature is 3-12 degrees Celsius. The average winter temperature is -34 degrees Celsius. A thin layer of permafrost actually occurs in this biome. It's pretty dang cold so you better bring jackets, mittens, boots, and a whole battalion of scarves and hats! Yearly precipitation for this biome is about 15-25 centimeters. Reindeer mosses and crustose and foliose lichen are just some types of plants that actually live and grow in this harsh climate! The plants group together and don't grow very long so they can survive the cold. Beware of animals in this biome! Carnivorous animals include the snow fox, wolves, and even polar bears! Some fish include trout and salmon. These animals have certain adaptations that allow them to live in this biome. They have thicker pelts than most normal animals, and their pelts are white. They can blend in better with their surroundings with the white pelts. Humans aren't the only animals that work together. Polar bears allow wolves and seagulls to eat the scrap food that they don't finish, lichens are made up of fungi and algae that helps them grow too. They work together like one big happy family.
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More Species!
The tundra biome is as far north from the equator as possible, it covers land in Alaska, Northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and much of Northern Russia. The abiotic factors, or, non-living components of an ecosystem, are the little amount of precipitation, the excruciatingly strong and cold wind, the poor mineral composition because no real soil forms, the long winter and short summer, the cold temperature, and the layer of permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost. Some native plants that have adapted to live in the tundra are Caribou moss, Cotton grass, the arctic willow plant, and the large population of lichen which is a combination of algae and fungus. All of these plants must have deep roots to absorb any nutrients in the poor soil, require little energy because the sun is not up for a majority of the time, survive in extremely cold temperature and must last a long time with little water. Animals must adapt to the tundra’s harsh conditions as well. Short and round bodies covered with fur would describe how many animals have adapted to the frigid temperatures. Animals in the tundra include polar bears, the caribou, arctic foxes, arctic hare,musk ox, snowy owl, and the rock ptarmigan- a bird that resembles a rock. Competition and cooperation rarely affect the tundra animals because the populations are all so small. One rare example of some competition in the tundra biome would be the caribou and the musk ox competing to find their appropriate plant diet when resources are limited.
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Global Importance.You're picturing a vast, frozen wasteland with snow everywhere and perhaps the occasional polar bear. Believe it or not, the tundra is home to a variety of plants and animals that is reason enough to call the tundra important. This region of the world has other characteristics vital to life as we know it. The tundra contains a lot of carbon that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere. With the increasing fear of global warming, the tundra is sure to be effected. Some of the world's most beautiful creatures inhabit the Tundra, and without its crazy climate and vegetation production, some of these animals might not still be alive. Also, this region of the world is wanted for its oil production, a negative to the animals and plants in the Tundra.
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