The tundra is located at the top of the world near the North Pole. It covers about a fifth of the world's surface. Characteristics include a cold climate, low biotic diversity, and short season of growth and reproduction.
Biotic Factors
Native Plant Species
Tufted Saxifrage- The Tufted Saxifrage grows on the rocky slopes and
crevices of the tundra and also has well developed root systems for storing
carbs, so they can respond quickly to cold weather of the tundra.
Bear Berry- The Bear Berry is a low growing evergreen that is covered with fine
silky hairs. They bloom anywhere between March and June. The plant is very
useful and can be eaten or cooked with foods or be used to medicinal uses.
Other native plant species include Arctic moss, arctic willow, caribou moss, diamond-leaf willow, Labrador tea, and the pasque flower.
Invasive Plant Species
Austrian Pine- The Austrian Pine is considered to be invasive because it decreases the biodiversity of the biome it invades and also causes changes in soil composition and nutrient cycling.
Loosestrife- The Loosestrife plant damages the primary consumers
because the consumers are not used to eating the different plant, which may
cause the consumer to get unwell or die. It is not a poisonous species but is
extremely aggressive.
Other invasive plant species include common tansy, leave splurge, and the Japanese knotweed.
Native Animal Species
Ermine- The ermine
is well adapted to live in the tundra environment. They make dens in the roots
of old trees or in a crevice of a rock. It is a carnivore and eats small
mammals such as rabbits and rodents.
Arctic Fox- The arctic fox lives in small burrows on the frost-free
ground. It adapted to the tundra environment by growing long fur
that changes color with the season for camouflage. Also, the arctic foxis a scavenger that eats the food that it is able to find.
Other native tundra animals include the caribou, grizzly bear, harlequin duck, musk ox, polar bear, and the snowy owl.
Invasive Animal Species
Red Fox- The Red wolf originated from Europe and damages the
tundra biome by prettying on small mammals and as a result, many animals of
smaller size and ground birds are decreasing.
Other invasive animal species include canada goose, feral dog, red deer, and mouflon.
Abiotic Factors
The precipitation of the tundra ranges from 15 to 25 cm (includes melted snow).
The average Winter temperature is -34 degrees
Celsius. The average summer temperature is 3-12 degrees Celsius (temperature allows
biome to sustain life).
Although there is no primary soil type in the tundra, there is a active layer on the upper surface of the ground, but underneath is a layer of permanently frozen ground called permafrost.
The latitudinal range of the tundra is 75 degrees north to 60 degrees north. The altitude of the tundra biome is usually 10,000 feet or more.
Human Interactions With The Environment
Humans do not generally live in the tundra due to its hospital environment. If humans were to live in the tundra biome, they would need to have a means of finding food and finding water that isn't frozen. Human activities that damage the tundra biome include overhunting, overdevelopment, pollution, and oil drilling. Some ways to help the biodiversity of the tundra is to establish protected areas and park reserves to restrict human influence and limit mining activities and the building of pipelines in tundra habitat.