Location
Tundras are located at the very brink of the earth, where the weather is the most extreme. Tundras are located at: Northern Canada, Northern Russian Siberia, and Greenland.
Climate
The Tundra's climate is the absolute coldest on earth. The temperatures are almost never above freezing, and there is not an abundance of life. Also, any life here is greatly adapted to this harsh climate
Biotic Factors
Native Species
Species Name: Ledum groenlandicum
Common Name: Labrador Tea
Description: "The Labrador tea plant grows to be 4 to 5 feet. It will grow up straight in the southern latitudes of the tundra, but in the colder northern latitudes it will creep over the ground forming a carpet. It has woolly branches with narrow 1 to 2 inch leaves which are smooth on the upper side, with rusty hairs underneath. They droop slightly and edges are rolled under, and are a leathery green in color. At the ends of the branches are tiny clusters of white flowers with protruding stamen, which bloom in June and July. The part used from this plant are the leaves, which were brewed for tea by Native Americans. The tea is very rich in vitamin C. They were also scattered among clothes to keep moths away. Branches kept with grain are said to keep mice away." [43]
Common Name: Labrador Tea
Description: "The Labrador tea plant grows to be 4 to 5 feet. It will grow up straight in the southern latitudes of the tundra, but in the colder northern latitudes it will creep over the ground forming a carpet. It has woolly branches with narrow 1 to 2 inch leaves which are smooth on the upper side, with rusty hairs underneath. They droop slightly and edges are rolled under, and are a leathery green in color. At the ends of the branches are tiny clusters of white flowers with protruding stamen, which bloom in June and July. The part used from this plant are the leaves, which were brewed for tea by Native Americans. The tea is very rich in vitamin C. They were also scattered among clothes to keep moths away. Branches kept with grain are said to keep mice away." [43]
Species Name: Anemone patens
Common Name: Pasque Flower
Description: "The Pasque flower has several stems that rise 6-8 inches off the ground. On each stem is one flower with 5-8 petals. The range of color in the petals is from dark lavender to almost white. In the center of the flower are yellow stamens. Below the flower, around the stem is a leaf covered in silky hairs, as is the rest of the plant. The fruit of the plant is a plum that is achenial, which means that one seed is attached to the ovary wall, like a strawberry seed. Pasque flower is found in many areas in the tundra. The plant only grows on southward facing slopes and is common throughout northwestern U.S. up to northern Alaska. The Pasque flower is also the state flower of South Dakota. It is popular in many home gardens. It likes well-drained, sandy, and gravelly soils as well as roadsides." [44]
Common Name: Pasque Flower
Description: "The Pasque flower has several stems that rise 6-8 inches off the ground. On each stem is one flower with 5-8 petals. The range of color in the petals is from dark lavender to almost white. In the center of the flower are yellow stamens. Below the flower, around the stem is a leaf covered in silky hairs, as is the rest of the plant. The fruit of the plant is a plum that is achenial, which means that one seed is attached to the ovary wall, like a strawberry seed. Pasque flower is found in many areas in the tundra. The plant only grows on southward facing slopes and is common throughout northwestern U.S. up to northern Alaska. The Pasque flower is also the state flower of South Dakota. It is popular in many home gardens. It likes well-drained, sandy, and gravelly soils as well as roadsides." [44]
Species Name: Nyctea scandiaca
Common Name: Snowy Owl
Description: "The snowy owl is considered to be one of the largest and most attractive of the owls. It is called the snowy owl because of its white feathers. The male and female owls have different markings. Male owls are mostly pure white with small spots and wing barring. The female has heavy gray-brown lines across her body and wings and speckled plumage. They both have large, yellow eyes, set in front of the face. Their ears are large and hidden under dense, white feathers. The snowy owl weighs 4 to 6 pounds and is 21 inches to 26 inches in length. The wings can span 4.7' to 5.4' in width." [45]
Common Name: Snowy Owl
Description: "The snowy owl is considered to be one of the largest and most attractive of the owls. It is called the snowy owl because of its white feathers. The male and female owls have different markings. Male owls are mostly pure white with small spots and wing barring. The female has heavy gray-brown lines across her body and wings and speckled plumage. They both have large, yellow eyes, set in front of the face. Their ears are large and hidden under dense, white feathers. The snowy owl weighs 4 to 6 pounds and is 21 inches to 26 inches in length. The wings can span 4.7' to 5.4' in width." [45]
Species Name: Ursus maritimus
Common Name: Polar Bear
Description: "Polar Bears have black noses and eyes. They have two layers of fur which is so warm that adult bears can easily overheat when they run. The polar bear's fur is really clear, not white. Some light reflects off the fur and makes it look white. Most of the sun's rays reach their black skin, which absorbs the heat and keeps the polar bear warm. The adult's fur looks darker than the cub's fur. Their teeth and claws are very sharp so they can catch their prey easily (seal). Their shoulder height can be five feet or more and when they are standing up, their height can be 8-11 feet. Females weigh 660-770 lbs and males weighs 880-990 lbs. Polar bears spend most of their time on drifting packs of ice, eating, and resting." [46]
Common Name: Polar Bear
Description: "Polar Bears have black noses and eyes. They have two layers of fur which is so warm that adult bears can easily overheat when they run. The polar bear's fur is really clear, not white. Some light reflects off the fur and makes it look white. Most of the sun's rays reach their black skin, which absorbs the heat and keeps the polar bear warm. The adult's fur looks darker than the cub's fur. Their teeth and claws are very sharp so they can catch their prey easily (seal). Their shoulder height can be five feet or more and when they are standing up, their height can be 8-11 feet. Females weigh 660-770 lbs and males weighs 880-990 lbs. Polar bears spend most of their time on drifting packs of ice, eating, and resting." [46]
Invading Species
Species Name: Canis lupus
Common Name: Grey Wolf
Description: "The gray wolf or grey wolf (Canis lupus) is a canid native to the wilderness and remote areas of North America, Eurasia, and North Africa. It is the largest member of its family, with males averaging 43–45 kg (95–99 lb), and females 36–38.5 kg (79–84.9 lb).[3] It is similar in general appearance and proportions to a German shepherd, or sled dog, but has a larger head, narrower chest, longer legs, straighter tail and bigger paws. Its winter fur is long and bushy, and predominantly a mottled gray in color, although nearly pure white, red, or brown to black also occur." [47]
Common Name: Grey Wolf
Description: "The gray wolf or grey wolf (Canis lupus) is a canid native to the wilderness and remote areas of North America, Eurasia, and North Africa. It is the largest member of its family, with males averaging 43–45 kg (95–99 lb), and females 36–38.5 kg (79–84.9 lb).[3] It is similar in general appearance and proportions to a German shepherd, or sled dog, but has a larger head, narrower chest, longer legs, straighter tail and bigger paws. Its winter fur is long and bushy, and predominantly a mottled gray in color, although nearly pure white, red, or brown to black also occur." [47]
Species Name: Opuntia stricta
Common Name: Araluen Pear
Description: "Opuntia stricta is an upright or spreading fleshy shrub usually growing 50-100 cm tall, but occasionally reaching 2 m in height. The stems are much-branched and consist of a series of flattened, fleshy, segments (cladodes). The cladodes (10-35 cm long, 7-20 cm wide, and 10-20 mm thick) are green or bluish-green in colour and longer than they are broad (obovate in shape). They are hairless (glabrous) and covered in small raised structures (areoles) which bear tiny spiny bristles (glochids). The areoleseither do not have any spines or may have one or two long sharp spines (2-4 cm long)." [48]
Common Name: Araluen Pear
Description: "Opuntia stricta is an upright or spreading fleshy shrub usually growing 50-100 cm tall, but occasionally reaching 2 m in height. The stems are much-branched and consist of a series of flattened, fleshy, segments (cladodes). The cladodes (10-35 cm long, 7-20 cm wide, and 10-20 mm thick) are green or bluish-green in colour and longer than they are broad (obovate in shape). They are hairless (glabrous) and covered in small raised structures (areoles) which bear tiny spiny bristles (glochids). The areoleseither do not have any spines or may have one or two long sharp spines (2-4 cm long)." [48]
Abiotic Factors
Average Yearly Precipitation: 6 to 10 inches snow
Average Yearly Range of Temperature: -56 C to 16 C
Approximate Latitudes: 55 o N to 70 o N
Primary Soil Type: Permafrost
Approximate Altitude: 1500 to 3000 meters above sea level
Average Yearly Range of Temperature: -56 C to 16 C
Approximate Latitudes: 55 o N to 70 o N
Primary Soil Type: Permafrost
Approximate Altitude: 1500 to 3000 meters above sea level
Human Interactions
Humans don't live in the tundra. Mostly people go there for vacation and for research. To go to the tundra warm clothing is needed in order to survive the extreme and harsh weather conditions. Humans have been causing a negative effects on tundras though because humans are a bug cause of global warming which is causing the ice in the tundra regions to begin melting.