3.2.6 - the arctic tundra biome

What does tundra mean in Finnish

Treeless plain

Where are they found in relation to the equator

60 degrees north - in the arctic circle

What are some countries that are part of the tundra

• Alaska

• Canada

• Russia

• Greenland

• Scandinavia

What is the climate of the tundra

• very long cold winters

• Summers are brief and cool with temps rarely above 10

• Typically permafrost

• Precipitation is similar to deserts

Describe the climate of verkoyansk

• most months are below freezing

• When the 3 months with the highest temp are (above 10) there is also the most rainfall

• Temp range of 70

• Peak temp = 15

• Peak rain = 40mm

Vegetation

• growing season is 3 months or less

• Nearly all plants are perennials

• Low sunlight and high winds limits variety of plants e.g. tussock grass

Give 2 adaptations of plants

• stems with hairs to protect from wind and help insulate due to cold temps

• Dark leaves - red colour helps gain more radiation from the sun

Why is nutrient cycling slow in the tundra

It’s too cold

Name some animals in the tundra

• arctic fox

• Caribou

How is the arctic fox adapted to the tundra

• long tails to wrap around their face to keep warm

• Hairy paws to protect from cold

• White fur to camoflage

How are the carbon adapted to the tundra

• Large spreading hooves to allow them to walk on snow or boggy ground

• Thick coat of fur for insulation

Give an example of a tribe in the tundra

The nenets

Where are the nenets based

Northern Russia - Siberia on the yamal penninsua

Are the nenets nomadic

Yes

How has their way of life been impacted over the last 100 years

Communist governments sent their children to boarding schools and they then didn’t want to return so numbers decreased to around 200

What are the economic opportunities fro the nenets

Largest natural gas reserve - 300bn cubic feet

How might their community be disrupted in the future

People may try to get access to the oil and gas reserves