I will be doing this research paper on the Tundra Biome. Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes. Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning treeless plain. It is noted for its frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. There are a few special characteristics that this biome includes, which is, extremely cold climate, low biotic diversity, simple vegetation structure, limitation of drainage, short season of growth and reproduction, energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material, and 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.
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The Arctic tundra is also a windy place and winds can blow between 30 to 60 miles per hour. The tundra is basically like a desert when it comes to precipitation. Only about 6 - 10 inches of precipitation (mostly snow) fall each year. Below the soil is the tundra's permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of earth. Some Arctic tundra animals include musk oxen, wolves, ptarmigan, snow geese, tundra swans, Dall sheep, brown bears (and polar bears near the coast). A number of small rodents and rodent-like animals are crucial parts of this ecosystem as well. The threats of this biome, there aren't a lot of people running out to build houses on the tundra. Development is not a major problem, nor is there much pressure from human populations. The biggest threats come from airborne pollutants, which have brought measurable levels of pollutants such as DDT and PCB's to even remote areas. The biggest threat, however, is from oil and gas development and the resulting global warming. With global temperatures on the rise the tundra will undergo some major changes that end up acting as positive feedback on the global warming …show more content…
However, with global rise in temperatures, the tundra is releasing carbon back into the atmosphere. It no longer acts as a sink. Despite the great difficulty in extracting this oil, corporate interests and their pet politicians just can't seem to let the idea of drilling here go. There are a lot of oil mines and oil rigs in the tundra biome. The building of such developments often disturbs the sensitive nature of the environment. There are around 1700 species of plants that live in this zone. There are almost no reptiles or amphibians. There are only 48 land mammals that make this habitat their home. However, even though this zone has very few species the number of individuals in each species that make this biome a home for part of the year is very large. Take the massive herds of caribou or flocks of migratory birds as an example. The Arctic tundra is changing dramatically due to global warming. Already, more southern animals like the red fox have moved onto the tundra. The red fox is now competing with the Arctic fox for food and territory, and the long-term impact on the sensitive Arctic fox is unknown. The few plants and animals that live in the harsh conditions of the tundra are essentially clinging to
The Arctic tundra is also a windy place and winds can blow between 30 to 60 miles per hour. The tundra is basically like a desert when it comes to precipitation. Only about 6 - 10 inches of precipitation (mostly snow) fall each year. Below the soil is the tundra's permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of earth. Some Arctic tundra animals include musk oxen, wolves, ptarmigan, snow geese, tundra swans, Dall sheep, brown bears (and polar bears near the coast). A number of small rodents and rodent-like animals are crucial parts of this ecosystem as well. The threats of this biome, there aren't a lot of people running out to build houses on the tundra. Development is not a major problem, nor is there much pressure from human populations. The biggest threats come from airborne pollutants, which have brought measurable levels of pollutants such as DDT and PCB's to even remote areas. The biggest threat, however, is from oil and gas development and the resulting global warming. With global temperatures on the rise the tundra will undergo some major changes that end up acting as positive feedback on the global warming …show more content…
However, with global rise in temperatures, the tundra is releasing carbon back into the atmosphere. It no longer acts as a sink. Despite the great difficulty in extracting this oil, corporate interests and their pet politicians just can't seem to let the idea of drilling here go. There are a lot of oil mines and oil rigs in the tundra biome. The building of such developments often disturbs the sensitive nature of the environment. There are around 1700 species of plants that live in this zone. There are almost no reptiles or amphibians. There are only 48 land mammals that make this habitat their home. However, even though this zone has very few species the number of individuals in each species that make this biome a home for part of the year is very large. Take the massive herds of caribou or flocks of migratory birds as an example. The Arctic tundra is changing dramatically due to global warming. Already, more southern animals like the red fox have moved onto the tundra. The red fox is now competing with the Arctic fox for food and territory, and the long-term impact on the sensitive Arctic fox is unknown. The few plants and animals that live in the harsh conditions of the tundra are essentially clinging to