Angela Duncan

Located above the Arctic Circle

Stretches from northern Scandinavia, across Russia, Siberia, Northern Alaska, and finally to Canada.

Hugs the northern most ring of the planet

Generally cold and very dry Short summers

6 to 10 weeks long Never gets warmer than 50°F Cold winds continuously blow across

the landscape Average temperature is around -

30°F

Topsoil composed mostly of humus due to slow decomposition rates

Layer of permafrost underneath Constant freezing and thawing of

the soil brings rocks to the surfacePolygonal pattern of stones on the

surface

Vegetation: Lichens, Mosses, Grasses, Herbaceous Plants, Small Shrubs

Land Animals: Grizzly Bears, Gray Wolves, Caribou, Oxen, Weasels, Lemmings, Arctic and Red Foxes, Moose

Sea Animals: Walruses, Orcas, Beluga Whales, Sea Lions

Birds: Snowy Owls, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Arctic Geese, Puffins, Arctic Loons

Used to be the only biomes untainted by humankind

Drilling for Oil Pesticides from nearby

civilization Chernobyl Disaster

1986 Ukraine Great explosion of the

power plant Massive amounts of

radiation released (cesium-137)

Covered the Norwegian tundra in the form of rainfall

Damage to the food chain