TUNDRA BIOME

Submitted to:Ar. Meenakshi SinghAr. Suman Sharma

Submitted by:Aakanksha PuranikB.Arch VII Sem

ECOLOGY AND

ENVIRONMENTFOR: SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, IPS ACADEMY, INDORE (M.P.)

BIOMES

The earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors.

Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms.

A complex community of plants and animals in a region and a climate is called a Biome.

A biome is a large geographical area of distinctive plant and animal groups, which are adapted to that particular environment.

Scientists have developed the term “Biome” to describe areas on the earth with similar climate, plants, and animals.

Plants and animals that live in a specific biome share similar characteristics with other plants and animals in that biome throughout the world.

Classification of biomes are: Terrestrial (land) biomes

Tundra, Deserts, Grasslands, Taiga, Temperate Forests, and Rainforests Aquatic biomes (including freshwater biomes and marine biomes)

Factor determining the distribution of terrestrial biomes:

Climate Latitude:

Arctic, boreal, temperate, subtropical, tropical Humidity:

Humid, semi humid, semiarid and arid Elevation:

Increasing elevation causes a distribution of habitat types similar to that of increasing latitude.

MAP SHOWING DIFFERENT BIOMES

TUNDRA: Dry, Cold, and Windy

Tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. About 1/5 of the Earth is tundra.

Coldest of all the biomes. Temperature -40°C to 18°CPrecipitation 150 to 250 mm of rain per year

The word comes from a Finnish word and means ‘treeless plain.’ Location: Near the North Pole, between 60° and 75° latitude, mostly around the

Arctic coast of North America and Eurasia. Soils: geologically young, formed in the last ice age.

Nutrient poor. Under the soil the earth is frozen andnever melts.

There are three types of tundra:

 Arctic tundra

Alpine tundra

Antarctic tundra

Arctic

LocationNorthern hemisphere, around the north pole, stretching south to the taiga.

Climate The summer growing season lasts about 50 to 60 days. Winter temperatures average -34° C , but the summer temperatures average 3-12° C, which is warm enough for plants and animals to reproduce and grow.Average yearly rain and snow is 15 cm to 25 cm.

Plants low-growing, low shrubs, sedges, mosses, liverworts, and grasses400 varieties of flowerslichens

Animals  Herbivorous mammals : lemmings, voles, caribou, arctic hares and squirrels Carnivorous mammals: arctic foxes, wolves, and polar bears Migratory birds : ravens, falcons, loons, sandpipers, terns and snow birdsInsects : mosquitoes, flies, moths, grasshoppers, black flies and arctic bumble bees 

Antarctic

Location Antarctica and on several Antarctic and sub Antarctic islands, including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Kerguelen Islands.

ClimateMost of Antarctica is too cold and dry to support vegetation, and most of the continent is covered by ice fields. Some portions of the continent have areas of rocky soil that support plant life.

Plants and animalsThe flora presently consists of around 300–400 lichens, 100 mosses, 25 liverworts, and around 700 terrestrial and aquatic algae species, which live on the areas of exposed rock and soil around the shore of the continent.

Antarctica's two flowering plant species, the Antarctic hair grass  (Deschampsia Antarctica) and Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis),are found on the northern and western parts of the Antarctic Peninsula

Alpine

LocationAlpine tundra is found on mountain tops all over the world, at the high altitudes where trees cannot grow.

ClimateThe growing season is approximately 180 days. Night temperatures are below freezing. The soil in the alpine tundra is well drained so bogs and ponds do not form.

PlantsThe plants are similar to those in the arctic tundra and include tussock grasses, dwarf trees and small-leafed shrubs.

AnimalsMammals: pikas, marmots, mountain goats, elk Insects: beetles, grasshoppers, butterfliesBirds : grouse (chicken like bird in northern hemisphere)

Flora Adaptations

Adapted their life cycles to be completed in a single summer season. Some grow very low to the ground to protect from frost damage. Some grow horizontally and send up many branches to keep away from drying

winds and still absorb as much sunlight as possible. They group together to resist cold temperatures and be protected form the snow. Many of them develop thick, leathery or waxy leaves that prevent moisture loss. Some grow hairs along the stems, leaves, and flowers to hold heat and protect

against the wind. The vegetation is composed of:

dwarf shrubsgrassesmosseslichens

LichenCotton Plants Caribou Moss

Labrador Tea Artic Willow Bearberry

The most common adaption is a thick layer of fur or feathers to hold the heat close to their bodies.

Some of the animals fur turns white during the winter to hide in the snow and protect them from predators.

Many large animals have compact body shapes that help them retain more heat than if their bodies were long and thin.

Many animals avoid the cold by migrating and some animals build up a layer of fat over the summer, which provide energy and food while also keeping them warm during the harsh winters.

Some may burrow into the snow to avoid harsh, frigid temperatures and winds. Main animals found : Arctic Fox, Caribou, Ermine, Grizzly Bear, Harlequin Duck,

Musk Ox, Polar Bear, Snowy Owl.

Fauna Adaptations

Snowy Owl Artic Hare Musk Ox

Artic / White fox Grizzly Bear Ermine

FOOD WEB IN THE TUNDRA BIOME

Tundra Food Web is  something that is so beautifully well- woven that it strikes a wonderful balance in Nature if man does not interfere.

Man is the top carnivore  in the Tundra Food Web, as he kills all the animals and birds for food or for fur.

Decomposers:Bacteria and Fungi

Threats on Tundra

The melting of the permafrost as a result of global warming could radically change the landscape and what species are able to live there.

Ozone depletion at the North and South Poles (stronger ultraviolet rays). Air pollution can cause smog clouds that contaminate lichen, a significant food

source for many animals. Exploration of oil, gas, and minerals and construction of pipelines and roads can

cause physical disturbances and habitat fragmentation. Oil spills can kill wildlife and significantly damage tundra ecosystems. Buildings and roads put heat and pressure on the permafrost, causing it to melt.

Solutions Switch to alternative energy uses to minimize human-made global warming. Establish protected areas and park reserves to restrict human influence. Limit road construction, mining activities, and the building of pipelines in tundra

habitat. Limit tourism and respect local cultures.

en.wikipedia.org

environment.nationalgeographic.co.inhttp://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Sources