Tundra Biome

Climate

Average annual
temperatures is -70
F

Plants

Mosses, heaths and

lichen.

Animals

Polar Bears, Arctic

Fox, Musk Ox,
Wolves, caribou.
Northern
Hemisphere :
Alaska, Northern of
Canada and Russia.

Description
The tundra biome is believed to be the
youngest of all of them in the world. It
was believed to have formed
approximately 10,000 years ago.
Approximately 20% or of the surface of
the Earth falls into this category.

You will find the tundra biome along the

coastal regions of the arctic. The
combination of polar air and arctic air
masses dominate in this particular
biome. There is a very long winter and it is cold and harsh. The summer is short and
mild, but most experts dont view it as a true summer season.
Location

The tundra biome consists of wasteland that is extremely cold. There are lots of
rocks too but not very much vegetation. There are almost no trees at all found in this
particular biome. The area is very cold and often dry. Yet the temperatures dont warm
up enough for the snow that is in place to melt completely. Muddy areas can develop
when it does warm up though as some of the ice begins to melt.
Greenland is the number one place that people think of when they consider a
tundra biome. They also think about areas of Alaska. However, there are also areas of
Northern Canada and Northern Russia that are a tundra biome. The span of the tundra
biome is mainly in areas where most people have never been. They would find such
living conditions to be too harsh for them to thrive there.

Tundra Biome Characteristics

The temperatures are very low in the tundra biome. In the winter time they can
be as low as -70 degrees. In the summer it is rarely about 40 degrees. It is usually very
dark in the winter months. Even the summer doesnt offer much sunlight as it is often
cloudy during those 6 to 8 weeks. There isnt much rainfall in such areas, less than 30
inches annually. The majority of the moisture though comes from the ice and the snow
pack. Approximately of the tundra biome is permafrost.Due to the balance of animals
and plants not being equal in the tundra biome, it is one of the few places on Earth
known as a carbon dioxide sink. This means more carbon dioxide is taken in than in
released back out. It is believed that this has contributed to the growing global warming
concerns for the tundra biome.If such global warming continues, the temperatures will
be higher than they have ever been in this biome. As a result, layers of permafrost can

completely melt. That would completely transform the overall structure and balance
among plants and animals that live in the tundra biome.You would think that this biome
would be one free of people, but it isnt. In fact, many people continue to move to them
in order to get work on oil rigs and in the mines. As a result this has caused some
additional stress for both plants and animals that live in this natural environment. The
efforts of humans have brought with them additional problems. For example where they
place roads can be destroying the natural habitat of living elements.Another example is
that there are huge masses of insects that live in the tundra biome. Humans have used
large amounts of pesticides to help reduce problems they have had with them.However,
birds that are migrating depend on those insects as a source of food. They have found
there is less and less each year when they pass through.

Tundra Desolate Landscape

Tundra Biome Fauna

The Arctic Fox is able to survive in the tundra biome. This is a fairly small animal
with a very thick coat. It usually weighs about 6 pounds and is about 12 inches in length.
They are solitary animals that will do very well in the tundra biome due to their adaptive
nature. It is able to make burrows under ground to escape the severe cold temperatures
found there.They are scavengers so they are willing to consume anything they find in
order to survive. It is typical of them to find remains that Polar Bears and other animals
have left behind. Other food sources include berries, birds, eggs, insects, and fish.
There are thousands of Arctic Fox that live in the tundra biome.Caribou also live in the

tundra biome. There are approximately 5 million of them that are known to reside in this
type of climate. They are also referred to as Reindeer. This is the only species of deer
where both sexes develop antlers. They have a body that works very well for the climate
in the tundra biome.They have very large hooves that allow them to get through the
thick snow without using too much energy. These hooves also allow them to have the
traction they need for walking through muddy marsh areas. They use their hooves and
antlers to remove snow so that they can find sources of food. They consume lichens,
shrubs, flowers, and mushrooms. When food sources are scarce in the tundra biome
they are able to slow down their metabolism. There are many other types of animals
that are able to live in the tundra biome. They include Grizzly Bear, Musk Ox, Snowy
Owl, and the magnificent Polar Bear. Each of these animals have their own roles to play
in such a society in order for all to survive. There have been a total of 48 different
species of animals living in the tundra biome.

Tundra Biome Flora

There are also quite a few types of plants found in the tundra biome. They
include Arctic Willow, Arctic Moss, Caribou Moss, and Tufted Saxifrage. In this particular
biome, the bitter cold makes it hard for most types of plants to survive. The harsh winds
can blow up to 100 miles per hour.However, the Arctic Moss is still able to grow in spite
of such conditions. It grows as the bottom of lake beds in the tundra biome. It grows
extremely slow and that could be part of why it is able to survive in such harsh
conditions. This type of moss is very useful in this biome though. It offers a source of
food for birds and other animals that migrate.In fact, all of the plants found in the tundra
biome grow very slowly due to the cool temperatures. There are more than 2,000 types
of plants that can grow there. Most of them are types of moss. However, you will also
find shrubs, grass, and some willow out there as well. Approximately 400 different
species of flowers have been identified in the tundra biome.It is believed that there
could be more plants and animals that live in the tundra biome. However, due to the fact
that it is hard for researches to survive in this area it is hard to find out. The other factor
is that spending time looking around could prove to be far too stressful and disruptive
for those that live in this particular biome.

Tundra Threats
Due to the fact that living conditions can be harsh in the tundra biome, many fail to
realize it is a very fragile environment. The contributions from pollution due to oil rigs,

big trucks transporting materials, and factories are taking a toll on the plants and
animals. It is also causing problems for aquatic life that lives in this area

An example of a food chain in The Tundra

The example below shows the energy flow in a basic food chain in The Tundra. This food
chain is part of a more complex food web involving producers and consumers.
(herbivores, carnivores and omnivores). Producers here include grasses, lichens and
caribou moss. Herbivores that eat these plants include the musk ox, artic hare and
lemmings. These herbivores are then eaten by carnivores such as artic foxes
and brown bears. Snowy owls, artic wolves and polar bears eat the carnivores. The top
of this food pyramid is man, who hunts for these artic wolves and bears for food and
fur.)

Omnivore
Snowy owls have smaller golden eyes claws covered with feathers. They are found
mainly in the arctic open and treeless spaces. They usually perch on the ground and
wait for yummy food (artic fox, lemmings
and other birds and fish). Unlike other owls, they are more active in the day

Carnivore
The arctic fox (a mammal) has short ears, beautiful
flurry coat that
helps it to keep warm and also camouflage in the
snow or ice.
They make tunnels and burrows in the snow to create
shelter.

Herbivore
Lemmings are small mouse-like animals. They have
tiny claws that help
them dig tunnels in the snow to sleep in. They are
white during the
winter, but their fur turn browny in the summer.

Producer
A lichen is a plant made up of fungus and a green
alga. They grow
almost anywhere, on rocky coasts, mountain summits,
icy regions,
tropical forests, and even on trees, rocks and soils.

TAIGA BIOME

Taiga Biome Description

The taiga biome is one that has very long and cold winters. They summers are short
and they are cool in temperature. The cool air masses from the arctic can move in
rapidly. The average temperature in the summer is from 64 degrees to 72 degrees.
However, in the winter months it can be -14 degrees. This is the largest land biome,
covering 27% of the Earths surface.

Climate

From 64 to
72 F. In
winter -14
F

Plants

Coniferous,
pines, oak,
maple and
elm trees.

Animals

Mooses,
lynx, bears,
wolverines,
foxes,
squirrels.

There is heavy snowfall in the winter months.

During the summer it is humid and rainy. The average
annual rainfall is approximately 33 inches for
the taiga biome. There is often no cloud cover in this
biome so the temperatures can drop very fast at
night. It does warm up enough in the spring though
for flowers to melt and the ice to melt into the ponds.

The taiga biome is the home of the needle leaf forest

regions. It is a lonely existence in this area. As a
result many of the animals in this area often suffer
from struggles to find enough food to survive. It may
surprise you to discover that this particular biome is the largest one in the world. You will
find it over various areas of North America and Eurasia. The largest taiga biomes are
found in Russia and Canada.
Location

North
America
and
Eurasia.

Taiga Biome Characteristics

There isnt very much annual precipitation that occurs in the taiga biome. There
is some though in the summer months. This tends to create problems due to the heavy
bark found on the trees there. The outbreak of fires during the summer months in the
taiga biome is very high. During the colder time of the year, there are extremely cool
winds that make it hard to survive in such conditions.The rich forest are of the taiga
biome takes over where the tundra biome ends. During the longer parts of summer,
there can be up to 20 hours of daylight given. The temperatures though can severely
dip and rise over the course of any 24 hour period. Therefore, you must be ready for
what this particular biome offers.The quality of the soil found in the taiga biome is very
poor. They lack the essential nutrients to support large trees. The soil is also very thin
here due to the cold weather. The leaves that fall from the smaller trees though due
offer a type of natural fertilizer that can be very beneficial to the soil. However, the
needles from the evergreens have acid in them and that further result in the quality of

the soil further deteriorating in those areas.

Taiga Biome Flora and Fauna

Due the fact that food sources are even more difficult during the winter, animals
in the taiga biome have adapted to this. For example many of them migrate to warmer
locations during the winter. They do so for shelter just as much as they do for the ability
to find food. Other animals in the taiga biome remain there all winter. However, they
hibernate so they dont need to forage for food during the winter months.
There isnt nearly as many plants or animals that live in the taiga biome as others.
However, what you will find a huge abundance of are insects. Birds often come to the
taiga biome to feed on these insects. They also will breed in this area before going back
to their permanent location. It is believed that more than 32,000 species of insects live
in this particular biome.There are more than 300 species of birds found in the taiga
biome. They nest in this area so that they can successfully feed on those insects.
Studies show that only about 30 species of these birds remain there in the winter
months. The rest migrate to warmer climates.There are several types of animals that
seem to do well in the taiga biome. Most of them are predatory animals that feed on
other animals that also live in that biome. These animals include the lynx, bobcat,
and wolverine. They are able to eat a variety of foods including elk, deer, mouse,
rabbits, and squirrels.The American Black Bear is found in the taiga biome. It
consumes a variety of different foods including twigs, leaves, and plants. Only about
of what they eat is in the form of small prey and left over carcasses. They do hibernate

in the winter time so that they dont have to forage for food during that difficult period of
time in the taiga biome.
You will notice that many of the animals that live in the taiga biome are able to
change their color based on the time of year. That helps them to remain camouflaged
from predators. They also have thicker coats in the winter, and they will shed them in
the summer months. Coniferous trees are very common in the taiga biome. This is why
it is often referred to as the boreal forest. These types of trees include Douglas Fir,
White Spruce, and Hemlock. There are also lots of lichen and moss that grow in the
taiga biome. They offer a great source of food for the insects that live in this
environment. The coniferous trees have long thin needles and they are known as
evergreens. They have wax on the needles and that helps to offer them protection from
the harsh winds of the taiga biome. These types of trees dont shed their leaves during
the winter either. Instead, they remain part of the tree all year long. You will also find that
they are close together in this region. That helps them to avoid damage from the wind
too. The Balsam Fir also is found in the taiga biome. They can grow to be up to 80 feet
tall which is remarkable. They can also end up living for up to 200 years. Depending on
the location, many of the lower branches can die. However, the rest of the tree is still
strong and thriving. These particular trees feed the might moose throughout the winter
months. Without them, those animals wouldnt be able to survive in the taiga biome.

Taiga Biome Characteristics

Taiga Threats
Everything is in careful balance between the plants and animals that live in the taiga
biome. That is the way that it should be. However, actions from humans such as heavy
hunting of the American Black Bear or Moose can cause problems. The cutting down of
coniferous trees in the taiga biome can also prevent these animals from being able to
find enough food to survive there.
The Balsam Fir trees are often cut down to be used as lumber. They are used to make
logs for cabins, pulpwood, and even Christmas trees for the holidays. However, if they
are cut away in too large of numbers then the taiga biome isnt going to have that
careful balance that it really needs for all living there to thrive.
Many regions of the taiga biome are threatened due to logging efforts. This is especially
true in Russia and Canada. There are also issues with some of the insects living in
these regions causing plagues among the trees. They can leave the trees brittle,
prevent them from growing, and deplete them on the nutrients necessary for survival.

Example of Taiga Biome Food Chain:

The Desert Biome

Deserts make up about 20% of total land cover on earth and are characterized
by little
(less than 50cm/yr) or no rainfall. Desert biomes come in four major kinds each of
these having their unique features, but have similarities in their biotic and abiotic
makeup. They are the Hot and Dry Deserts, Semi Arid Deserts, Coastal Deserts
and Cold Deserts, and within these are many deserts located in many places of the
world.
Desert biomes have very high temperatures because of the little vegetative
cover, less cloud cover, low atmospheric moisture and the lands exposure to the sun.
Humidity is very low, with a few events of very little rain in a year. Soil cover is shallow
and rocky, as a result of very little weathering (breakdown) and supports only a
few plant types. Soils have very little or no organic mater, and very low in salt content.
Plants that survive here are short shrubs and cacti, which have the
ability to conserve water. Plants are also less leafy, using their stemsfor photosynthesis.
Examples of plants are the yuccas and the sotol.
Animals here tend to burrow, or stay in hideaways till dusk to avoid the heat.
They are mainly small carnivores, birds, insects, snakes and
lizards, and are adapted to survive with very little water. Examples of the Hot and Dry
Desert biomes include the Sahara of North Africa and
the Chihuahuan of Southern USA and parts of Mexico.
Semiarid Desert biomes include the sagebrush of Utah,
Montana and Great Basin. Atacama Desert of Chile
and Peru are examples of Coastal Desert biomes.
An Example of Food Chain: