Tundra Biome
Luis Perez
11/23/10
6th
The Tundra Biome
Being the coldest and least filled with plant life, the tundra biome is noted as frost-molded landscapes with extreme temperatures. The tundra biome has low biotic diversity, low precipitation, and all around low, cold temperatures.
The average temperature of the biome varies going from -25'C to 3'C between the months of January to July, then reverting from 3'C to -25'C between the months of July to December. Through those temperatures it causes a cycle of thawing and freezing of the soil. During the short time of the temperature rising, the ground thaws out making the soil soggy and wet; but refreezes again in the winter, causing the the roots of small plants to tear apart, negatively affecting their growth. Abiotic factors such as the cold weather, the worn down soil, the blistering winds, and shorts growing seasons are also reasons why tundra plants are small and dwarfish.
Other abiotics such as precipitation form the biome of tundra. The tundra revives, at max, 2cm of precipitation year-round. Although the tundra has such harsh conditions, animals such as an arctic fox, snowy owl, and caribou can handle them. The arctic or snow fox survives by the use of its thick fur, giving it the ability to keep body heat from escaping and allowing it to walk on ice to search for prey. With its thick feathery plumage and feathered feet or claws(something like it), the snowy owl is well adapted to the polar like niche. Finally the caribou survives by having two layers of fur, the under fur being dense and wooly and the outer coat being long haired and hollow.
Other biotic things(plants) like lichens, sedges, and shrubs survive, too, well in the cold tundra. A lichen, which is one part fungi(snooty style) and one part algae and break down rock into soil allowing other plants to survive. The sedges survive by going into a hibernative state in which the die down and hide in the soil until they reach summer. Finally, shrub like
11/23/10
6th
The Tundra Biome
Being the coldest and least filled with plant life, the tundra biome is noted as frost-molded landscapes with extreme temperatures. The tundra biome has low biotic diversity, low precipitation, and all around low, cold temperatures.
The average temperature of the biome varies going from -25'C to 3'C between the months of January to July, then reverting from 3'C to -25'C between the months of July to December. Through those temperatures it causes a cycle of thawing and freezing of the soil. During the short time of the temperature rising, the ground thaws out making the soil soggy and wet; but refreezes again in the winter, causing the the roots of small plants to tear apart, negatively affecting their growth. Abiotic factors such as the cold weather, the worn down soil, the blistering winds, and shorts growing seasons are also reasons why tundra plants are small and dwarfish.
Other abiotics such as precipitation form the biome of tundra. The tundra revives, at max, 2cm of precipitation year-round. Although the tundra has such harsh conditions, animals such as an arctic fox, snowy owl, and caribou can handle them. The arctic or snow fox survives by the use of its thick fur, giving it the ability to keep body heat from escaping and allowing it to walk on ice to search for prey. With its thick feathery plumage and feathered feet or claws(something like it), the snowy owl is well adapted to the polar like niche. Finally the caribou survives by having two layers of fur, the under fur being dense and wooly and the outer coat being long haired and hollow.
Other biotic things(plants) like lichens, sedges, and shrubs survive, too, well in the cold tundra. A lichen, which is one part fungi(snooty style) and one part algae and break down rock into soil allowing other plants to survive. The sedges survive by going into a hibernative state in which the die down and hide in the soil until they reach summer. Finally, shrub like