TUNDRA
(Coldest of all the biomes)
Description of the Tundra
-Coldest of all the biomes
-Low biotic diversity
-Simple vegetation structure
-400 varieties of flowers
-Growing season ranges 50- 60 days
-Averege winter temperature is -34 degrees C and -30 degrees F
-Averege summer temperature ranges from 3- 12 degrees C and 37- 54 degrees F.
-There is 48 mammal species
- For animals there, adaption in the key to survival
Description of the melting glaciers and ice sheets
Issues affecting the Tundra
-As the effects of global warming begin to show themselves more prominently, the tundra becomes a hard-hit area of the world. The delicate ecosystem that exists there largely relies on a fragile enviroment and set of temperatures. As the area warms, the tundra begins to shrink, taking away land from wildlife that has adapted to live there. Over the long run, many species may be threatened into extinction because of this. The entire biome is also at risk, because it such a fragile ecosystem.
-Despite being a frigid area of the world where even the topsoil can freeze at certain points, there is still wildlife that needs to be protected in the tundra regions. These include plants such as algae and lichen, and animals such as the caribou. This wildlife gets threatened, however, by mankind's desire to extract various minerals and oil from the tundra. Oil companies are some of the most dangerous. They require the construction of many buildings and warehouses, which not only spoil the aesthetic beauty of the tundra biome, they also are responsible for some disruption of natural herding and migration routes of animals, namely the caribou. On the tundra coastline, oil spills have been a major problem for underwater life.