Tundra
Skyler Healy
Location and Weather
The tundra biome is the coldest of all biomes, and covers about one fifth of the earth. Should you ever want to visit this cold, treeless place, take a trip to the arctic circle, or Antarctica (bring a coat). Temperatures here average in the winter at about -30 degrees Fahrenheit, and reach a blistering 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Only receiving about ten inches of rain a year, the tundra is ridiculously dry, limiting most plant and animal life.
The Tundra
Beautiful, treeless, cold, rock.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/tundra.html
Summer
No, that lake is not warm. Do not jump in.
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/arctic-tundra-cotton-grass-summer-chris-arend.html
Winter
Just bring some snow shoes, and you'll be fine! Probably. You'll probably be fine.
Adaptations and Variations
Despite the freezing temperatures this biome experiences year round, many animals flourish! Even though there is not a large assortment of organisms in the tundra, the ones you'll find are very special. Many animals in the tundra use it only as a summer home, migrating south (or north) for winter. Those that do stay include the muskox, Arctic fox, and the brown bear. During the summer, bears eat whatever food they find, then go into hibernation. The food they collected over summer is stored as fat, which keeps them alive in the icy winter. Several animals have adapted to the white scenes, and have developed white fur (or feathers) to blend in with their surroundings.
Arctic Hare
Fast, agile, fuzzy.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/arctic-hare/
Arctic Fox
Muskox
They have two layers of fur!