Arctic tundra, Biology

Assignment Help:

The northern most biome on our planet is the arctic tundra. It is a treeless wet circumpolar band between the polar ice caps and the forests to the south. The predominant plants are lichens, grasses, sedges and dwarf woody plants. Despite the lack of trees, animals are found on land, in air and nearby oceans. Similar communities are found at high mountains of all latitudes forming the alpine tundra. The climate is very cold with a short growing season. The soil is frozen for most part of the year and only the top 0.5 meter melts during the short summers in the arctic tundra. The permanently frozen soil below is known as permafrost. In summer you might see huge herds of caribou, flocks of waterfowls and huge swarms of mosquitoes! With such a harsh climate it is not surprising that only a few kinds of plant and animal species are found here though, in the short growing season moss, lichens, some grasses and fast growing plants dominate the landscapes. Swarms of migratory birds invade the tundra in summer to raise their young and fly south as the summers come to an end. Some of the common permanent residents are musk ox, polar bear, grizzly bear, wolves, snowy owl, arctic hare, weasels, minks, etc. Tundra is a very fragile ecosystem as the rate of organic matter decomposition is very slow. On account of harsh climate plants grow very slowly and the tundra tak es a long time to recover from any disruptions.


Related Discussions:- Arctic tundra

Pituitary gland, PITUITARY GLAND (HYPOPHYSIS CEREBRI) - It develops ...

PITUITARY GLAND (HYPOPHYSIS CEREBRI) - It develops from ectoderm of the embryo. The pituitary gland is located just below the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland is situate

Illustrate the respiratory system, Illustrate the Respiratory System In...

Illustrate the Respiratory System In general, respiration and breathing are understood to be same. But it is not so. Breathing simply means taking in oxygen from air and giving

Reproduction in cnidarians, How does metagenesis in cnidarians differ from ...

How does metagenesis in cnidarians differ from the true alternation of generation shown by plants?

Explain law of the transmission of acquired characteristics, What is meant ...

What is meant by the law of use and disuse and by the law of the transmission of acquired characteristics? According to the law of use and disuse the characteristics of a body

What devices used for oxygen therapy, What Devices Used for Oxygen Therapy?...

What Devices Used for Oxygen Therapy? Variable performance systems: With these devices, the FiO 2 would vary depending on the patient's breathing pattern. In general, rapid, s

Gel electrophoresis, If child has same gel positioning as father, would it ...

If child has same gel positioning as father, would it be likely for the child to get cancer if the father has it? For the children without the mutation, what is the risk of getting

Describe the uses of pupil, Describe the uses of pupil Variation in the...

Describe the uses of pupil Variation in the size, shape or reaction usually indicates some form of disease, disorder or use of medication. The pupil is usually dilated by the u

Determine the food sources of folate, Determine the Food Sources of Folate?...

Determine the Food Sources of Folate? Folate occurs naturally in foods. Although folate is found in a wide variety of foods, it is present in a relatively low density except i

State the term - early therapeutic intervention, State the term - Early the...

State the term - Early therapeutic Intervention Since outcome may be ameliorated by well timed and appropriate treatment, the prevailing belief is that dysfunction should be id

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd