Where
is Tundra found?
Tundra is
found in the extreme North of Canada and Asia.
What
is Tundra?
Arctic tundra
is located in the northern hemisphere that encircles the north
pole and extends to south of the coniferous forests of the taiga.
The tundra covers about one fifth of the land surface found on
Earth. Tundra is the coldest and driest of all the biomes. Tundra
comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning treeless plain.
The ground is subject to permafrost (land that is permanently
frozen), but the surface layer melts in the summer. Soil conditions
are poor, being marshy and waterlogged. Little plant life can
survive. Only grasses, mosses, lichens and dwarf shrubs exist
in this area.
How
did Tundra get like this?
Temperatures
during the arctic winter can dip to -60º F (-51º C)! Average temperature
of the warmest month is between 50ºF (10ºC) and 32º F (0ºC). Sometimes
as few as 55 days per year have a mean temperature higher than
32ºF (0ºC). The average annual temperature is only 10º to 20ºF
(-12ºC to -6ºC). Obviously this significantly restricts plant
growth and limits the diversiy of living creatures. All of the
plants are adapted to sweeping winds and disturbances of the soil.
Plants are short and group together to resist the cold temperature.
What
is the impact of humans on Tundra?
On January
3, 1959, Alaska gained statehood along with its natural resources.
Rich oil deposits was one of the many natural resources found
in this vast area causing a new breed of fortune hunters to come
to Alaska. On March 24th, 1989, millions of gallons of oil spilled
into the ocean when Exxon Valdez (an oil tanker) crashed into
a reef. This spill affected all of the wildlife greatly, tens
of thousands of seabirds, salmon, herring, and halbut were killed
from a disaster that wouldn't have happened except for the intervention
of man. An estimate was made that 100,000 birds died in the oil
spill, something that could have been avoided. Even though the
bulk of the oil was finally cleaned up, some of it still lingers
there.
What
is the future for Tundra? - Sustainable Development
Coming
soon!
|