Biome Review

A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms.

A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen.

Tundra plants include:

• plants low to the ground, mosses, lichens, short grasses, small shrubs (no trees).

• Large evergreens, such as cedars and firs. Lots of mosses and ferns.

• Trees such as oak, maples, and evergreens; mountain laurel.

• Acacia trees; Bermuda grass; elephant grass.

Tundra animals include:

• deer, elk, squirrels, foxes, chipmunks, and mountain lions are examples (similar in many ways to temperate deciduous forest).

• white-tailed deer, gray squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, skunks, opossums, black bears, hummingbirds, and woodpeckers.

• falcons, snowy owls, arctic foxes, caribou, polar bears, lemmings, biting insects (mosquitos).

• lynx, bobcats, wolverines, voles, snowshoe hares, black bears, wolves, squirrels; some moose and elk.

Tundra weather:

• Warm and wet. 80+ inches of rainfall per year. Soil is thin; poor in nutrients.

• Coldest biome (-60F in winter), top layers of soil permafrost. Long summer days, short winter days.

• Warm temperature year round. Two main seasons: long. dry winters and short, wet summer.

• Half the year average temperature is below freezing; high can reach 70F during summer. Long winters and long summers (short spring and autumn).

Tundra location:

• Can be found in the mid-west U.S., parts of British Columbia (Canada), South America, Asia, and Australia.

• Alaska, Canada & Northern Europe (Greenland and Russia), with a few areas in Antarctica.

• Located in eastern U.S.; United Kingdom; France; Germany; Korea, China, and Japan.

• In US, can be found along US/Canadian border in the Pacific NW (California; Oregon, Washington). Globally, areas are found in South America, the UK, and Australia.

A swampy coniferous forest that is located in high northern attitudes bordering the tundra. (Boreal Forest)

term used to refer to trees (conifers) that produce seed-bearing cones and have thin leaves shaped like needles

permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface of the ground

Taiga weather:

• Partly dry; windy; average temperature of 60F. Four distinct seasons but do not receive as much rain as temperate forests.

• Less than 10 inches of rainfall per year; extremely dry. Can vary between extremely hot and cold.

• Warm and wet. 80+ inches of rainfall per year. Soil is thin; poor in nutrients.

• Half the year average temperature is below freezing; high can reach 70F during summer. Long winters and long summers (short spring and autumn).