Knowing More on Tundra

The tundra ecosystem is the coldest of the entire ecosystem in the world. The floor layer freezes almost all days of the year. The vegetation is scarce and doesn’t have many animals adapting to this climate zone.

Despite the cold weather and freezing temperature, the tundra region has an ecosystem. Animals and vegetables that are capable of living in these biomes have adapted. They developed adaptations to withstand extremely cold conditions. The meaning of Tundra is treeless mountains, which fits the perfect name for this habitat. As the name suggests, there are no trees present in these zones. The tundra ecosystem holds back the earth’s large volume of water frozen in the floor layer. Know more facts about the tundra ecosystem as you read further.

What is the meaning of Tundra?

Tundra means a vast tract of the treeless mountain region in the Arctic region. 

Tundra means Tunturi in the Finnish language. The people of Finland referred to their treeless northern lands as Tunturi. The lands are barren and made of rocks and stones. This northern land had no trees or vegetation. 

Later the Russians termed these ecological regions as tundra. Tundra means the concept of having vast land of frozen layers. 

What is a tundra ecosystem?

An ecosystem is an interactive community of living and non-living beings of a specific location. Living organisms depend on abiotic elements like air, water, sunlight, and nutrients. 

An ecosystem that prevails in the cold arctic regions is a tundra ecosystem. There is snow almost all days of the year, and vegetation is poor. There is no vegetation except for a few moss and grass growing during the summer.

Location of the tundra ecosystem

The tundra ecosystems are above the Arctic circles. Including countries like Alaska, Russia, Greenland, and Iceland. It is also in the southern Antarctica regions and generally on top of high mountains.

Depending on the location, the tundra ecosystem divides into two types,

– The Arctic tundra ecosystem

– The Alpine ecosystem

Arctic tundra ecosystem

The Arctic tundra ecosystem is situated up to the coniferous Taiga forest at the Arctic circle. It has a cold, desert-like habitat. The winters are extremely cold, while only two to three months of summer supply the necessary warmth for the organisms. The summer also encourages plant growth in simple structures. Plants like mosses, lichens grow there. Animal life includes Arctic foxes, wolves, and polar bears.

Alpine ecosystem

The Alpine ecosystem is situated worldwide at the tops of the mountains. These areas are deprived of trees, resembling the tundra’s meaning. It has summer and a growing season for about six months. During this period, plants grow the most. The terrain allows drainage and does not create depression.

Plantlife in the tundra ecosystem

There is little to no vegetation in the tundra region. The tundra region is barren ground with rocks. Chunks of vegetation found on the floor consist of mosses, scrubs, and small herb plants. The foliage is possible only during summer and dies or freezes when winter starts. 

The treeless characteristic is due to the frozen subsoil even in the winter. This formation of ice below the soil is the permafrost. The summer melts the top layer and allows plant life, and the winter freezes it back. This cycle of freezing and melting makes the tundra ecosystem habitable for a specific season of the year.

Animal life in tundra ecosystem

Sea animals like seals and penguins live here. They have adaptations like high body temperature and thick skin with lots of fat to survive this extreme cold temperature of the tundra ecosystem. They also have thick fur to insulate the cold temperature.

Birds migrate to the tundra region during summer for breeding and nesting. Once the summer is over, they fly back to the warmer climate zone. Some tundra ecosystem animals are the polar bear, snowy owl, Arctic fox, Arctic hare, etc.

Facts about the tundra ecosystem

The climate conditions and survival of the organisms in such a cold climate make the tundra ecosystem an interactive community. Here are some facts about the tundra ecosystem:

• Frigid weather prevails in the tundra region.
• Lack of vegetation growth. Tundra only has simple plant components. 
• Lack of wildlife variety. Only animals that have adapted to the climate manage to live in such a complex climate survive there.
• Summers are short; hence the vegetation is fixed within this season only. Once the winter begins, the vegetation will freeze.
• Nutrient value is added to the soil by the dead organisms.
• Regular migration of birds and mammals prevail during the summer seasons.

These facts about the tundra ecosystem explain how plant and animal life is possible in the Arctic.

Conclusion

Despite its cold temperature, the tundra supports an ecosystem. This ecosystem is essential to keep the Tundra’s biotic and abiotic entities in an interactive mode. The cycle of freezing and thawing provides the opportunity for life in the Arctic region.

The tundra ecosystem regulates the global temperature. It balances by cooling the hot vapour rising in the tropics. It also had permafrost, an ice layer that forms below the soil. Tundra, meaning a treeless ecosystem, is devoid of complex vegetation. The permafrost makes use of this aspect. It absorbs the carbon deposit in the ice. Scientists fear that depleting permafrost might melt, releasing huge carbon volume into the atmosphere. These important facts about the ecosystem make it a vital ecosystem of our times.