The word "tundra" comes from the Finnish word "tunturia," which mean treeless plain.
Our world is divided up into seven different biomes. The boarders between biomes are based on environmental aspects that differentiate each region. Things such as the many varieties of plants and animals living in an area as well as the variable weather and seasons experienced there are used to designate it to one of the seven biomes: tundra, taiga, temperate forest, tropical rain forest, desert, grassland or the ocean. Tundra is typically characterized by its extreme weather conditions and limited life forms.
Location
The tundra is one of the smaller biomes. There are two types of tundra. The Arctic tundra is located in the far-north regions of the word by the North Pole in the Arctic Circle. The Alpine tundra is located on the peaks of mountains at very high altitudes. The subsoil and gravel of the tundra is called permafrost because it is frozen all year long, which makes it very difficult for life to survive in the region. This biome is increasing in size due to increased industry in these regions, which makes the ground darker from grime and causes increased global warming.
Plants
The few plants that are able to survive in the tundra are dormant during most of the year. They only come out of their dormancy when the temperatures have reached their optimal point during the summer. Plants that live in the tundra have developed many tactics for competing with the harsh environment. Tundra plants are typically short, which helps them avoid the harsh winds, and some have hairy stems to keep their flesh and the water within it from freezing.
Animals
Animals that live in the tundra have have adapted to allow them to survive in the harsh climate. They have furry feet, furry thick coats and sometimes long hair to keep their bodies warm. Most of the animals that live in the tundra are smaller, but there are also large animals like caribou and polar bears. Birds like the snowy owl have adapted to the tundra in part with their white, camouflaging feathers. Animals also migrate and hibernate to avoid the harshest parts of the year.
Seasons
The tundra has only two seasons. Its first season is a very long winter. During the winter, the ground is covered completely with snow. If the temperature manages to rise about freezing during the second season in the tundra, a very short summer, portions of the snow will sometimes melt and create small pools of water called meltwater.
Weather
The tundra is the coldest biome in the world, and strong winds are very common. Sometimes the wind becomes so forceful that whiteouts take place for days at a time. The term "whiteout" refers to any period of time when there is so much snow in the air it becomes very difficult to see through the snow. And, though the tundra receives less than 10 inches of precipitation a year, the ground in the region is almost always covered with snow and ice. This is because the temperature rarely rises above freezing. The temperature in this region is so cold that even the sea freezes during the winter.
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