Polar Grasslands

Anneliese S.

Dan H.

Climate Characteristics

 Average Winter Temperature: -28° C  Average Summer Temperature: 3 12° C  Small temperature range due to extremely cold temperatures throughout the year

http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/bio/biosphere/topics/biomes/biomes_map_final.gif

Climate Characteristics

 Annual Precipitation: 15-25cm -Including melting snow  Limiting Factors: -Wind: 30-60 mph -Winter throughout most of the year -Permafrost (frozen ground throughout the year) http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/tundra-landscapes/beechey.html

Flora and Fauna

  Flora (plants) – Grasses, sedges, heather, mosses, and lichens.

Fauna (animals) – Seals, penguins, arctic foxes, caribou, snowshoe rabbit, and polar bears.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/enlarge/polarbeartundr a.html

Adaptation

  Plant adaptation – Can survive in high winds, freezing temperatures, and little sunlight.

Animal adaptation – Paws – White Fur – Thick fat, fur, or blubber

Biodiversity

 Very low biodiversity  1,700 species of plants  Only 48 land mammals.

 Many insects and birds migrate annually.

Biomass Pyramid

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References

Regents of the University of California. (2008) The Tundra Biome. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from University of California Berkeley http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php

Rob Nelson. (2003) Arctic Tundra. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from The Wild Classroom. http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/arctictundra.html

Madhavi Ghare.(2008) Tundra Climate Facts. Retrieved October 17, 2008 from Buzzle. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tundra climate-facts.html

“How are the biomes distributed?” ( http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/bio/biosphere/topics/biomes/biomes_ map.html

) “Beechey Island” ( http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/enlarge /beechey.html

) “Tundra with Polar Bear” ( http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/enlarge /polarbeartundra.html

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