Tundra Biome:
According to a study conducted in Arctic Alaska, wildfires in the tundra have been more active this past century than at any time in the past 3,000 years.
- Tundra ecosystems are treeless regions found in the Arctic and on the top of mountains, where the climate is cold and rainfall is scanty.
- Characteristics of Tundra Biome:
- Low temperatures: The average temperature is -34 to -6 degrees Celsius.
- Permafrost: A layer of permanently frozen soil lies beneath the surface, which can be a few inches to several feet thick.
- Minimal precipitation: Despite often being compared to deserts in terms of moisture, the tundra receives low levels of precipitation, often as snow.
- Limited biodiversity: The harsh conditions of the tundra result in fewer plant and animal species compared to other biomes.
- Carbon sink: The tundra acts as a significant carbon storage area due to slow decomposition rates in the cold environment.
- The world has three types of Tundra:
- Arctic Tundra: It occurs north of the taiga belt in the far Northern Hemisphere.
- Alpine tundra: It prevails above the tree line in mountains worldwide.
- Antarctic tundra: It includes several sub-Antarctic islands and parts of the continent of Antarctica.
- Flora: Mosses, lichens, sedges, cotton grass, birches etc.
- Fauna: Arctic foxes, snow geese, polar bears etc.
