By: Brenden, Nic, I’Yana, Chase

Animals

Arcticwolf (Carnivore)

Polar bear (carnivore)

Arctic Ground Squirrel (Omnivore)

Snowy Owl (Omnivore)

Artic Fox (Omnivore)

baby

Animals that live in the tundra have special adaptations that allow them to survive the extreme temperatures and conditions that are present in a tundra.  A good example of an animal with special adaptations is the Arctic Fox.  The Arctic Fox has short ears and a short, round body with a thick coat to minimize the amount of skin exposed to the frigid air.These monogamous birds use their changing skin as a camouflage to adapt the shifting environment.These birds can commence a full upward flight from a seating position.The feathered legs provide enough warmness to these birds and help them to walk in the snow.The black stripe diagonally from the eyes, act as a goggle for these birds and prevent them from snow blindness, by minimizing the impacts of sun’s reflection on the snow.These birds can burrow themselves in the snow to avoid the cold winters and their predators

The alpacas padded feet are environmentally friendly. This adaptation was probably needed so they didn't destroy the scarce vegetable matter. Same is probably true for why they don't pull the grass out by its roots.

If alpacas didn't have their dense fleece, they probably would not have survived the harsh winters on the altiplano. Alpacas can go days without water and food.

Since there were times when food wasn't available, alpacas adapted to going without for awhile. With food scarcity, an alpacas fleece will grow less. An alpaca will borrow nutrients from other parts of its body to continue life. Keeping alpacas at their optimal weight means your fleece will be denser and grow better.

Alpacas actually need less feed than most other animals. It only takes 1.5 to 2% of an alpacas body weight of feed to sustain a healthy alpaca. The alpacas three-compartment stomach converts grass and hay to energy with extreme efficiency so they eat less. The harsh conditions they live in on the altiplano makes this survival adaptation a necessity.

Alpacas don't drink a lot of water. This is another adaptation of the unforgiving altiplano.

An alpaca is really a very fast animal. Probably developed to survive escape of the Puma.

Biotic and abiotic factors include the living and nonliving elements of an ecosystem or biome that help shape that system. Living organisms, such as plants, animals, fungi and bacteria, compose the biotic factors. Abiotic factors on the tundra include the nonliving elements of the ecosystem, such as temperature and precipitation

Food chain

The decomposer is Lichen. It may be a plant but it’s also a decomposer. It can break down organic matter and rock using the fungus in the lichen.

Weather and Climate

Climate:The Tundra is bleak and treeless because the top layer is frozen. The sun is either low in the sky or it is absent. It is cold every month of the year though in the summer the temperature is more mild. The sun is out 24 hours a day in the summer. The Tundra gets at least 6-10 inches of rain every year

Arctic Tundra

Weather Patterns

The Tundra is extremely similar to dry deserts. The tundra receives a mere 25 centimeters of precipitations per year. The most precipitation that falls is snow, That falls during the tundra's long winter. Alpine tundra does get more precipitation than the arctic tundra, but the precipitation falls down the slopes.

In October the temperature is below freezing and the snow covers the ground. Every day the air gets colder and the sunlight gets shorter, Soon the sun just peeks above the horizon before it sets.

These days are called the dark days. During these dark months the

temperature drops -40 C are common.

Geography

Tundra

Tundra is found in Arctic Tundra, Alphine Tundra, and Antarctic Tundra. Most of Tundra biome is 3.3 million square miles is located in the Arctic region of the world, above the northernmost limit for tree growth. Even though Tundra landscape is define by rhythmic freezing and thawing, it stills support an extensive array of wildlife and vegetation.

Antartic TundraAntartic Tundra:Antartic Tundra occurs on Antartica and on several Antarctic and subantarctic islands, including South Gerogia and South Sandwitch Islandsand the Kerguelen Islands. Most of Antarctic is too cold and dry to support vegetaion, and most cointentis covered by ice fields. However, some portions of the continent, particularly the Antarctic Penisual have areas, of rocky soil that support.

Alpine Tundra

Alpine Tundra does not contain any trees because the climate and soils at high altitude block tree growth. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra in that alpine tundra typically does not have permafrost, and alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils. Alpine tundra transitions to subalpine forests below the tree line; stunted forests occurring at the forest-tundra cotton are know as Krummholz

Arctic Tundra

Arctic Tundra occurs in the far Northern Hemisphere, north of the taiga belt. The word "tundra" usallys refers only to the areas where the subsoil is permafrost, or permanetly forzen soil. (It may also refer to the treeless plain in general, so that nothern Sapmi would be included.) Permaforst tundra includes vast areas of are mostly nomadic reindeer herders, such as the Nganasan and Netes in the permafrost are.

Botany

Only low growing plants can grow in tundra regions, due to permafrost.

Only plants with shallow root systems grow in the Arctic tundra because the permafrost prevents plants from sending their roots down past the active layer of soil."tundra" is a Finnish words which means "treeless". Tundra plants grow low and close together to resist the cold weather.Plants also have adapted to the Arctic tundra by developing the ability to grow under a layer of snow, to carry out photosynthesis in extremely cold temperatures, and for flowering plants, to produce flowers quickly once summer begins.

Some plants have cup-shaped flowers that face up to the sun, so the sun's rays are directed towards the center of the flower. These plants stay warmer than the air around them. Some plants are dark colored so they absorb the sunlight easier.Lichen, another tundra plant, can grow on solid rock! Some other plants that can be found in tundra biomes are permacrest, yodaberg, and gripberg.Yodaberg is a type of flower with very poisonous petals, but the leafs and roots are eatable.Gripberg roots can be used as herbs to cure headaches.Permacrest can be used in an herb treatment that cures frostbite. Lichen is composed of fungus and algae and is a favorite food of caribou and musk oxen. Tundra vegetation consists of herbaceous plants, mosses, lichens, and shrubs.Cottongrass survives the winder months as bulbs that grow below the ground.