Tundra Biome Facts
The tundra biome is an ecosystem situated near the North Pole in the Arctic Circle. It is by far the coldest of all biomes. The winters are extremely cold with temperatures typically below -34° C. The summers last only about two months and the temperatures are still very cold ranging from 3° to 12° C. This biome still sustains life although it encounters these extreme temperatures. Some animals, insects, and even plants thrive there.
The tundra biome is an ecosystem situated near the North Pole in the Arctic Circle. It is by far the coldest of all biomes. The winters are extremely cold with temperatures typically below -34° C. The summers last only about two months and the temperatures are still very cold ranging from 3° to 12° C. This biome still sustains life although it encounters these extreme temperatures. Some animals, insects, and even plants thrive there.
The word tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia which means treeless land.Animal populations fluctuate throughout the seasons in the tundra biome. Some animals opt to hibernate during the winter and others migrate to warmer temperatures.Because of the extreme temperatures, most organisms get their nutrients from the decaying of dead organic material.Although some parts of inhabited areas such as in Alaska and Canada are considered a part of the tundra biome, the majority of the tundra have not been visited by most people because of the harsh conditions.The tundra biome is considered a carbon dioxide sink because it stores more carbon dioxide than it gives off.