- The word tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia which means treeless land.
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- Animal populations fluctuate throughout the seasons in the tundra biome. Some animals opt to hibernate during the winter and others migrate to warmer temperatures.
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- Because of the extreme temperatures, most organisms get their nutrients from the decaying of dead organic material.
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- 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.
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- The tundra biome is considered a carbon dioxide sink because it stores more carbon dioxide than it gives off.
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- There are very few trees that grow in the tundra biome. Under the snow and ice, there is a thick layer of soil that remains frozen which does not allow deep rooted plants such as trees to grow.
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- The tundra biome has about 400 varieties of flowers but only 48 different animals.
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- The tundra biome is the largest of all the biomes. It covers about 20% of the Earth.
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- Although Antarctica is not located in the Arctic Circle, it is considered to be a part of the tundra biome because of its very harsh temperatures.
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- The tundra biome is the driest place on Earth. Rainfall averages ten inches a year.
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- During the summer, it is daylight 24 hours a day.
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- There are a lot of oil mines and oil rigs in the tundra biome. The building of such developments often disturbs the sensitive nature of the environment.
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- The largest animal that lives in the tundra biome is the polar bear. They thrive on fatty meats to give them enough energy to live through the harsh winters.
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- There are two types of tundra = arctic tundra and alpine tundra. The arctic tundra is located within the Arctic Circle while the alpine tundra is the area high in the mountains above trees.
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- The plants that grow in the tundra biome often grow in clusters to help protect themselves from the severe winter winds.
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