The Tundra Biome Project

By Delaney, Ethan, Abigail, Carter

Table of Contents

• Introduction3

• Map of the Tundra 4• Human Influences 5• Ermine 6• Norway Lemming 7• Diamond Leaf Willow 9• Bearberry 10

Introduction 

The tundra biome is known as the coldest biome ever. The average winter temperature is -34*C (-30*f). The maximum summer temperature is 3-12*C (37-54*f). The annual temperatures are 70*f (-56*C). The climate is very cold and almost no rain. The precipitation level is very low .Only about 6-10 inches of precipitation. (Mostly snowfall each year.) The tundra biome is located in the Arctic Circle, which is a circle that surrounds the North Pole. The continents included in the biome are Russia, Greenland, Northern Canada, Alaska, and Norway. The latitude is 55* to 70* north. The biome is a plain. But it has a few bushes here and there. There is few trees and it is like a cold, icy desert. Some vegetation is arctic willow, Labrador tea, and arctic moss. The animals there are seals, walruses, polar bears, ermine, and grizzly bears. The unique features are very cold with some mountain regions and barely any trees with few bushes.

Map of the Tundra

Human Influences The tundra is the coldest of all biomes. Oil and gas pipes are huge human influences. In the Arctic garbage and other waste, not to mention the impact of the oil and gas industry have left the Arctic polluted. Humans have done so many tests that the climate is getting warmer, this is making snow melt 15 to 25cm (6 to10 inches). They are letting oil go all over, and don’t stop it. Many people are moving to work in the mines and oil industry. Towns and roads are made for the increased population. Pollution: Air pollution reduces the ozone’s layer and exposes tundra is harmful alteration from sun rays, which affects plant and animal life. This is by far the worse impact human activity has had on the globe. I got these facts from Tundra Biomes, Project Tundra.

Ermine 

The Ermine has a long body, short legs, a long neck supporting a triangular head, slightly protruding round ears, bright black eyes, and long whiskers. The Ermine lives 1-2 years. A range lifespan is 7 years. A male Ermine weighs 67-116 grams and the female Ermine weighs up to 25-80 grams. The Ermine’s color changes every season. In winter, their whole body is white except the tip of their tail, which is black. In the summer, their back is chocolate brown and the fur on their belly extending to their upper lip is a yellowish white. An adult’s full size up from their head to their rump is 170mm – 330mm. Males are twice as large as females. The tail length takes up 35% of the total body length. The Ermine lives in the Northern part of the globe. They are found in the North Temperate regions of Eurasia and North America. In the New World they range from east to west in a broad belt from the Artic Ocean and adjacent islands of the Canadian Archipelago southward into the Northern United States. Ermine prefer Woodlands near rivers, marshes, and forests. They live primarily on the ground; climb trees and swim well. They use tree roots, hollow logs, stonewalls, and rodent burrows for dens. The dens are usually 300mm below ground. Ermine are carnivores. . The Ermine has a nest made of dry plant material and fur feathers from prey. Side cavities are used for storing food and bathrooms. They mostly hunt at night. They are predators on small warm-blooded animals. When prey is scarce Ermine eat birds, eggs, frogs, fish, fish, and insects. In severe climates, Ermine hunt in snow and survive on small rodents and lemmings. Ermine are fierce and aggressive even though they are small animals. Potential predators are carnivores like red Fox, gray fox, martens, fishers, badgers, and sometimes domestic cats. When an Ermine eats, it grabs the victim’s head and wraps it’s feet around it. The victim dies from several bites to the skull That’s what I learned about Ermine.

Norway Lemming

The Norway Lemming is a common species found in northern Norway, Finland and Sweden. It is the only vertebrate species endemic to the region. The Norway lemming dwells in the tundra and prefers to live near water. They feed primarily on sedges, grasses, and moss. They are both active during the day and night. The Norway Lemming has a pattern of black and yellow-brown color. It grows to a size 155mm. The tail is very short. It’s 10-19mm. It weighs up to 130 g. The Norway Lemming lives 3-4 years. The Norway lemming spends the winter in nests under the snow. When the spring thaws begin and the snow starts collapsing, they must migrate to higher ground where the snow is still firm. When the seasons are good the Norway Lemming population increases. Their predators are red foxes, ermine, weasels, snowy owls, and ravens. They are herbivores they eat mosses, lichen, bark, and grasses. They find safety by digging shallow burrows. That’s what I learned about Norway Lemmings.

Diamond Leaf Willow

I researched the diamond leaf willow. The diamond leaf willow is very hairy on the stems and on the leaves too. They have several straight stems. It also grows 5 petals at a time. The twig on the willow is soft and skinny. The stems really blend in. The diamond leaf willow’s scientific name is salixplaneifola. It is found in North America including Canada and the western United States. They are located in the Indian tundra. The diamond leaf willow adapts to the temperature of the tundra. The diamond leaf willow adapts by living close to the ground to keep warm. This is true because the ground is heated and the ground passes on the heat to the plants.

Bearberry

The bearberry is red and green. It has leaves that are oval-shaped and it has red berries. The plant is 11.8 inches high. Its adaptation in the biome is that it favors places behind rocks to stay out of wind. The leathery leaves keep moisture and heat inside the plant. The bearberry’s growing season is in the warm months. The bearberry is a low growing plant that loves the ground. The bearberry stays out of the tundra wind. They grow in dry areas to keep silky hair warm.