The Arctic Tundra
Arctic tundra is found across northern Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Siberia. This habitat has long cold winters and short cool summers. The Arctic tundra has low precipitation (less than 10 inches per year) and dry winds. These conditions make the Arctic tundra a desert-like climate. Tundras are some of the Earth's coldest, harshest habitats.Tundras are treeless regions found in the Arctic and on the tops of mountains, where the climate is cold and windy and rainfall is a low source. Tundra lands are snow-covered for much of the year, until summer brings a burst of wildflowers. One unique characteristic of the Arctic tundra is permafrost--ground that is permanently frozen. Because the permafrost has no cracks or pores, nothing can grow into it--neither plant roots nor water. The surface layer above the permafrost thaws each summer. This layer is called the active layer. |