physical characteristics

• What is the typical temperature in polar areas?

  Normally below freezing
• What temperatures can winters in polar areas drop to?

  -40 °C to -90 °C
• What is the maximum temperature during warm months in tundra areas?

  10 °C
• What temperatures can winters in tundra areas plunge to?

  -50 °C
• How much precipitation do polar areas receive annually?

  Less than 100 mm
• How much precipitation do tundra areas receive annually?

  Less than 380 mm
• How are the seasons characterized in polar and tundra environments?

  Cold summers and colder winters
• What covers polar areas, preventing soil exposure?

  Ice sheets
• What is the characteristic of tundra soil?

  Thin, acidic, and not very fertile
• What lies beneath the thin soil in tundra areas?

  A layer of permafrost
• What does permafrost hold?

  Trapped greenhouse gases
• How many species are found in polar and tundra ecosystems?

  Relatively few species
• Which animals are found in polar areas?

  Polar bears, penguins, whales, and seals
• Which animals live in tundra areas?

  Lemmings, wolves, and reindeer
• What types of plants grow in polar areas?

  Lichens and mosses on rocks
• What plants are common in tundra areas?

  Hardy shrubs, grasses, mosses, and lichens
• What may grow in warmer areas of tundra?

  Small, short trees
• How are polar areas inhabited?

  Mostly uninhabited with some indigenous residents
• Who works in Antarctica?

  A few scientists
• Who lives in tundra areas?

  Many indigenous people and oil and gas workers
• What are the key characteristics of polar and tundra environments?


  • Very cold climates
  • Low precipitation
  • Well-defined seasons
  • Ice sheets in polar areas
  • Thin, acidic soil in tundra
  • Permafrost beneath tundra soil
  • Few animal species
  • Limited plant life
  • Indigenous populations in tundra