Cold environments

• Cold environments experience temperatures that are at or below 0 degrees for long periods of time.
• 25% of the world is covered by cold environments.
• Polar = very high lattitude; made of ice, rock & snow.
• Tundra = near polar; some vegetation & soil; ground is frozen (permafrost).
• Polar biomes:

  • Winter temperature falls below -50 degrees.
  • Several animals live here including Arctic foxes and Arctic hares.
  • Soil is permanently covered by ice, so the soils are permanently frozen.
  • Polar bears are adapted by retaining heat in their thick layer of fat, a black nose and black foot pads to absorb sunshine.
  • Low precipitation (snow) totals.
  • Some plants such as mosses and lichens are found on the fringes of the ice.
  • Penguins lay their eggs on land and bring up their young before returning to the ocean.
• Tunndra biomes:

  • Have plants such as low growing bearberries and moss.
  • Brief summers can be quite warm.
  • Soils are frozen (permafrost) but melt closer to the surface in summer.
  • Soils become waterlogged because water is trapped by permafrost.
  • The climate is less extreme with winter temperatures of only -20 degrees.
  • Not much grows in the soil. Water draining through it removes nutrients.
  • Birds such as ptarmigans and insects such as midges and mosquitoes are abundant in the summer.
  • Low shrubs and small trees may grow in warmer regions.
  • Rain and snow can be high on coastal regions.