Tundra covers the northern part of Russia and Canada. Its nature is rather scarce, and the climate is considered harsh. Because of these characteristics, it has received another name - the arctic desert. If we consider the geographical position of the tundra, we can see that this zone includes the islands located in the Arctic Ocean, and the northern part of Russia and Canada.
Tundra zone location
The Arctic desert stretches in a wide strip along the entire coast of the Arctic Ocean. Here the climate is not distinguished by mildness and high temperatures, and nature is scarce and undersized. In the tundra, winter lasts nine months, and summers are quite cool.
Low temperatures lead to the fact that the ground freezes and does not thaw completely, but only the top layer can melt. In such a natural area, you will not find forests and tall trees. This area is rich in swamps, streams, mosses, lichens, low plants and shrubs that can survive in such a harsh climate. Their flexible stems and small height are perfectadapt to biting cold winds.
Glaciers or stone deposits can be seen in vast areas. In the tundra there is an invaluable number of shallow small lakes. This can be especially seen on the map of Canada, Russia, Finland. The geographical position of the tundra contributes to the abundant full flow of rivers.
What is interesting about this northern zone
One can note the heterogeneous features of the geographical location of the tundra. From the north to the very south, there are three subzones. Near the Arctic Ocean there is an arctic subzone, then it is replaced by a moss-lichen subzone, to the south there is an area consisting of dwarf birches, cloudberry bushes and polar willows. The tundra itself is very beautiful. In summer you can see how it sparkles with bright colors. All thanks to the bushes of blueberries, blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries.
Arctic desert climate
The latitudes of the tundra zone have low indicators of the annual radiation balance. Winter in this zone lasts a long time - eight, or even all nine months. Unusually beautiful polar nights are observed here. In the cold season, frosts and winds are a common occurrence. Winter air temperature in January for the European part of the tundra is up to 10 degrees below zero. However, closer to the east, the climate becomes sharply continental. Therefore, January temperatures can reach -50 degrees Celsius and below.
Summer does not last long, it is cold and windy, there is a long polar day. Usually mediumthe air temperature in July is no more than 4 degrees Celsius, drizzling rain and fog can often be observed. The geographical position of the tundra in Russia is a zone from the western part of the country to the Bering Strait. It occupies 1/6 of the entire territory of the country. Siberia has the greatest extent from north to south.
Severe blizzard and hurricane winds are common in this area. They are so impetuous that they are able to knock down not only a person, but also a deer.
What is the tundra in summer
What are the features of the geographical location of the tundra in the summer? At this time of the year, you can find edible mushrooms and many delicious berries that stretch out in a colorful carpet, and you can also see herds of proud reindeer grazing. Thus, they look for food for themselves in the summer. Deer feed on everything they see: lichens, leaves of shrubs. In winter, too, they will find food in the form of deer moss.
Unique flora
The organic world of the tundra is poor. The tundra-gley soils of this zone can hardly be called fertile, since they are completely frozen. Not all plants can survive in severe northern conditions, where they have so little heat and sunlight. Lichens and mosses, polar poppy, black crowberry, princess, late loidia, swordskin sedge, saxifrage, snow buttercup and others are best settled here. Such plants are an unusual delicacy for local inhabitants of wildlife. What other greenery can be observed in this zone? Near300 species of flowering plants and almost 800 different types of lichens and mosses.
All plants here are dwarf. The so-called "forest" can reach you only up to the knee, and the "trees" will not be higher than the mushroom. The geographical position of the tundra is completely unsuitable for forests, and all because of the permanent permafrost, which persists for many years in a row.
Tundra animals
On the steep rocky shores, you can watch noisy birds. The geographical position of the natural tundra zone is suitable for those animals that prefer the sea. A large amount of water is an excellent habitat for waterfowl: geese, ducks, loons. You can meet passerines, waders, waterfowl, white geese, peregrine falcon, tundra partridge, lark. Here you will not find reptiles, but among the representatives of amphibians you can meet frogs. The animal world is also rich in white hares, arctic fox, weasels, foxes, wolves, polar and brown bears, musk musk oxen and, of course, reindeer. Tundra lakes are rich in the most diverse fish - salmon, dallium.
Reindeer are another feature of the Arctic deserts
They are not only a feature, but also a symbol that the tundra zone is proud of. The geographical position for these animals is very convenient to inhabit. They exist not only in open windy areas, but also on the islands of the Arctic Ocean. And it's the only one in the family.ungulates that may exist here. We can observe large horns in both males and females. The main source of food for reindeer is tundra plants. These are lichens (moss), buds, grass, small shoots of shrubs. In winter, they can extract plants from under the snow, while breaking it with their hooves.
The hairline of deer in winter is thick and long, the undercoat is well developed (to keep warm in severe frosts). In summer it becomes rarer and lighter. The summer color of deer is from grayish to brown. In winter it is mostly white. The special structure of the hooves allows the reindeer to successfully and quickly move through marshy swamps and deep snow. These are herd and polygamous animals.
In winter, they move to places where there are extensive moss pastures. A hundred or more kilometers from their habitat in summer is not a problem for winter deer migrations. They shed no more than once a year. This animal is sensitive, has a great sense of smell, and can also swim. Reindeer are free to swim across lakes and rivers.
How the components of nature are interconnected in the tundra zone
If we consider the geographical position of the tundra, it can be noted that forests begin in the southern part. This is how the forest-tundra originates. It stretches along the entire southern border of the tundra. It is already a little warmer here - in summer the temperature reaches 14 degrees Celsius. In the forest-tundra, a large amount of precipitation falls, which does not have time to evaporate. Thus, wetlands appear. MainThe food for the full-flowing local rivers is melted snow. The first months of summer are the peak of the flood. The geographical position of the tundra zone is gradually giving way to the forest tundra.
Man began to explore the northern area long ago. Gradually, the landscape, which extends beyond the Arctic Circle, was increasingly populated and transformed. Sea fishing is the main occupation of the northern peoples: the Chukchi and the Eskimos. Hunting for local animals has laid down its own food and clothing traditions. The meat of marine life, venison, fish, poultry are the main foodstuffs. Thanks to reindeer herding and hunting, the skins of fur and other animals are obtained, which are subsequently used as clothing.
What is the difference between forest-tundra and tundra
The forest-tundra is located in the zone between the tundra and the taiga. In the river valleys you can already see more forest with tall trees. This is how the geographical position of the tundra and forest-tundra differ. Here, between the rivers, you can find small islands of low trees with a cover of lichen. Summer here is warmer and longer. Due to the presence of trees, the wind speed here is not felt as strong as in the tundra, where the area is completely open.
Removal of the forest-tundra from the ocean contributes to severe winters with hard frosts. Soils thaw much deeper, and permanent permafrost is observed only in some areas. The main food of the rivers is also melted snow.
