Tundra

toc = = =Team Members=

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Cynthia Cotto Christine Lopez Corado

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David Bourque Shawn Tehan

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Ryan Leonard Edgar Ramirez =Introduction= Are you sick of the hot mainstream resorts down in the tropics with all the bugs and crowds of tourist? Do you want to visit a place that has barely been touched by man and still holds its natural beauty? Do you want to watch a mother polar bear with her young prancing along mammoth sized glaciers? Do you wanna drift off to sleep while looking at the sight of the northern lights glowing above your head? If you answered yes to any of these questions then visit the Arctic Tundra, you wont regret or forget it. If you do decide to go to any tundra place make sure you pack warm cloths. If you go during the summer it might be a good idea to bring some pants and a long sleeve shirt and possibly a jacket. If you were to go during the winter it would be smart to bring snow pants and heavy clothing due to the weather. Also it would be good to bring a friend or family because you all can see the greatness of the tundra. You may also consider bringing some sleds or skis because there are nice mountain and hills you can go down for entertainment. The tundra is a very cold place because it is the farthest place from the equator. The tundra is located in the northern hemisphere. Also there are many different kinds of animals such as polar bears, caribou, reindeer, and the lemming. The tundra is the coldest and the driest of all the biomes on Earth, one fifth of the world is tundra. It is an extremely cold climate, low biotic divesit. it also has a very simple vegetation rotation, and little drainage. The tundra is a beautiful place you could go to. If you were to decide to go make sure you have a few jackets and heavy cloths because it gets very cold at times. 3] Here is a video as well. this is another video that could help you get a better description if you didn't get a good image of what its like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46YHd4o8qPo&feature=endscreen&NR=1

media type="youtube" key="SGSdBMdvCGA" height="282" width="504" = = =Locations of the Tundra=

**Climate Information**
Make sure to pack your __winter jacket__ because as we mentioned above the Arctic Tundra is pretty chilly at a usually temperature of -30°F 3]. We do get a little warmer though during our 6-10 week summer period in which the temperature varies from 37-54ºF 3] which isn't to shabby. During our summer period some of the permafrost will melt creating lakes which won't go away until winter. The Arctic Tundra also receives very little rain with a average yearly amount of 6-10 inches so you can leave the umbrella at home.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ 3]

**Terrain Information**
Since it's so in cold our ground is covered with something called Permafrost 3] which is when the ground is a layer of subsoil which is always frozen. While the word Tundra comes from Finnish word 'tunturia', meaning treeless plain 3] we do have a lot of plants and __flowers__ which grow. The Arctic Tundra has over 1,700 kinds of plants and 400 types of flowers 3] so all you plant and flower lovers will be more than pleased! These plants are also able to grow in the winter which is really special to the Tundra.Tundra

**Climate Information**
The Alpine Tundra isn't quiet as cold as the Arctic Tundra with the average temperature being right below freezing. It is comparable to a winter in New England. One big thing that isn't comparable would be the __win__ speeds which can reach over 100mph 4]. One of the great things about the Alpine is that it receives much more rainfall; around 40 inches per year. 4]

**Terrain Information**
In Latin the world for 'high mountains' is 'alpes' so you might have guessed that the Alps are located up pretty high. The height of must Alpine Tundras varies from 11,200 feet to 12,000 feet above seal level 4]. The vegetation contains of small bushes and small forbs which produce very colorful flowers. Much like the Arctic Tundra the plants here have learned to adapt to harsh coniitions so the chances are high that you're going to see some beautiful flowers.

==Antarctic Peninsula==

**Climate Information**
If you haven't been impressed by the weather temperatures of the locations above then this is the place for you. The Antarctic Peninsula averages around 1-2° C which is about 32°F 1]. You'll still need a coat but that is much better than 100mph winds 1]! An umbrella wouldn't be a bad idea depending on where you are but rain varies significantly depending on which part of the island you are on. We recommend coming during July when temperatures are the warmest. 1]

**Terrain Information**
If you don't like heights then this might not be the place for you. The Antarctic Peninsula is considered a continuation of the Andes with peaks of 2500 to 3000 m with a ice cap which peaks at 2000m 2].The Antarctic Peninsula is mostly ice so make sure to bring your snow boots and be careful because this terrain is pretty rough.

=Animals= media type="youtube" key="5Kl1BfUzdYI" height="315" width="420"

The Polar Bear
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The polar bear is one of the cutest arctic animals with thick white fur coat to camouflage in the snowy tundra. The thick white fur protects the polar bear from the severe cold temperatures of the tundra. Unlike other mammals the polar bear has 2 coats of fur. A very soft undercoat and a thick overcoat to protect it from harsh weather which is what gives it it's cute and cuddley appearance. Most of the time polar bears roam on cold slippery ice. The soles of its feet contain fur to prevent the polar bear from slipping. Unlike other bears in other biomes the polar bear has webbed paws to help it bear swim. His long neck helps the bear keep his head over water when swimming. The polar bear roams the northern polar regions of Greenland, North America, Northern Europe and Asia. The diet of the polar bear consists of seals, fish, Seabirds, sometimes reindeer and in summer the polar bear eats berries or other tundra plants. The polar bear mates in mid-summer. When it's time to have its pups she will dig in the snow and hibernate over the winter season. The mother bear will stay there up to 9 months. The pups are born with no fur on their bodies, they are also born toothless.They will stay with their mother in the den under the snow until the 9 months are up. The mother keeps her hairless pups warm with her body heat. The polar bear is a nomadic animal which means it travels to find its food. The polar bear will travel near the water. It can swim 60 miles with no rest. Unlike other bears it can dive 15 ft of depth and stay underwater for 2 minutes. Therese unique characteristics help it hunt for food like seals,fish and penguins.

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**The Snowy Owl**
The snowy owl is a very large predator. It comes from the owl family unlike most owls the snowy owl hunts for its food during the day. It's white fine plumage helps the owl camouflage in the snowy landscape. The snowy owl can be found along the Arctic Circle. Snowy owls like most birds migrate south when their is a lack of food. Some snowy owls have traveled as far south as Texas and Georgia of the United States. Snowy owls will feed on small rodent,rabbit, small animal(such as young tundra animal), other birds like ptarmigans as well as bird eggs of larger birds. Like other animals when there is a lack of food they will go for anything they can find. Snowy owls build there nests up high where no predators can reach there eggs and prey are visible.



The Arctic Fox
The arctic fox can survive frigid Arctic the temperatures can reach as low as –58°F in the treeless lands where it makes its home. Arctic foxes have beautiful white coats that act as their winter camouflage.When the seasons change, the fox's coat turns also, adopting a brown or gray appearance that provides cover in the summer tundra's rocks and plants. The Arctic Fox uses the Polar Bear as a source for food. It will eat any leftover scraps from the Polar Bears kill. It can also hunt on its own but ith is just another easy way for the fox to get the food it needs.





Harp Seal
One of the cutest animals is the harp seal which lives in the Arctic and Northern Atlantic Ocean. The harp seal is a large seal, it grows up to 6 ft. long(both male and female) and can have the weight of up to 400 lbs. Harp seals have a very cute grayish-yellow color with a broad dark band starting at the shoulders and continuing along the sides. The seal doesn't have a main area or region to breed on. they usually breed on floating packs of ice. These seals are migratory. The harp seal is known for its white silky pelt coat when its a newborn, this is the reason why these pups are called white coats. The mother stays with the pup for 10-12 days. After the pup are on their own, the pup stays with the white fur for 2-3 weeks, later the seal becomes gray. The seal will go off and find food for itself. Later it will join a pack of other young seals and hunt. The reason harp seals are turning into a threatened species is because of the dangers their beautiful silk pelts. Newborn seals are beat dead for their pelts. Products made out of harp seals are Omega-3 health supplements and coats. The seal has made problems between Canada and the Europe Union. The Union stopped the seal products from entering Europe. Europe is against the abuse of these seals. [] =Food Web=

Antarctic Peninsula
== =Works Cited= [1] Antarctic Peninsula.” Wikipedia. WIkimedia, 5 Mar. 2012. Web. 9 Mar. 2012. .

[2] “Antartic Peninsula.” Noth Dakota State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2012. .

[3] Pullen, Stephanie. “The Tundra Biome.” Berkeley. Berkeley, Apr. 2004. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. .

[4] Ritter, Michael. “Alpine Tundra.” University of Wisconsin. N.p., 25 June 1997. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. . Last revised one day before my birthday :D

[5] S, Whitney. “Alpine Biome.” Blue Plant Biomes. N.p., 2002. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. .

[6]"Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus)." //natio//nalgeographic.com. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. []

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