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Tundra
By Cindy Grigg

1
A biome is a large area having a distinct climate and specific
types of plant and animal life. At the top of the world lies the
polar ice cap. There is no land underneath the ice. Traveling
south from the polar ice, the first land you come to is part of the
tundra biome. The tundra is lonely, windy, and cold. The tundra
covers the northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. In
North America, tundra stretches from the Arctic Ocean south to
the middle of Canada.
2
The arctic tundra has a cold, dry, harsh climate. From
September through May the tundra is locked in winter's icy grip. The ground is frozen
as hard as stone. Snow, driven by howling winds, sweeps across the land. Very little
precipitation falls there; most of it is snow. Tundra animals must endure long, bitterly
cold winters. Winter days are short. The nights are very long. For many weeks in the
middle of winter, the sun doesn't come up at all. It is dark for twenty-four hours a day.
3
Tundra summers last just three months from June through August. But summer
days on the tundra are long and sunny. The sun shines both day and night. In summer,
temperatures may get above fifty degrees F. But frost is still possible in July.
4
At the beginning of the summer, sunshine and warmer temperatures melt the snow
that winter left behind. But because summer is so short, only the top few inches of soil
thaw out. Deeper down, the ground never thaws. This ground that is always frozen is
called permafrost.
5
In the summer, the ground is squishy because of the permafrost. Since only a few
inches of soil are not frozen solid, water can't soak into the ground. The water collects
in low spots. There it forms shallow lakes and ponds. Parts of the tundra are dotted
with these pools of water for most of the summer. Yet it rarely rains, so on higher
ground, the soil can get very dry.
6
The soil is thin and poor. Most tundra plants have shallow roots. Roots can't grow
into permafrost. Tundra plants hug the ground to escape the fierce winds. They form a
dense mat that covers the land like a thick carpet. Few of the plants grow more than
knee-high.
7
Many different kinds of plants grow on the tundra. They are all crowded together.
Most have small leaves that are tough and leathery. Small leaves stand up to cold and
wind better than large leaves do. Some leaves are covered with soft little "hairs." These
tiny hair-like structures trap water. They help keep tundra plants from drying out.
Lichens grow on the ground and on rocks. Lichens are very tough. They can survive in
the coldest, driest places where nothing else can grow.

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8
Because the summers are short, tundra plants must hurry to grow. As soon as the
snow begins to melt at the end of winter, green shoots pop up. They sprout from seeds
or roots that survive the long cold months under snow. As flowers begin to bloom, the
tundra explodes with color. The plants must flower and make seeds before winter
returns. Small shrubs grow on the tundra, too. They don't die back to the ground at the
end of summer like flowers do. Instead, their woody stems grow a little bit each year.
Some of these small shrubs may be fifty years old!
9
Polar bears live along the tundra's edges, where the land meets the icy sea. Polar
bears spend most of their time near the water hunting for seals, their favorite food.
Mammals of the tundra also include caribou, musk oxen, lemmings, foxes, wolves, and
hares.
10
Every year when the snow begins to melt, other animals arrive. These summer
visitors move up from the south to spend the summer on the tundra. Swarms of black
flies and mosquitoes provide food for many birds. When winter approaches, most birds
migrate south to warmer climates.
11
The tundra is like a cold, wintry desert. Few animals live there year-round. Plants
are small and have shallow root systems. Winters are long with many hours of darkness.
Summers are short with long hours of daylight. Winters may be as cold as thirty degrees
below zero, while summer highs are usually in the fifties. Tundra life is hard for animals
and plants. Organisms that live in the tundra have adapted to the harsh conditions.
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Name _____________________________ Date ___________________

Tundra
1. The tundra biome is found: 2. Most of the precipitation that falls is:
In northern parts of North Snow
America, Europe, and Asia Rain
In hot deserts Sleet
In thick forests of the North
3. Summers last: 4. Summer days have many hours of:
Three months Darkness
Five months Daylight
One month Heat
5. Ground that is always frozen is called: 6. Most plants in the tundra:
Permafrost Are only knee-high or less
The deep freeze Have small, tough leaves
Frozen ground Both a and b
None of the above
7. Who are the "summer visitors"? 8. Because of permafrost, plants in the
Insects and birds tundra have:
Caribou Shallow root systems
Polar bears Smaller leaves
Tiny hairs to collect water

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Tundra - Answer Key

1 In northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia

2 Snow
3 Three months
4 Daylight
5 Permafrost
6 Both a and b
7 Insects and birds
8 Shallow root systems

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