Tundra Essay ⋆ Environment Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

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Tundra , a term derived from the Finnish word tunturia and/or the Saami word, the genitive of tundar, both meaning “treeless plain,” is the coldest and least species-rich ecosystem on earth. It is found both in areas of high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic tundra) and altitude (alpine tundra).

Arctic tundra technically refers to the areas of high latitude permafrost in the Northern Hemisphere. This includes large areas of Russia and Canada. Permafrost is permanently frozen ground, an ecosystem characteristic that-in addition to low water and temperatures-contributes to the high stress of plant and animal survival. The predominant flora is mosses, heath, and lichen. Mammals include wolf, fox, musk ox, polar bear, rabbit, vole, and caribou. In many of these permafrost areas the winter low temperatures dip to negative 60 degrees F. This does not, however, result in a frozen and unproductive ecosystem. The short window of summer-perhaps two months in length-provides ample warmth and extended daylight for the tundra to be highly productive for the native plants and animals and also for swarms of migratory birds and other fauna that flock there to reproduce and gorge on the tundra’s ecological bounty.

Most of Antarctica is ice field except for a few areas of the continent, particularly the Antarctic Peninsula, whose rocky soil supports tundra. Its flora is made up of mosses, lichens, liverworts, and aquatic and terrestrial algae. Fauna are restricted to sea mammals and birds, most notably the penguin. Alpine tundra occurs wherever the altitude reaches above the tree line. It is devoid of permafrost and includes animals such as elk, marmot, mountain goat, pika, and sheep.

The tundra ecosystem-a biome of extreme temperature, daylight and moisture regimes-has historically been considered a barren wasteland. These regions, however, contain many diverse ecological and physical environments. For example, the high arctic deserts are home to colonizer flora (e.g., lichens and mosses) and highly adapted fauna (e.g., caribou and spiders). The finite bounds of these diverse yet fragile ecosystems are limited because of the physical environment (i.e., low temperatures) for reasons such as: Lack of nutrients cycling, light availability, limited freshwater availability, and slowed biological process. These limiting factors make arctic ecosystems slow to recover from disruptions and impacts caused by invasive human development and resource exploitation practices. Furthermore, the faunal adaptive reliance on stored energy (i.e., fat) and long lifespan strategies makes food chains more susceptible to contaminants, such as persistent organic pollutants and radionuclides.

The adaptations and diversity of the tundra are not limited to flora and fauna. Arctic indigenous peoples represent an integrated part of the ecosystem who have developed modes of subsistence that include reindeer herding, sea mammal hunting, taiga terrestrial animal hunting, and settled river fishing.

In the 21st century the processes of global warming are being felt most acutely in tundra regions of the world. This process is most poignant in the Arctic tundra due to the melting of the permafrost and its effects on the plants, animals, and humans who have adapted to an ecosystem based on water in its solid state. Melting permafrost also involves the potential release of high amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from the bog that results. Although warming is already in progress, humans must take responsibility to forestall global warming before irreversible change occurs.

Bibliography:

David Wharton, Life at the Limits: Organisms in Extreme Environments (Cambridge University Press, 2002);
Sarah Woodin and Mick Marquiss, eds., Ecology of Arctic Environments (Cambridge University Press, 1997).