The Arctic Tundra
Know what the Arctic tundra is: a vast, treeless landscape with permafrost (permanently frozen ground) just below the surface, a very short growing season in summer when mosses, lichens, and tough grasses burst into life, and home to caribou/reindeer, musk oxen, lemmings, and snowy owls
What a learner can do afterwards
- Describe the tundra as a treeless landscape with permafrost (permanently frozen ground) beneath the surface
- Explain that the tundra has a very short summer growing season when mosses, lichens, and grasses grow quickly
- Name at least three tundra animals: caribou/reindeer, musk oxen, lemmings, or snowy owls
1 · Read
The tundra is a huge, flat land near the Arctic. It has almost no trees. Deep under the ground, the soil stays frozen all year long. This frozen layer is called permafrost, which means "permanently frozen ground."
For most of the year, the tundra is cold and quiet. But for a few short weeks in summer, it comes alive. Mosses, lichens, and tough little grasses burst up fast, because they only have a short time to grow before winter returns.
Zoe visits the tundra in July. She sees purple flowers poking through the moss, a herd of caribou grazing nearby, and a snowy owl watching from a low rock. There isn't a single tree in sight.
Even in summer, only a thin top layer of soil thaws. Just below it, the ground stays frozen solid. That's why the tundra has no tall trees: roots can't dig down into frozen ground.
The tundra is a flat, treeless land with frozen ground below and a short burst of summer life above.
More to read
The Arctic: Narrative Writing Lesson
The Arctic tundra is a vast, treeless landscape near the top of the world. The ground stays frozen all year round just below the surface. This is called permafrost. Only the top layer thaws in summer. The growing season is very short, just a few weeks. But when summer comes, the tundra bursts into life. Mosses, lichens, grasses, and low shrubs grow quickly. Flowers bloom in bright colours. Animals appear to feed and raise their young. Caribou (also called reindeer) migrate in huge herds. Musk oxen huddle together for warmth. Lemmings tunnel under the snow. Snowy owls hunt from the sky. Arctic foxes follow the lemmings. In winter, the tundra is quiet, white, and frozen. Life waits for the brief summer.
Erosion in Alaska | Youth And Climate
Permafrost is ground that stays frozen for two or more years in a row. It can be hundreds of metres deep. The top layer, called the active layer, thaws in summer and freezes again in winter. This freeze-thaw cycle creates patterns on the ground like polygons and circles. Plants have shallow roots because they cannot grow into the frozen ground. They grow low to avoid wind and cold. Animals have thick fur, fat layers, and behaviours to survive. Caribou migrate thousands of kilometres. Lemmings live under the snow where it is warmer. The tundra stores huge amounts of carbon in its frozen soil. As the climate warms, permafrost thaws and releases greenhouse gases.
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